State & Territory Governments
Australia has six states and two self-governing territories, each with its own parliament, premier or chief minister, and responsibility for the services that most directly affect daily life — hospitals, schools, police, and roads.
State & Territory Governments
Each of Australia’s six states has its own parliament, created under its own constitution. These parliaments existed before federation and, when the colonies joined the Commonwealth in 1901, they kept their constitutions, their parliamentary structures, and their broad residual powers.
Most state parliaments are bicameral - they have two houses, as with the federal system. The lower house is where government is formed, while the upper house reviews legislation. Queensland is the only state with a single-chamber parliament.
How to use this guide
This page summarises how each state and territory parliament is structured. The territories are covered separately because they have important constitutional differences from states. For voting systems used in state elections, see Part 5.
1. Overview · 2. Federal Government · 3. States & Territories · 4. Local Government · 5. Voting Systems
Fixed terms
Unlike the federal government, where the Prime Minister chooses the election date within a three-year limit, most states now use fixed four-year terms. Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, and Western Australia all use fixed terms. Tasmania does not have fully fixed terms.
How State Governments Are Formed
The process broadly mirrors the federal system. After a state election, the leader of the party or coalition with a majority in the lower house is commissioned by the Governor as Premier. The Premier then selects their Cabinet, and the government must maintain the confidence of the lower house to remain in office.
Winning a state election is not exactly the same as forming government
Just as at the federal level, winning the most seats does not automatically mean forming government. A party needs a majority in the lower house - or enough crossbench support to command confidence - to be commissioned by the Governor. In a hung parliament, negotiation follows, and the incumbent Premier is provided with first opportunity to attempt to form a minority government.
The Six States
New South Wales
- Structure: Bicameral
- Lower house: Legislative Assembly — 93 seats
- Upper house: Legislative Council — 42 seats
- Term: Fixed 4 years
- Lower house voting: Optional preferential
- Upper house voting: Proportional
- Head of government: Premier
Victoria
- Structure: Bicameral
- Lower house: Legislative Assembly — 88 seats
- Upper house: Legislative Council — 40 seats
- Term: Fixed 4 years
- Lower house voting: Full preferential
- Upper house voting: Proportional (multi-member regions)
- Head of government: Premier
Queensland
- Structure: Unicameral
- House: Legislative Assembly — 93 seats
- Upper house: None
- Term: Fixed 4 years
- Voting system: Optional preferential
- Head of government: Premier
Western Australia
- Structure: Bicameral
- Lower house: Legislative Assembly — 59 seats
- Upper house: Legislative Council — 37 seats
- Term: Fixed 4 years
- Lower house voting: Full preferential
- Upper house voting: Proportional (regions)
- Head of government: Premier
South Australia
- Structure: Bicameral
- Lower house: House of Assembly — 47 seats
- Upper house: Legislative Council — 22 seats
- Term: Fixed 4 years
- Lower house voting: Full preferential
- Upper house voting: Proportional
- Head of government: Premier
Tasmania
- Structure: Bicameral
- Lower house: House of Assembly — 35 seats
- Upper house: Legislative Council — 15 seats
- Term: 4 years (not strictly fixed)
- Lower house voting: Hare-Clark
- Upper house voting: Single-member preferential
- Head of government: Premier
Tasmania’s Hare-Clark system
Tasmania uses a distinctive voting system called Hare-Clark for its lower house. Rather than single-member electorates, voters elect multiple members from five large electorates. Voters rank candidates in order of preference and seats are allocated proportionally, which tends to produce more proportional outcomes and makes minority governments more common.
All Nine Australian Jurisdictions
The table below compares the parliamentary structures of the federal Parliament, the six states, and the two self-governing territories.
| Jurisdiction | Houses | Lower house seats | Upper house seats | Lower house voting | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commonwealth (federal) | Bicameral | 151 | 76 | Full preferential | Max 3 years |
| New South Wales | Bicameral | 93 | 42 | Optional preferential | Fixed 4 years |
| Victoria | Bicameral | 88 | 40 | Full preferential | Fixed 4 years |
| Queensland | Unicameral | 93 | — | Optional preferential | Fixed 4 years |
| Western Australia | Bicameral | 59 | 37 | Full preferential | Fixed 4 years |
| South Australia | Bicameral | 47 | 22 | Full preferential | Fixed 4 years |
| Tasmania | Bicameral | 35 | 15 | Hare-Clark | 4 years |
| ACT | Unicameral | 25 | — | Hare-Clark | Fixed 4 years |
| Northern Territory | Unicameral | 25 | — | Full preferential | Fixed 4 years |
The Territories
Important: Territories are not states
The Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory are self-governing territories, not states. That distinction has major constitutional consequences. Unlike states, territories do not have constitutionally guaranteed self-government. The Commonwealth Parliament can override, alter, or even abolish a territory legislature by ordinary law.
Australian Capital Territory
- Structure: Unicameral
- Assembly: Legislative Assembly — 25 seats
- Term: Fixed 4 years
- Voting system: Hare-Clark
- Head of government: Chief Minister
- Governor: None — Governor-General acts
Northern Territory
- Structure: Unicameral
- Assembly: Legislative Assembly — 25 seats
- Term: Fixed 4 years
- Voting system: Full preferential
- Head of government: Chief Minister
- Governor equivalent: Administrator
Other territories
Australia also has other territories that are not self-governing, including Jervis Bay Territory, Christmas Island, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Norfolk Island, and the Australian Antarctic Territory. Some residents vote in mainland federal electorates, while others have limited local self-administration. Norfolk Island previously had a greater degree of self-government, which was significantly reduced in 2015.
State Governors
Each state has a Governor, appointed by the King on the advice of the state Premier. The Governor’s role broadly mirrors that of the Governor-General at the federal level: largely ceremonial, representing the Crown, opening parliament, swearing in ministers, and — in unusual circumstances — exercising reserve powers.
In day-to-day practice, Governors give Royal Assent to state legislation, carry out representative duties, and host official and community events. The role is usually held for a fixed term of several years.