Australian Bureau of Statistics
Celebrating the International Year of Statistics 2013

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STATE GOVERNMENT

The Australian nation was created by the federation of the six British self-governing colonies of New South Wales, Tasmania, Queensland, Western Australia, Victoria and South Australia which became the 'Original States' in the Commonwealth of Australia. Under the constitutional arrangements that came into existence in 1901 significant powers were retained by these states. State administrative responsibilities include education, police, public health, public transport, agriculture, roads, community services, corrective services, mineral resources, emergency services, ports and the oversight of local government.

Governors

A state governor is the representative of the Sovereign, appointed by the Sovereign on the advice of the state's premier. The governor exercises the executive power of his or her state on the advice of the premier. Other powers and functions are similar to the powers exercised at the Commonwealth level by the Governor-General.

In addition, governors have been invested with various statutory functions by state constitutions and the Australia Act 1986 (Cwlth), as well as under the Acts of the parliaments of the states. For example, governors may administer the prerogative of mercy by the reprieve or pardon of criminal offenders, and may remit fines and penalties.

The governors also possess what are referred to as 'reserve powers'. These may be used without the advice of the premier, but are used only in times of political uncertainty.

The governors of the states at September 2007 are shown in table 4.4.

4.4 GOVERNORS - September 2007
New South Wales	Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC
Victoria	Professor David de Krester AC
Queensland	Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC
Western Australia	His Excellency Dr Ken Michael AM
South Australia	His Excellency Rear Admiral Kevin Scarce AO CSC, RANR
Tasmania	His Excellency the Hon. William Cox AC, RFD, ED
Source: Library of the Commonwealth Parliament.

4.5 PREMIERS - September 2007
New South Wales	The Hon. M Iemma MP (ALP)
Victoria	The Hon. JM Brumby MLA (ALP)
Queensland	The Hon. AM Bligh MLA (ALP)
Western Australia	The Hon. AJ Carpenter MLA (ALP)
South Australia	The Hon. MD Rann MLA (ALP)
Tasmania	The Hon. PA Lennon MHA (ALP)
Source: Library of the Commonwealth Parliament.

Parliaments

Five of the six Australian states have a bicameral parliament. In Queensland there is a single house. The lower houses in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia are entitled Legislative Assembly; in South Australia and Tasmania the term is House of Assembly. The title of the five upper houses is Legislative Council.

Elections

The members of the parliaments of each state are elected by the residents of that state using either the alternative vote ('preferential voting') or proportional representation (single transferable vote variant).

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