Australia

Find the latest and breaking political news, commentary and opinion in Australia.

Australia’s six states and two territories are structured within a political framework similar to that of the Commonwealth. Each state has its own bicameral Parliament, with the exception of Queensland and the two Territories, whose Parliaments are unicameral. Each state has a Governor, who undertakes a role equivalent to that of the Governor-General at the federal level, and a Premier, who is the head of government and is equivalent to the Prime Minister. Each state also has its own supreme court, from which appeals can be made to the High Court of Australia.

Elections in the six Australian states and two territories are held at least once every four years. In New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory, election dates are fixed by legislation. However, the other state premiers and the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory have the same discretion in calling elections as the Prime Minister at national level.

Local government in Australia is the third (and lowest) tier of government, administered by the states and territories which in turn are beneath the federal tier. Unlike the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand, there is only one level of local government in all states, with no distinction such as counties and cities. Today, most local governments have equivalent powers within a state, and styles such as “shire” or “city” refer to the nature of the settlements they are based around.

In Defense of Tradition: A Case for Embracing the Rich Tapestry of Catholic Heritage

In a world seemingly obsessed with novelty and the ever-shifting sands of trends, the enduring presence of traditional Catholicism stands…

S. Jack Heffernan Ph.D S. Jack Heffernan Ph.D

PwC Australia Leaked Tax Info: Costly Consequences Ahead

Financial Impact of PwC Australia's Tax Scandal PwC Australia's admission to leaking confidential tax information to multiple clients is a…

John Heffernan John Heffernan

Happy Australia Day

Critics argue that celebrating on this date disregards the pain and trauma inflicted on the country's first inhabitants. They call…

S. Jack Heffernan Ph.D S. Jack Heffernan Ph.D
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