What is ‘the Government’?
When we talk of ‘government’ we often mean all sorts of different things at once. Mostly, we mean the group that actually governs – that is, develops policy, makes decisions, controls government departments and agencies day to day. This is the
Executive, or, in Australia, the
Cabinet or
Ministry.
In Australia and other
Westminster style governments, the
majority party in the lower house of the Parliament (in New South Wales this is the Legislative Assembly)
forms ‘the government’. The members of that party sit in the Chamber to the right of the Speaker and are referred to in parliament as ‘the government’. Leading members of the majority party become the
Ministers, the chief minister in the state being called ‘the Premier’. Ministers remain members of the Parliament. This group collectively and individually is responsible for government policy and actions. They govern, so they effectively are ‘
the government’.
