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A country cannot be fully understood without some knowledge of its politics. It is indeed at the very core of how everything is run is the country, but also of the frame of mind and opinions of its people. The political system of Australia is of course greatly inspired by the European and North American democracies, but it also differs in many ways.
The Commonwealth and the Queen of Australia
First, it is important to note that Australia is a…monarchy ! That fact is too often forgotten. Elizabeth II is also “Queen of Australia”, though this title is mainly honorific. In 1999, a referendum was held to decide whether Australia should become a Republic. Although the choice of the people to keep the Queen at the head of their country (like it is the case for sixteen out of fifty-four members of the Commonwealth) can be ascribed to the divisions among the Republicans, it also reveals that many Australians are still aware of their Europeans roots.
What does being a member of the Commonwealth mean? It has many implications, but the goal is mainly to sustain a form a cultural common basis promoting the Human Rights and Peace. It is an intergovernmental organization in which all members are considered equals. The Prime Ministers of all members meet twice a year. Most of the members are former British colonies or dominions of the United Kingdom.
The federal government of Australia
The Australian Constitution took effect on January 1st 1901. There are six-states government (Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania), two self-governing territories (the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory), and a national government (also called Commonwealth government).
The Commonwealth parliament can make laws about external affairs, interstate and international trade, defense and immigration. The state parliaments cannot make laws that are inconsistent with Commonwealth laws. The national legislative power has two chambers or “Houses”: the House of Representatives and the Senate, both elected directly by the Australian people. The Australian government is formed by the party or coalition of parties that has the majority in the House of Representatives. Currently, there is an Australian Labor Party government in power, with Julia Gillard as Prime Minister. In Australian, every citizen that has turned eighteen has to vote or he will have to pay a small penalty, resulting in a participation rate of more that 90%! Each citizen has to vote for elections of three “levels”: national, state or territorial, and local. The states have two Houses each, except for Queensland, and the territories have one House. State parliament and government are responsible for: law and order, consumer affairs, health, education, forestry, public transports and main roads.
The political parties
There are two main political forces in Australia. The political system in Australia is therefore a two-party system:
- A coalition of the Liberal and National Parties (which has governed Australia for periods totaling more than 40 years since WWII)
- The Australian Labor party (which has governed Australia for periods totaling 20 years since WWII)
The Australian Labor Party (ALP)
The Australian Labor Party (ALP) is a center-left party that advocates for social democracy. Founded in 1890, it is the oldest Australian Party and the only one that has been continuously represented in the House of Representatives since 1901.
This party is currently governing federally (and in all states and territories except Western Australia) under Julia Gillard, the first female Australian Prime Minister. Before 2007, the most recent period the ALP had governed federally was from 1983 to 1996 under Bob Hawke and Paul Keating.
The Liberal Party of Australia (Lib)
The Liberal Party of Australia (Lib) is a center-right party (though it has evolved rightwards since the 1980s) advocating for liberal conservatism. It was founded in 1910 from the merger of two parties and has undergone many reformations since.
Its current leader is Tony Abbot, and it has cast 36,61% of votes in the 2007 election. The most recent period it has governed the country in coalition with the National Party is from 1996 to 2007 under John Howard.
The Nationals (Nat.)
The Nationals (Nat.) is also a centre-right party, advocating for rural conservatism.
It has held seats in Parliament since 1919. It used to be called the Country Party, then National Country Party, then National Party and finally the Nationals since 2003. Its position has considerably declined and it is now threatened by other smaller parties. Its current leader is Warren Truss, and it has cast 5,49% of the votes in the 2007 election.
In Western Australia and South Australia, the Coalition is not effective and the Nationals compete with the Liberal Party, which is dominant.
Other Parties
Despite the two-party system, other political parties have a say in Australian political life:
- The Australian Greens (GRN) is a left-wing green party.
The Greens were born as a 1980s phenomenon that has grown in the recent years. This party is seen as the “third force” in the Australian political landscape. Its current leader is Bob Brown and it has cast 7,79% of the votes in the 2007 election. However, in some state such as Tasmania, its importance is even greater. - Family First (FF) is a right-wing party promoting social conservatism.
It is a relatively recent Christian-influenced party that gained representation rapidly. Its current leader is Steve Fielding and it has cast barely 2% of votes in the 2007 election. - Other parties are worth mentioning, such as One Nation or the Australian Democrats.