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State constitutions in Australia

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Australia operates as a federal parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy, with the monarch, currently King Charles III, as the head of state. The state governments function within the framework of a federal system, where powers are divided between the federal government and state governments.
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Constitutional reform and amendments at the State level have been a source of discussion for legal scholars, politicians, and the general public. Issues discussed in debates about reform have included the role of the monarchy, rights and recognition for Indigenous Australians, and human rights.
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The process for amending state constitutions in Australia varies by state. Generally, amendments require a majority vote in both houses of parliament, and sometimes approval through a state-wide referendum. However, some states have different amendment procedures, and not all changes require a
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referendum. It should be noted however that in theory; procedural restrictions can be removed by the State parliaments through simple legislative acts. They therefore do not bind State parliaments to the same degree that the Commonwealth constitution binds the
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The following is a list of the current constitutions of the six states of Australia. Each entry shows the ordinal number of the current constitution, the official name of the current constitution, and the date on which the current constitution took effect.
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While there are some similarities among the state constitutions, each state has its unique provisions and structures. Generally, state constitutions establish a system of responsible government, where the executive is accountable to the legislative branch.
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Each state has its own constitution, which serves as a foundational legal document to govern the state's legislative, executive, and judicial branches. These constitutions are separate from the
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exclusively at the State level. They are not truly sovereign legislatures however, as laws passed by Australia's state parliaments are subject to the federal constitution. (see for example
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In Australia, State constitutions do not meaningfully limit the power of State parliaments. Each of Australia's State parliaments are understood to have been vested with
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This situation may be contrasted with the constitutional arrangements of other state-level governments in other federalist jurisdictions; like that of
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are the legal documents that establish and define the structure, powers, and functions of the six
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in 1901, the states ceded certain powers to the federal government.
86: 92: 316: 31:Each state constitution preceded the federal 274: 109: 259: 317: 280: 16:List of Australian state constitutions 330:Constitutions of country subdivisions 35:as the constitutions of the then six 93:Constitutional Reform and Amendments 287:The Constitution of New South Wales 13: 233:State constitution (United States) 14: 351: 214:Constitution of Western Australia 325:State constitutions of Australia 253:"State and territory government" 22:State constitutions in Australia 169:Constitution of South Australia 139:Constitution of New South Wales 245: 26:state governments in Australia 1: 238: 340:Australian law-related lists 220: 217: 209: 205: 202: 194: 190: 187: 179: 175: 172: 164: 160: 157: 149: 145: 142: 134: 7: 226: 57: 10: 356: 154:Constitution of Queensland 33:Constitution of Australia 199:Constitution of Victoria 184:Constitution of Tasmania 52:Australia's territories 48:Australian Constitution 37:self-governing colonies 72:sovereign legislatures 110:List of constitutions 100:Australian Government 290:. Federation Press. 255:. australia.gov.au. 224: 223: 347: 335:Law of Australia 309: 308: 306: 304: 278: 272: 269:1902 (NSW) No 32 267:Constitution Act 263: 257: 256: 249: 118: 117: 355: 354: 350: 349: 348: 346: 345: 344: 315: 314: 313: 312: 302: 300: 298: 279: 275: 264: 260: 251: 250: 246: 241: 229: 127:Date of effect 112: 95: 60: 17: 12: 11: 5: 353: 343: 342: 337: 332: 327: 311: 310: 296: 273: 258: 243: 242: 240: 237: 236: 235: 228: 225: 222: 221: 219: 216: 211: 207: 206: 204: 201: 196: 192: 191: 189: 186: 181: 177: 176: 174: 171: 166: 162: 161: 159: 156: 151: 147: 146: 144: 141: 136: 132: 131: 128: 125: 122: 111: 108: 94: 91: 59: 56: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 352: 341: 338: 336: 333: 331: 328: 326: 323: 322: 320: 299: 297:9781862875166 293: 289: 288: 283: 277: 270: 268: 262: 254: 248: 244: 234: 231: 230: 215: 212: 208: 200: 197: 193: 185: 182: 178: 170: 167: 163: 155: 152: 148: 140: 137: 133: 129: 126: 123: 120: 119: 116: 107: 103: 101: 90: 88: 83: 81: 77: 73: 69: 68:plenary power 64: 55: 53: 49: 44: 42: 38: 34: 29: 27: 23: 19: 301:. Retrieved 286: 282:Twomey, Anne 276: 266: 261: 247: 113: 104: 96: 84: 65: 61: 45: 30: 21: 20: 18: 319:Categories 303:11 October 239:References 76:Section 92 41:federation 271:in force. 284:(2004). 227:See also 58:Overview 39:. Upon 294:  130:Notes 124:State 87:Texas 305:2021 292:ISBN 218:1890 203:1975 188:1934 173:1934 158:2001 143:1902 121:No. 78:and 210:1st 195:2nd 180:2nd 165:2nd 150:2nd 135:2nd 102:. 80:109 321:: 82:) 54:. 28:. 307:.

Index

state governments in Australia
Constitution of Australia
self-governing colonies
federation
Australian Constitution
Australia's territories
plenary power
sovereign legislatures
Section 92
109
Texas
Australian Government
Constitution of New South Wales
Constitution of Queensland
Constitution of South Australia
Constitution of Tasmania
Constitution of Victoria
Constitution of Western Australia
State constitution (United States)
"State and territory government"
Constitution Act 1902 (NSW) No 32
Twomey, Anne
The Constitution of New South Wales
ISBN
9781862875166
Categories
State constitutions of Australia
Constitutions of country subdivisions
Law of Australia
Australian law-related lists

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