What does democracy mean in Australia?

Democracy in Australia means government by the people, exercised through elected representatives chosen at regular free elections. Australia is a parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarchy at its head, operating under the Westminster system inherited from the United Kingdom and adapted to Australian conditions through the Constitution of 1901.

Several core democratic principles operate together. Universal adult suffrage gives every citizen aged 18 or over the right to vote. Voting is compulsory in federal and most state elections, producing turnout of around 92 per cent. Elections are run by independent electoral commissions (the Australian Electoral Commission federally and state equivalents) that guarantee a secret ballot, accurate counts, and equal value for each vote. Government is formed by the party or coalition that holds the majority in the House of Representatives and is accountable to that chamber.

Australian democracy also protects opposition. The leader of the opposition is officially recognised, given a salary and resources to scrutinise the government, and granted equal access to question time and parliamentary debate. The media operates with broad press freedom, although it is regulated by the Australian Communications and Media Authority. Civil society organisations including unions, charities, religious groups, and advocacy bodies operate freely and contribute to public debate.

Several institutional features support democratic stability. The federal Constitution divides power between the Commonwealth and the states, preventing concentration of authority. The High Court of Australia interprets the Constitution and resolves disputes between the levels of government. The Governor-General, as the King's representative, holds reserve powers that act as a final constitutional safety net. The 1975 dismissal of the Whitlam government by Governor-General Sir John Kerr remains the most contested use of those reserve powers in Australian history. Australia has been ranked among the world's most stable and high-functioning democracies in the Economist Intelligence Unit's Democracy Index since the index began in 2006.