Government of the Australian Capital Territory

The Government of the Australian Capital Territory, also referred to as the Australian Capital Territory Government or ACT Government, is the executive authority of the Australian Capital Territory, one of the territories of Australia. The leader of the party or coalition with the confidence of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly forms Government. Unlike the Australian States and the Northern Territory, the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly directly elects one of their number to be the Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory as the head of the Government, rather than being appointed by a Governor or Administrator.[1]

Government of the Australian Capital Territory
Territorial Government
Logo of the Australian Capital Territory government and its directorates Coat of arms of the City of Canberra, used for formal and ceremonial purposes
Coat of arms of the Australian Capital Territory
Formation
Territory Australian Capital Territory
Country Australia
Websiteact.gov.au
Legislative branch
LegislatureACT Legislative Assembly
Meeting placeLegislative Assembly Building
Executive branch
Head of governmentChief Minister
Appointed byACT Legislative Assembly
HeadquartersLegislative Assembly Building
Main organCabinet of ACT
Judicial branch
CourtSupreme Court
SeatACT Law Courts building, Canberra

Since December 2014, the Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory has been Andrew Barr, leader of the Labor Party. Following the 2020 ACT election, the Government has been formed by a coalition of ten Labor members and six Greens members. The terms of the coalition are outlined in the Parliamentary and Governing Agreement for the 10th Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory.[2]

Ministers are appointed by the Chief Minister.[3] The current ministry of the Australian Capital Territory (Third Barr Ministry) comprises nine of the twenty five Members of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly.[4][5]

Constitutional framework

The ACT has internal self-government, but Australia's Constitution does not afford the territory government the full legislative independence provided to Australian states. Government for the Australian Capital Territory is outlined in Commonwealth legislation; the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988.[6] Nonetheless, the ACT is governed according to the principles of the Westminster System, a form of parliamentary government based on the model of the United Kingdom.

Legislative power rests with the unicameral Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly.

Executive power rests formally with the Executive, which consists of the Chief Minister and Ministers, and is informally called the Cabinet.

Judicial power is exercised by the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory and a system of subordinate courts, but the High Court of Australia and other federal courts have overriding jurisdiction on matters which fall under the ambit of the Australian Constitution.

The ACT does not have a separate system of local government such as that seen in the Australian States and the Northern Territory. In the ACT, government functions that would usually be handled by local government are instead directly handled by the Territory government.

Current Ministry
Main articles: Third Barr Ministry and Opposition (Australian Capital Territory)

The current arrangement of the incumbent ministry (Third Barr Ministry) of the ACT was appointed on 4 November 2020, comprising six Labor Party members and three Greens members.[4][5]

Minister Portfolio Portrait Party Opposition counterpart Portfolio Portrait Party
Andrew Barr MLA Chief Minister
Treasurer
Minister for Climate Action
Minister for Economic Development
Minister for Tourism		   Labor Elizabeth Lee MLA Leader of the Opposition
Shadow Treasurer
Shadow Minister for Climate Action
Shadow Minister for Economic Development, Tourism and Major Projects		   Liberal
Yvette Berry MLA Deputy Chief Minister   Labor Giulia Jones MLA Deputy Leader of the Opposition   Liberal
Minister for Housing and Suburban Development Mark Parton MLA Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness   Liberal
Minister for Women Nicole Lawder MLA Shadow Minister for Women
Shadow Minister for Seniors		   Liberal
Minister for Education and Youth Affairs
Minister for Early Childhood Development		 Jeremy Hanson MLA Shadow Minister for Education and Higher Education
Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education		   Liberal
Minister for Sport and Recreation James Milligan MLA Shadow Minister for Sport and Recreation   Liberal
Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence Elizabeth Kikkert MLA Shadow Minister for Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence   Liberal
Mick Gentleman MLA Minister for Corrections   Labor Shadow Minister for Corrections
Minister for Police and Emergency Services Jeremy Hanson MLA Shadow Minister for Police
Shadow Minister for Veterans Affairs		   Liberal
James Milligan MLA Shadow Minister for Emergency Services   Liberal
Minister for Planning and Land Management
Minister for Industrial Relations and Workplace Safety		 Peter Cain MLA Assistant Shadow Treasurer
Shadow Minister for Planning and Land Management
Shadow Minister for Jobs and Workplace Affairs		   Liberal
Shane Rattenbury MLA Attorney-General
Minister for Consumer Affairs		   Greens Elizabeth Lee MLA Shadow Attorney-General   Liberal
Minister for Water, Energy and Emissions Reduction Leanne Castley MLA Shadow Minister for Water, Energy and Emissions Reduction   Liberal
Minister for Gaming Mark Parton MLA Shadow Minister for Gaming, Racing and Community Clubs   Liberal
Rachel Stephen-Smith MLA Minister for Health   Labor Giulia Jones MLA Shadow Minister for Health   Liberal
Minister for Families and Community Services
Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs		 Elizabeth Kikkert MLA Shadow Minister for Families, Youth and Community Services
Shadow Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs		   Liberal
Chris Steel MLA Minister for Skills
Special Minister of State		   Labor James Milligan MLA Shadow Minister for Vocational Training and Skills   Liberal
Minister for Transport and City Services Mark Parton MLA Shadow Minister for Transport   Liberal
Nicole Lawder MLA Shadow Minister for City Services   Liberal
Tara Cheyne MLA Minister for the Arts   Labor Shadow Minister for Arts
Minister for Multicultural Affairs
Minister for Human Rights		 Giulia Jones MLA Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs   Liberal
Minister for Business and Better Regulation
Assistant Minister for Economic Development		 Peter Cain MLA Shadow Minister for Regulatory Services   Liberal
Leanne Castley MLA Shadow Minister for Business
Assistant Shadow Minister for Economic Development, Tourism and Major Projects		   Liberal
Rebecca Vassarotti MLA Minister for the Environment
Minister for Heritage		   Greens Shadow Minister for Environment and Heritage
Minister for Homelessness and Housing Services
Minister for Sustainable Building and Construction		 Mark Parton MLA Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness
Shadow Minister for Sustainable Building and Construction		   Liberal
Emma Davidson MLA Minister for Disability
Assistant Minister for Seniors, Veterans, Families and Community Services		   Greens James Milligan MLA Shadow Minister for Disability   Liberal
Minister for Mental Health
Minister for Justice Health		 Giulia Jones MLA Shadow Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing   Liberal

ACT Government Directorates
220 London Circuit in Civic, which houses the main offices of the ACT Government
The Access Canberra service centre in Belconnen

The ACT Government is served by a unified ACT Public Service agency, reporting to a single Head of Service.

Administrative units, known as Directorates, are grouped under areas of portfolio responsibility. Each Directorate is led by a Director-General who reports to one or more Ministers.

As of November 2020, there are nine Directorates:[7]

Agencies and Authorities
  • City Renewal Authority
  • Suburban Land Agency

Independent Authorities
  • Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission
  • Office of the Work Health and Safety Commissioner

Public Authorities and Territory Owned Corporations

The ACT Government also has a number of Public Authorities and Territory Owned Corporations:[8]

  • ACT Building & Construction Industry Training Fund Board: providing funding for the training of eligible workers in the ACT building and construction industry.
  • ACT Long Service Leave Authority: administers portable long service leave schemes.
  • ACT Teacher Quality Institute: an independent statutory authority established to build the professional standing of ACT teachers and to enhance the community's confidence in the teaching profession through professional regulation and practical initiatives to raise teacher quality.
  • Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) is the ACT Government operated vocational educational provider.
  • Cultural Facilities Corporation: manages the Canberra Theatre Centre; the Canberra Museum and Gallery (CMAG).
  • EvoEnergy: owns and operates the ACT electricity and gas networks as well as gas networks in Queanbeyan and Palerang shires and Nowra.
  • Icon Water Limited: providing drinking water and wastewater services to the ACT and surrounding regions.

The following are officers of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly:

  • ACT Audit Office: responsible for the audit of all ACT public sector agencies.
  • ACT Electoral Commission: an independent statutory authority responsible for conducting elections and referendums for the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly.
  • ACT Integrity Commissioner: responsible for investigating alleged corrupt conduct in the Legislative Assembly and the ACT Public Sector.
  • ACT Ombudsman: manages complaints about unfair treatment by ACT Government agencies.

See also

References
  1. "Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988 – Sect 40".
  2. "Parliamentary and Governing Agreement for the 10th Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory" (PDF). Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 November 2020. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  3. "Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988 – Sect 39".
  4. "ACT Government Executive" (PDF). Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 November 2020. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  5. "Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Ministerial Appointment 2020 (No 2)" (PDF).
  6. "Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988".
  7. "ACT Government Directorates". ACT Government. 24 December 2012. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  8. "Public Authorities and Territory Owned Corporations". ACT Government. ACT Government.
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