Chapter II of the Constitution of Australia establishes the executive branch of the Government of Australia. It provides for the exercise of

executive power The Executive, also referred as the Executive branch or Executive power, is the term commonly used to describe that part of government which enforces the law, and has overall responsibility for the governance of a state. In political systems b ...

by the Governor-General advised by a Federal Executive Council.

Sections

Section 61: Executive power

Section 61 vests the executive power of the Commonwealth in the

monarch of Australia The monarchy of Australia is Australia's form of government embodied by the Australian sovereign and head of state. The Australian monarchy is a constitutional monarchy, modelled on the Westminster system of parliamentary government, while in ...

, and establishes the Governor-General as being able to exercise this power on behalf of the monarch as their representative. In practice, the Governor-General only exercises this power on the advice of the Federal Executive Council which he or she presides over.

Section 62: Federal Executive Council

Section 62 establishes the Federal Executive Council which advises the Governor-General. In practice the Governor-General is bound by convention to follow this advice, and although he or she is described as having the power to choose the members of the Federal Executive Council, generally all parliamentarians who are appointed a ministerial portfolio automatically become members and remain so for life.

Section 63: Provisions referring to Governor-General

Section 64: Ministers of State

Section 65: Numbers of Ministers

Section 66: Salaries of Ministers

Section 67: Appointment of civil servants

Section 68: Command of naval and military forces

Section 68 vests command of the Australian Defence Force in the Governor-General. In practice this role is limited to ceremonial duties, including attending military parades and services, and appointing the Chiefs of the Defence Force,

Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

Navy A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It in ...

, and

Air Force An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an ...

, which (along with all decisions made by the Governor-General in his or her capacity as Commander-in-Chief) is done on the advice of the Federal Executive Council. Actual command of the armed forces is wielded by the

Minister for Defence {{unsourced, date=February 2021 A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in states ...

, who is responsible for defence policy, and the Chief of the Defence Force, who is responsible for the administration and operation of the military.

Section 69: Transfer of certain departments

Section 70: Certain powers of Governors to vest in Governor-General

References

External links

Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act: Chapter II – The Executive Government
{{Constitution of Australia Australian constitutional law