Government of New South Wales
Emblem of the New South Wales Government and its agencies | |
Coat of arms of the State of New South Wales, used for formal and ceremonial purposes. | |
Formation |
|
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Australian state | New South Wales |
Website | http://www.nsw.gov.au/ |
Legislative branch | |
Legislature | |
Meeting place | Parliament House |
Executive branch | |
Main organ | New South Wales Ministry |
Leader | Premier |
Appointer | Governor |
Meeting place | Parliament House |
Judicial branch | |
Court | Supreme Court |
Seat | Sydney |
The Government of New South Wales, also referred to as the New South Wales Government or NSW Government, is the Australian state democratic administrative authority of New South Wales, in Australia. The Government of New South Wales, a parliamentary constitutional monarchy, was formed in 1856 as prescribed in its Constitution, as amended from time to time. Since the Federation of Australia in 1901, New South Wales has been a state of the Commonwealth of Australia, and the Constitution of Australia regulates its relationship with the Commonwealth. Under the Australian Constitution, New South Wales ceded legislative and judicial supremacy to the Commonwealth, but retained powers in all matters not in conflict with the Commonwealth.
Section 109 of the Australian Constitution provides that, where a State law is inconsistent with a federal law, the federal law prevails (to the extent of the inconsistency). The New South Wales Constitution says: "The Legislature shall, subject to the provisions of the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act, have power to make laws for the peace, welfare, and good government of New South Wales in all cases whatsoever." Initially the Australian states retained significant independence. Over time, however, that independence has been greatly eroded by both the proliferation of Commonwealth Law, and the increasing financial domination of the Commonwealth.
Executive and judicial powers
New South Wales 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 Parliament of New South Wales, which consists of the Crown, represented by the Governor of New South Wales, and the two Houses, the New South Wales Legislative Council (the upper house) and the New South Wales Legislative Assembly (the lower house). Executive power rests formally with the Executive Council, which consists of the Governor and senior ministers.
The Governor, as representative of the Crown, is the formal repository of power, which is exercised by him or her on the advice of the Premier of New South Wales and the Cabinet. The Premier and Ministers are appointed by the Governor, and hold office by virtue of their ability to command the support of a majority of members of the Legislative Assembly. Judicial power is exercised by the Supreme Court of New South Wales 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.
In 2006, the Sesquicentenary of Responsible Government in New South Wales, the Constitution Amendment Pledge of Loyalty Act 2006 No. 6 was enacted to amend the Constitution Act 1902 to require Members of the New South Wales Parliament and its Ministers to take a pledge of loyalty to Australia and to the people of New South Wales instead of swearing allegiance to the Queen her heirs and successors, and to revise the oaths taken by Executive Councillors.[1] The Act was assented to by the Queen on 3 April 2006.
Ministries
The following individuals serve as government ministers, at the pleasure of the Queen, represented by the Governor of New South Wales. The government ministers are listed in order of seniority,[2] while their opposition counterparts are listed to correspond with the government ministers.[3] All Opposition counterparts are members of the Parliament of New South Wales.
Minister | Office | Portrait | Party | Opposition counterpart |
Office | Portrait | Party | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mike Baird | Premier Minister for Western Sydney |
Liberal | Luke Foley | Leader of the Opposition Shadow Minister for Western Sydney |
Labor | ||||
Troy Grant | Deputy Premier of New South Wales | National | Michael Daley | Deputy Leader of the Opposition
Shadow Minister for Gaming and Racing |
Labor | ||||
Minister for Justice and Police | Guy Zangari | Shadow Minister for Justice and Police | Labor | ||||||
Minister for the Arts | Walter Secord | Shadow Minister for the Arts | Labor | ||||||
Gladys Berejiklian | Treasurer | Liberal | Ryan Park | Shadow Treasurer | Labor | ||||
Minister for Industrial Relations | Adam Searle | Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations | Labor | ||||||
Adrian Piccoli | Minister for Education | National | Jihad Dib | Shadow Minister for Education | Labor | ||||
Duncan Gay | Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight | National | Jodi McKay | Shadow Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight | Labor | ||||
Vice-President of the Executive Council | Labor | ||||||||
Anthony Roberts | Minister for Industry, Resources and Energy | Liberal | Adam Searle | Shadow Minister for Industry, Resources and Energy | Labor | ||||
Jillian Skinner | Minister for Health | Liberal | Walt Secord | Shadow Minister for Health | Labor | ||||
Andrew Constance | Minister for Transport and Infrastructure | Liberal | Jodi McKay | Shadow Minister for Transport | Labor | ||||
Michael Daley | Shadow Minister for Planning and Infrastructure | Labor | |||||||
Brad Hazzard | Minister for Family and Community Services | Liberal | Tania Mihailuk | Shadow Minister for Family and Community Services
Shadow Minister for Social Housing |
Labor | ||||
Rob Stokes | Minister for Planning | Liberal | Michael Daley | Shadow Minister for Planning and Infrastructure | Labor | ||||
Dominic Perrottet | Minister for Finance, Services and Property | Liberal | Clayton Barr | Shadow Minister for Finance, Services and Property | Labor | ||||
Gabrielle Upton | Attorney General | Liberal | Paul Lynch | Shadow Attorney General | Labor | ||||
Pru Goward | Minister for Mental Health | Liberal | Tania Mihailuk | Shadow Minister for Mental Health
Shadow Minister for Medical Research |
Labor | ||||
Minister for Women | Sophie Cotsis | Shadow Minister for Women | Labor | ||||||
Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault | Jenny Aitchison | Shadow Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault | Labor | ||||||
John Ajaka | Minister for Ageing | Liberal | Sophie Cotsis | Shadow Minister for Ageing
Shadow Minister for Disability Services Shadow Minister for Multiculturalism |
Labor | ||||
Stuart Ayres | Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events | Liberal | Penny Sharpe | Shadow Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events | Labor | ||||
Minister for Sport | Lynda Voltz | Shadow Minister for Sport | Labor | ||||||
Victor Dominello | Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation | Liberal | Yasmin Catley | Shadow Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation | Labor | ||||
John Barilaro | Minister for Regional Development | National | David Harris | Shadow Minister for Regional Development | Labor | ||||
Minister for Skills | Prue Car | Shadow Minister for Skills | Labor | ||||||
Minister for Small Business | Jenny Aitchison | Shadow Minister for Small Business | Labor | ||||||
Paul Toole | Minister for Local Government | National | Peter Primrose | Shadow Minister for Local Government | Labor | ||||
Niall Blair | Minister for Primary Industries | National | Mick Veitch | Shadow Minister for Primary Industries
Shadow Minister for Lands |
Labor | ||||
Chris Minns | Shadow Minister for Water | Labor | |||||||
Mark Speakman | Minister for the Environment | Liberal | Penny Sharpe | Shadow Minister for Environment and Heritage | Labor | ||||
David Elliott | Minister for Corrections | Liberal | Sophie Cotsis | Shadow Minister for Corrections
Shadow Minister for Emergency Services |
Labor | ||||
Minister for Veterans Affairs | Lynda Voltz | Shadow Minister for Veterans Affairs | Labor | ||||||
Leslie Williams | Minister for Early Childhood Education | National | Kate Washington | Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education | Labor | ||||
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs | David Harris | Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs | Labor | ||||||
Assistant Minister for Education | Prue Car | Shadow Assistant Minister for Education | Labor |
See also
- List of New South Wales government agencies
- Local government areas of New South Wales
- New South Wales Ministry
- New South Wales Shadow Ministry
- Public Service Association of NSW
References
- ↑ Pledge of Loyalty Act 2006 (NSW)
- ↑ "Full Ministry in both Houses (by Seniority)". Members. Parliament of New South Wales. October 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
- ↑ "Shadow Ministry in both Houses (by Seniority)". Members. Parliament of New South Wales. January 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
External links
- Government of New South Wales website
- New South Wales Government Annual Reports and Other Publications
- The Constitution of New South Wales