Government of Western Australia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Government of Western Australia

Coat of arms of the State of Western Australia, used for formal and ceremonial purposes.
Formation	1890 as responsible Colonial government; 1901 as an Australian state
Australian state	Western Australia
Website	http://www.wa.gov.au/
Legislative branch
Legislature	Parliament of Western Australia; WA Legislative Council WA Legislative Assembly
Meeting place	Parliament House
Executive branch
Main organ	Executive Council
Leader	Premier
Appointer	Governor
Meeting place	Parliament House
Judicial branch
Court	Supreme Court
Seat	Perth

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 Crown, 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

• • • The state election on 11 March 2017 returned a Labor government, rendering the list below obsolete; however as of 18 March the Liberal Opposition shadow portfolios have not yet been finalised.

Ministries as at 11 March 2017:

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

Minister	Office	Portrait	Party		Opposition counterpart	Office	Portrait	Party
Colin Barnett	Premier Minister for Tourism Minister for Science			Liberal	Mark McGowan	Leader of the Opposition Shadow Minister for Regional Development Shadow Minister Economic Reform Shadow Minister Public Sector Management			Labor
Liza Harvey	Deputy Premier Minister for Police Minister for Road Safety Minister for Training and Workforce Development Minister for Women's Interests			Liberal	Kate Doust	Deputy Leader in the Legislative Council Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations Shadow Minister for Commerce Shadow Minister for Information Communications Technology Shadow Minister for Small Business Shadow Minister for Electoral Affairs			Labor
					Michelle Roberts	Manager of Opposition Business Shadow Minister for Police Shadow Minister for Road Safety Shadow Minister for Crime Prevention Shadow Minister for Culture and the Arts			Labor
Terry Redman	Minister for Regional Development Minister for Lands Minister assisting the Minister for State Development			National	Peter Tinley AM	Shadow Minister for Science Shadow Minister for Trade Shadow Minister for Asian Engagement Shadow Minister for Lands Shadow Minister for Gascoyne Shadow Minister for Goldfields-Esperance			Labor
Peter Collier	Minister for Education Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Minister for Electoral Affairs			Liberal	Sue Ellery	Leader in the Legislative Council Shadow Minister for Education			Labor
John Day	Minister for Health Minister for Culture and the Arts			Liberal	Roger Cook	Deputy Leader of the Opposition Shadow Minister for Health			Labor
Dr Mike Nahan	Treasurer Minister for Energy Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Interests			Liberal	Ben Wyatt	Shadow Treasurer Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Shadow Minister for Native Title Shadow Minister for Kimberley Shadow Minister for Pilbara Shadow Minister for Cost of Living Shadow Minister for Government Accountability			Labor
Bill Marmion	Minister for State Development Minister for Innovation Minister for Transport			Liberal	Rita Saffioti	Shadow Minister for Planning Shadow Minister for Transport Shadow Minister for Infrastructure Shadow Minister for Finance			Labor
Michael Mischin	Attorney-General Minister for Commerce			Liberal	John Quigley	Shadow Attorney-General			Labor
Albert Jacob	Minister for Environment Minister for Heritage			Liberal	Chris Tallentire	Shadow Minister for Environment Shadow Minister for Climate Change			Labor
Joe Francis	Minister for Emergency Services Minister for Fisheries Minister for Corrective Services Minister for Veterans			Liberal	Margaret Quirk	Shadow Minister for Emergency Services Shadow Minister for Bushfire Preparedness Shadow Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Interests Shadow Minister for Seniors and Ageing			Labor
					Paul Papalia	Shadow Minister for Corrective Services Shadow Minister for Tourism Shadow Minister for Defence Issues			Labor
Mia Davies	Minister for Water Minister for Sport and Recreation Minister for Forestry			National	Peter Watson	Shadow Minister for Sport and Recreation Shadow Minister for Great Southern Shadow Minister for Veterans' Issues			Labor
Mark Lewis	Minister for Agriculture and Food			Liberal	Mick Murray	Shadow Minister for Regional Roads Shadow Minister for Racing and Gaming Shadow Minister for Forestry Shadow Minister for South West Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Food			Labor
Paul Miles	Minister for Local Government Minister for Community Services Minister for Seniors and Volunteering Minister for Youth			Liberal	David Templeman	Shadow Minister for Local Government Shadow Minister for Volunteering Shadow Minister for Heritage Shadow Minister for Peel Shadow Minister for Wheatbelt Shadow Minister for Mid West			Labor
Brendon Grylls	Minister for Housing Minister for Racing and Gaming			National	Fran Logan	Shadow Minister for Housing Shadow Minister for Local Jobs Shadow Minister for Training and Workforce Development			Labor
Donna Faragher	Minister for Planning Minister for Disability Services			Liberal	Simone McGurk	Shadow Minister for Community Services Shadow Minister for Children's Interests Shadow Minister for Women's Interests			Labor
Andrea Mitchell	Minister for Mental Health Minister for Child Protection			Liberal	Stephen Dawson	Shadow Minister for Disability Services, Mental Health and Child Protection			Labor
Sean L'Estrange	Minister for Mines and Petroleum Minister for Small Business Minister for Finance			Liberal	Bill Johnston	Shadow Minister for State Development Shadow Minister for Energy Shadow Minister for Mines and Petroleum Shadow Minister for Ports			Labor