Assess the extent to which Australia can be termed a Washminster Mutation
Assess the extent to which Australia can be termed a “Washminster Mutation” Australia was not completely original in the structure, function and principles of its federal government, in fact there were many international influences on Australia that have made it the country it is today. Undoubtedly the two most obvious influences on Australia, even today, are the British and American federal systems. However it shall be determined whether these influences were extensive enough for Australia to be termed a “Washminster Mutation”. ... Finally these influences will be compared to the workings of Australian federal government and assessed to the extent of their influence. The “Washminster” federal system of government is the amalgamation of the U. ... Australia is considered to be, at least to some extent, an example of a washminster system. ... A mutation is defined as, a change or alteration in form. ... The Westminster system was chosen by Australia over the American presidential system because the rules and regulations seemed to be more suitable and the fact that Australia was still a part of the British Empire. ... Despite these cracks in the system for the majority the system Australia has works satisfactorily. ... The governor-general is the queens representative in Australia and gives assent to bills. ... Australia has a bi-cameral system, an upper house and a lower house, the senate and the House of Representatives. ... The House of Representatives consists of one hundred and fifty members, each elected from electoral divisions form throughout Australia it is the more important chamber, primarily because the government is formed by the party with the majority of seats forms government but also because the prime minister is chosen form this house along with the ministers. The high court was set up to have supreme jurisdiction in Australia, it settles disputes between states and the federal government it also has the authority to interpret the constitution. ... Several factors influenced Australia, some more than others. ... However none of these countries are Australia and none of them have the same wants or needs from a federal system of government so some parts of Australia’s system are improvements or accepted conventions that have been established on home soil. ... Powerful regional governments was a major draw card for Australia to choose the United States model of federalism as it was feared by the states that they would lose their power, the states also held all residual power and still held autonomous power. ... An independent judiciary was to act as a constitutional umpire it was to decide all constitutional disputes concerning the validity of federal or state laws, in Australia this court is called the High Court and in America is called the Supreme Court. However many similarities there now between Australia’s and America’s model of federalism there is one major difference, in the United States Constitution supreme executive power is given to a directly elected president whereas in Australia this power is formally given to the Governor General. ... Federalism in Australia is mostly based on the United States model however the Westminster system had no influence on Australian federalism and even so Australia has made a slight alteration the United States model this evidence can therefore be drawn to the conclusion that the extent of the washminster influence on Australian federalism is not complete but quite weighty. ... This Australian federal principle can be defined more as a Westminster mutation than a washminster mutation. Both Britain and Australia follow the Westminster principle of a responsible and representative government this is protected in their separation of powers, conventions and for Australia its constitution. ... Australia has not made any significant changes to this principle from the original Westminster creation. ... The executive function in Australia is very much the same as the Westminster system’s executive, they both consist of the prime minister, the head of state and his/her ministers, and both executives are chosen form the legislative, however in Australia it is an accepted convention that the prime minister has the right to choose his/her own ministers whereas in the Westminster system the parliament elects the ministers. Another difference in the two executive functions is that in Australia there is a governor general whereas in the Westminster there is a royal king or queen. ... America has had little influence on Australia’s federal executive function. The actual functions of the legislature in all governments are the same, it is created to make laws, and this is consistent with Australia, America and Britain.