The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) is an organisation consisting of the federal government, the governments of the six states and two mainland territories and the Australian Local Government Association. It was established in May 1992 after agreement by the then Prime Minister, Premiers and Chief Ministers, and it first met in December 1992. It is chaired by the Prime Minister. It meets to debate and co-ordinate government activities between the federal and state or territorial governments and between the state and territorial governments themselves as well as issues affecting local government.
A related organisation is the Loan Council, which coordinates borrowing by the federal and state and territorial governments of Australia.
The COAG is roughly equivalent to the U.S.'s National Governors Association or Canada's Council of the Federation, but these bodies only include state/provincial representatives, whereas COAG includes federal and local representatives as well.
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| Name | Office held | In office since | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Julia Gillard MP | Prime Minister of Australia | 24 June 2010 | Labor | |
| Barry O'Farrell MLA | Premier of New South Wales | 28 March 2011 | Liberal | |
| Anna Bligh MP | Premier of Queensland | 13 September 2007 | Labor | |
| Jay Weatherill MHA | Premier of South Australia | 21 October 2011 | Labor | |
| Lara Giddings MHA | Premier of Tasmania | 24 January 2011 | Labor | |
| Ted Baillieu MLA | Premier of Victoria | 2 December 2010 | Liberal | |
| Colin Barnett MLA | Premier of Western Australia | 23 September 2008 | Liberal | |
| Katy Gallagher MLA | Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory | 16 May 2011 | Labor | |
| Paul Henderson MLA | Chief Minister of the Northern Territory | 26 November 2007 | Labor | |
| Mayor Genia McCaffery | President of the Australian Local Government Association[1] | 11 November 2010 | Independent | |