The Government

What is the Government?

The Government is made up of the Prime Minister, Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries. The Governor-General also plays a role in the Government.

The political party or coalition that holds the majority of seats in the House of Representatives is known as the governing party.

The Government’s main task is to govern—to make policies, propose new laws and administer existing laws.

What is the difference between the Government and the Parliament?

The Government has different functions from the Parliament. The Parliament considers and agrees to proposed new laws (bills), keeps a check on government actions and debates government policies and other issues.

The Government leads the Parliament, but is at the same time answerable to it. A government bill cannot become a law unless the Parliament agrees to it. Parliament must also approve the Government’s plans for spending public money.