Government of Western Australia

The Government of Western Australia, also referred to formally as Her Majesty's Government of Western Australia, or as the Western Australian Government or the West Australian Government, is the Australian state democratic administrative authority of Western Australia. The Government of Western Australia, a parliamentary constitutional monarchy, was formed in 1890 as prescribed in its Constitution, as amended from time to time. Since the Federation of Australia in 1901, Western Australia has been a state of the Commonwealth of Australia, and the Constitution of Australia regulates its relationship with the Commonwealth. Under the Australian Constitution, Western Australia ceded legislative and judicial supremacy to the Commonwealth, but retained powers in all matters not in conflict with the Commonwealth.

Executive and judicial powers

Western Australia 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 Western Australia, which consists of The Queen, represented by the Governor of Western Australia, and the two Houses, the Western Australian Legislative Council (the upper house) and the Western Australian 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 Western Australia 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 Western Australia 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.

Ministries

Ministries as at 17 March 2017:

The following individuals serve as government ministers, at the pleasure of the Queen, represented by the Governor of Western Australia. The government cabinet and ministers are listed,^[1] while the shadow minister are listed against their opposing portfolio, to the best possible match.^[2] All ministers and shadow ministers are members of the Parliament of Western Australia.

Minister	Office	Portrait	Party		Opposition counterpart	Office	Portrait	Party
Mark McGowan	Premier Minister for Public Sector Management Minister for State Development Minister for Jobs and Trade Minister for Federal-State Relations			Labor	Dr Mike Nahan	Leader of the Opposition Shadow Minister for Public Sector Management Shadow Minister for State Development Shadow Minister for Jobs and Trade Shadow Minister for Federal-State Relations			Liberal
Roger Cook	Deputy Premier Minister for Health Minister for Mental Health			Labor	Liza Harvey	Deputy Leader of the Opposition Shadow Minister for Transport Shadow Minister for Planning Shadow Minister for Lands			Liberal
Sue Ellery	Minister for Education and Training			Labor	Donna Faragher	Shadow Minister for Education and Training Shadow Minister for Women's Interests			Liberal
Stephen Dawson	Minister for the Environment Minister for Disability Services			Labor	Bill Marmion	Shadow Minister for Health Shadow Minister for Mental Health			Liberal
Michelle Roberts	Minister for Police Minister for Road Safety			Labor	Peter Katsambanis	Shadow Minister for Police Shadow Minister for Road Safety Shadow Minister for Corrective Service Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations			Liberal
Alannah MacTiernan	Minister for Regional Development Minister for Agriculture and Food Minister assisting the Minister for State Development Minister for Jobs and Trades			Labor	Ian Blayney	Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Food Shadow Minister for Forestry Shadow Minister for Fisheries			Liberal
Francis Logan	Minister for Emergency Services Minister for Corrective Services			Labor	Ken Baston	Shadow Minister for Emergency Services			Liberal
David Templeman	Minister for Local Government Minister for Heritage Minister for Culture and The Arts			Labor	Tony Krsticevic	Shadow Minister for Local Government Shadow Minister for Heritage Shadow Minister for Culture and the Arts Shadow Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Interests			Liberal
John Quigley	Attorney General			Labor	Michael Mischin	Shadow Attorney General Shadow Minister for Commerce			Liberal
Mick Murray	Minister for Seniors and Ageing Minister for Volunteering Minister for Sport and Recreation			Labor	John McGrath	Shadow Minister for Racing and Gaming Shadow Minister for Sport and Recreation			Liberal
Ben Wyatt	Treasurer Minister for Finance Minister for Energy Minister for Aboriginal Affairs			Labor	Dean Nalder	Shadow Treasurer Shadow Minister for Finance Shadow Minister for Energy			Liberal
Paul Papalia	Minister for Tourism Minister for Racing and Gaming Minister for Small Business Minister for Defence Issues Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Interests			Labor	Sean L'Estrange	Shadow Minister for Mines and Petroleum Shadow Minister for Economic Development Shadow Minister for Defence Issues Shadow Minister for Innovation and ICT Shadow Minister for Science			Liberal
Bill Johnston	Minister for Mines and Petroleum Minister for Commerce and Industrial Relations Minister for Electoral Affairs Minister for Asian Engagement			Labor	Kyran O'Donnell	Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs			Liberal
Rita Saffioti	Minister for Transport Minister for Planning Minister for Lands			Labor	Libby Mettam	Shadow Minister for Tourism Shadow Minister for Small Business			Liberal
Peter Tinley	Minister for Housing Minister for Veterans Issues Minister for Youth			Labor	Peter Collier	Shadow Minister for Housing Shadow Minister for Disability Services			Liberal
Simone McGurk	Minister for Child Protection Minister for Women's Interests Minister for Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence Minister for Community Services			Labor	Nick Goiran	Shadow Minister for Child Protection Shadow Minister for Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence			Liberal
Dave Kelly	Minister for Water Minister for Fisheries Minister for Forestry Minister for Innovation and ICT Minister for Science			Labor	Jim Chown	Shadow Minister for Regional Development Shadow Minister for Royalties for Regions			Liberal

See also

• List of Western Australian government agencies

References

External links

• Government of Western Australia website
• The Constitution of Western Australia
• The Parliament of Western Australia website
• The Premier of Western Australia website