Government of the Australian Capital Territory
The Government of the Australian Capital Territory, also referred to as the Australian Capital Territory Government or ACT Government, is the executive authority of the Australian Capital Territory, one of the territories of Australia. The leader of the party or coalition with the confidence of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly forms Government. Unlike the Australian States and the Northern Territory, the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly directly elects one of their number to be the Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory as the head of the Government, rather than being appointed by a Governor or Administrator.[1]
| Territorial Government | |
| Formation |
|
|---|---|
| Territory | Australian Capital Territory |
| Country | Australia |
| Website | act |
| Legislative branch | |
| Legislature | ACT Legislative Assembly |
| Meeting place | Legislative Assembly Building |
| Executive branch | |
| Head of government | Chief Minister |
| Appointed by | ACT Legislative Assembly |
| Headquarters | Legislative Assembly Building |
| Main organ | Cabinet of ACT |
| Judicial branch | |
| Court | Supreme Court |
| Seat | ACT Law Courts building, Canberra |
Since December 2014, the Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory has been Andrew Barr, leader of the Labor Party. Following the 2020 ACT election, the Government has been formed by a coalition of ten Labor members and six Greens members. The terms of the coalition are outlined in the Parliamentary and Governing Agreement for the 10th Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory.[2]
Ministers are appointed by the Chief Minister.[3] The current ministry of the Australian Capital Territory (Third Barr Ministry) comprises nine of the twenty five Members of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly.[4][5]
Constitutional framework edit
The ACT has internal self-government, but Australia's Constitution does not afford the territory government the full legislative independence provided to Australian states. Government for the Australian Capital Territory is outlined in Commonwealth legislation; the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988.[6] Nonetheless, the ACT is governed according to the principles of the Westminster System, a form of parliamentary government based on the model of the United Kingdom.
Legislative power rests with the unicameral Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly.
Executive power rests formally with the Executive, which consists of the Chief Minister and Ministers, and is informally called the Cabinet.
Judicial power is exercised by the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory and a system of subordinate courts, but the High Court of Australia and other federal courts have overriding jurisdiction on matters which fall under the ambit of the Australian Constitution.
The ACT does not have a separate system of local government such as that seen in the Australian States and the Northern Territory. In the ACT, government functions that would usually be handled by local government are instead directly handled by the Territory government.
Current Ministry edit
The current arrangement of the incumbent ministry (Third Barr Ministry) of the ACT was appointed on 4 November 2020, comprising six Labor Party members and three Greens members.[4][5]
| Minister | Portfolio | Portrait | Party | Opposition counterpart | Portfolio | Portrait | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andrew Barr MLA | Chief Minister Treasurer Minister for Climate Action Minister for Economic Development Minister for Tourism | Labor | Elizabeth Lee MLA | Leader of the Opposition Shadow Treasurer Shadow Minister for Climate Action Shadow Minister for Economic Development, Tourism and Major Projects | Liberal | ||||
| Yvette Berry MLA | Deputy Chief Minister | Labor | Giulia Jones MLA | Deputy Leader of the Opposition | Liberal | ||||
| Minister for Housing and Suburban Development | Mark Parton MLA | Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness | Liberal | ||||||
| Minister for Women | Nicole Lawder MLA | Shadow Minister for Women Shadow Minister for Seniors | Liberal | ||||||
| Minister for Education and Youth Affairs Minister for Early Childhood Development | Jeremy Hanson MLA | Shadow Minister for Education and Higher Education Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education | Liberal | ||||||
| Minister for Sport and Recreation | James Milligan MLA | Shadow Minister for Sport and Recreation | Liberal | ||||||
| Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence | Elizabeth Kikkert MLA | Shadow Minister for Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence | Liberal | ||||||
| Mick Gentleman MLA | Minister for Corrections | Labor | Shadow Minister for Corrections | ||||||
| Minister for Police and Emergency Services | Jeremy Hanson MLA | Shadow Minister for Police Shadow Minister for Veterans Affairs | Liberal | ||||||
| James Milligan MLA | Shadow Minister for Emergency Services | Liberal | |||||||
| Minister for Planning and Land Management Minister for Industrial Relations and Workplace Safety | Peter Cain MLA | Assistant Shadow Treasurer Shadow Minister for Planning and Land Management Shadow Minister for Jobs and Workplace Affairs | Liberal | ||||||
| Shane Rattenbury MLA | Attorney-General Minister for Consumer Affairs | Greens | Elizabeth Lee MLA | Shadow Attorney-General | Liberal | ||||
| Minister for Water, Energy and Emissions Reduction | Leanne Castley MLA | Shadow Minister for Water, Energy and Emissions Reduction | Liberal | ||||||
| Minister for Gaming | Mark Parton MLA | Shadow Minister for Gaming, Racing and Community Clubs | Liberal | ||||||
| Rachel Stephen-Smith MLA | Minister for Health | Labor | Giulia Jones MLA | Shadow Minister for Health | Liberal | ||||
| Minister for Families and Community Services Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs | Elizabeth Kikkert MLA | Shadow Minister for Families, Youth and Community Services Shadow Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs | Liberal | ||||||
| Chris Steel MLA | Minister for Skills Special Minister of State | Labor | James Milligan MLA | Shadow Minister for Vocational Training and Skills | Liberal | ||||
| Minister for Transport and City Services | Mark Parton MLA | Shadow Minister for Transport | Liberal | ||||||
| Nicole Lawder MLA | Shadow Minister for City Services | Liberal | |||||||
| Tara Cheyne MLA | Minister for the Arts | Labor | Shadow Minister for Arts | ||||||
| Minister for Multicultural Affairs Minister for Human Rights | Giulia Jones MLA | Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs | Liberal | ||||||
| Minister for Business and Better Regulation Assistant Minister for Economic Development | Peter Cain MLA | Shadow Minister for Regulatory Services | Liberal | ||||||
| Leanne Castley MLA | Shadow Minister for Business Assistant Shadow Minister for Economic Development, Tourism and Major Projects | Liberal | |||||||
| Rebecca Vassarotti MLA | Minister for the Environment Minister for Heritage | Greens | Shadow Minister for Environment and Heritage | ||||||
| Minister for Homelessness and Housing Services Minister for Sustainable Building and Construction | Mark Parton MLA | Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness Shadow Minister for Sustainable Building and Construction | Liberal | ||||||
| Emma Davidson MLA | Minister for Disability Assistant Minister for Seniors, Veterans, Families and Community Services | Greens | James Milligan MLA | Shadow Minister for Disability | Liberal | ||||
| Minister for Mental Health Minister for Justice Health | Giulia Jones MLA | Shadow Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing | Liberal | ||||||
ACT Government Directorates edit
The ACT Government is served by a unified ACT Public Service agency, reporting to a single Head of Service.
Administrative units, known as Directorates, are grouped under areas of portfolio responsibility. Each Directorate is led by a Director-General who reports to one or more Ministers.
As of November 2020[update], there are nine Directorates:[7]
- Canberra Health Services
- Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate (CMTEDD)
- Community Services Directorate
- Education Directorate
- Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate (EPSDD)
- Health Directorate
- Justice and Community Safety Directorate
- Major Projects Canberra
- Transport Canberra and City Services Directorate (TCCS)
Agencies and Authorities edit
- City Renewal Authority
- Suburban Land Agency
Independent Authorities edit
- Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission
- Office of the Work Health and Safety Commissioner
Public Authorities and Territory Owned Corporations edit
The ACT Government also has a number of Public Authorities and Territory Owned Corporations:[8]
- ACT Building & Construction Industry Training Fund Board: providing funding for the training of eligible workers in the ACT building and construction industry.
- ACT Long Service Leave Authority: administers portable long service leave schemes.
- ACT Teacher Quality Institute: an independent statutory authority established to build the professional standing of ACT teachers and to enhance the community's confidence in the teaching profession through professional regulation and practical initiatives to raise teacher quality.
- Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) is the ACT Government operated vocational educational provider.
- Cultural Facilities Corporation: manages the Canberra Theatre Centre; the Canberra Museum and Gallery (CMAG).
- EvoEnergy: owns and operates the ACT electricity and gas networks as well as gas networks in Queanbeyan and Palerang shires and Nowra.
- Icon Water Limited: providing drinking water and wastewater services to the ACT and surrounding regions.
The following are officers of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly:
- ACT Audit Office: responsible for the audit of all ACT public sector agencies.
- ACT Electoral Commission: an independent statutory authority responsible for conducting elections and referendums for the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly.
- ACT Integrity Commissioner: responsible for investigating alleged corrupt conduct in the Legislative Assembly and the ACT Public Sector.
- ACT Ombudsman: manages complaints about unfair treatment by ACT Government agencies.
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988 – Sect 40".
- ^ "Parliamentary and Governing Agreement for the 10th Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory" (PDF). Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate. (PDF) from the original on 2 November 2020. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
- ^ "Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988 – Sect 39".
- ^ a b "ACT Government Executive" (PDF). Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate. (PDF) from the original on 3 November 2020. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
- ^ a b "Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Ministerial Appointment 2020 (No 2)" (PDF).
- ^ "Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988".
- ^ "ACT Government Directorates". ACT Government. 24 December 2012. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
- ^ "Public Authorities and Territory Owned Corporations". ACT Government. ACT Government.
External links edit
- https://www.act.gov.au/ ACT Government website
- https://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/acta1988482/index.html#s24/ The Self-Government Act 1988 (Cth) in AustLII