The Executive Government | |||||||||||||
The Executive Government | |||||||||||||
The Executive Government
Chapter II - The Executive GovernmentExecutive power61. The executive power of the Commonwealth is vested in the Queen and is exercisable by the Governor-General as the Queen's representative, and extends to the execution and maintenance of this Constitution, and of the laws of the Commonwealth.Federal Executive Council62. There shall be a Federal Executive Council to advise the Governor- General in the government of the Commonwealth, and the members of the Council shall be chosen and summoned by the Governor-General and sworn as Executive Councillors, and shall hold office during his pleasure.Provisions referring to Governor-General63. The provisions of this Constitution referring to the Governor-General in Council shall be construed as referring to the Governor-General acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council.Ministers of State64. The Governor-General may appoint officers to administer such departments of State of the Commonwealth as the Governor-General in Council may establish.Such officers shall hold office during he pleasure of the Governor-General. They shall be members of the Federal Executive Council, and shall be the Queen's Ministers of State for the Commonwealth. After the first general election no Minister of State shall hold office for a longer period than three months unless he is or becomes a senator or a member of the House of Representatives. Number of Ministers65. Until the Parliament otherwise provides, the Ministers of the State shall not exceed seven in number, and shall hold such offices as the Parliament prescribes, or, in the absence of provision, as the Governor- General directs.Salaries of Ministers66. There shall be payable to the Queen, out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Commonwealth, for the salaries of the Ministers of State, an annual sum which, until the Parliament otherwise provides, shall not exceed twelve thousand pounds a year.Appointment of civil servants67. Until the Parliament otherwise provides, the appointment and removal of all other officers of the Executive Government of the Commonwealth shall be vested in the Governor-General in Council, unless the appointment is delegated by the Governor-General in Council or by a law of the Commonwealth to some other authority.Command of naval and military forces68. The command in chief of the naval and military forces of the Commonwealth is vested in the Governor-General as the Queen's representative.Transfer of certain departments69. On a date or dates to be proclaimed by the Governor-General after the establishment of the Commonwealth the following departments of the public service in each State shall become transferred to the Commonwealth:- Posts, telegraphs, and telephones: Naval and military defence: Lighthouses, lightships, beacons, and buoys: Quarantine.But the departments of customs and of excise in each State shall become transferred to the Commonwealth on its establishment. Certain powers of Governors to vest in Governor-General70. In respect of matters which, under this Constitution, pass to the Executive Government of the Commonwealth, all powers and functions which at the establishment of the Commonwealth are vested in the Governor of a Colony, or in the Governor of a Colony with the advice of his Executive Council, or in any authority of a Colony, shall vest in the Governor-General, or in the Governor-General in Council, or in the authority exercising similar powers under the Commonwealth, as the case requires.
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Constitution of Australia
Bill Of Rights | |||||||||||||
Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act
Chapter I - The ParliamentPart I - General
| Part II - The Senate
| Part III - The House of Representatives
| Part IV - Both Houses of the Parliament
| Part V - Powers of the Parliament
| Chapter II - The Executive Government The Executive Government
| Chapter III - The Judicature The Judicature
| Chapter IV - Finance And Trade Finance And Trade
| Chapter V - The States The States
| Chapter VI - New States New States
| Chapter VII - Miscellaneous Miscellaneous
| Chapter VIII - Alteration Of The Constitution Alteration Of The Constitution
| Schedule Schedule
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