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56-725: The Australian Qualifications Framework ( AQF ) specifies the standards for educational qualifications in Australia. It is administered nationally by the Australian Government's Department of Industry , with oversight from the States and Territories, through the Standing Council of Tertiary Education Skills and Employment. While the AQF specifies the standards, education and training organisations are authorised by accrediting authorities to issue

112-530: A Diploma of Agriculture might be recognised as the equivalent of the first year of the Bachelor of Agricultural Science degree; a unit of Letter Writing in a Certificate IV of Writing might be recognised as a unit towards a Bachelor of Business degree; experience in aged care might be recognised towards a Certificate in Community Services . All students doing nationally recognised training need to have

168-441: A Unique Student Identifier (USI). Certificates I–IV are the basic qualifications and prepare candidates for both employment and further education and training. There is no firm duration for these qualifications. Entry for Certificate III and Certificate IV courses requires the completion of Year 10 or Year 11 education, respectively. Certificates I–II provide basic vocational skills and knowledge, while Certificates III–IV replace

224-404: A courtesy title where it is existing practice for that profession. Universities are not permitted to refer to these degrees as doctorates and must note on documentation such as transcripts that the qualification is a master's degree (extended). Master's level courses are delivered by universities and a limited number of registered private providers. The highest qualification, a doctoral degree

280-448: A USI unless an exemption applies. Although the USI is now used throughout tertiary students, there is still strong advocacy for the identifier to extend its use to primary and high schools to combat the drop in school attendance rates. Key legislations that involve the implementation of the USI include: From 2023, it is a requirement for all higher education students in Australia to obtain

336-414: A Unique Student Identifier. A USI is needed if an individual is: The only exception is if the individual has been granted an exemption, is an international student completing all of their studies outside of Australia, or if an Australian student is studying overseas and is not with an Australian education provider. A USI is essential to receive a statement of attainment, qualification, or an award. It

392-545: A bachelor's degree or higher. In some cases, admission may be on the basis of significant work experience. Graduate certificates typically take six months of full-time study to complete, while graduate diplomas typically take twelve months. A completed bachelor's degree, sometimes with honours (typically for Master of Philosophy degrees), is a prerequisite for admission. Often there is a minimum grade point average (GPA), weighted average mark (WAM) or honours requirement for admission also. The pattern of study generally takes one of

448-424: A cabinet minister. The cabinet consists of the prime minister and senior ministers and makes most of the important policy decisions of the government. Members of the cabinet are selected by the prime minister and may be added or removed at any time, usually through a cabinet reshuffle . Cabinet meetings are strictly private and occur once a week where vital issues are discussed and policy formulated. The cabinet

504-621: A future AQF. The report recommended that the new AQF have: While the AQF specifies the standards for qualifications, it is the education and training organisations that issue a qualification. Education and training organisations are authorised to issue qualifications by one of the following authorities. Other users of the Specifications are industry and professional bodies, licensing and regulatory bodies, students, graduates and employers. Government of Australia [REDACTED] [REDACTED] The Australian Government , also known as

560-405: A master's degree with a significant research component. The AQF also permits the awarding of higher doctorates on the basis of an internationally-recognised contribution to the field of study the doctorate is in. Holders of doctoral degrees are permitted to use the title 'Doctor'. A federal review of the AQF reported in 2019, recommending an overhaul of the framework and setting out principles for

616-742: A nationally standardised final score for each SSCE student called the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank . Universities and other Higher Education providers typically use this mark as the main criterion in selecting domestic students. Prior to 2010, this was called the Equivalent National Tertiary Entrance Rank (ENTER) in Victoria, and the University Admissions Index (UAI) in New South Wales and

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672-625: A predominant influence over who was elected to Labor ministries, although the leaders of the party factions also exercised considerable influence. However, in 2007 Prime Minister Kevin Rudd , assumed the power to choose the ministry alone. Later, the caucus regained this power in 2013. According to reporting by the Sydney Morning Herald , ministerial positions are allocated by the Left and Right factions proportionally according to their representation in

728-630: A qualification. The Framework is structured around levels of descriptive criteria, with formal qualifications aligned to the appropriate levels. The Senior Secondary Certificate of Education (SSCE) is the graduation certificate awarded to most students in Australian high schools, and is equivalent to the Advance Placement of North America and the A-Levels of the United Kingdom. Students completing

784-423: Is also a must when applying for higher education support such as HECS-HELP , FEE-HELP and Research Training Program (RTP) funding. The USI also gives VET students an online record of their nationally recognised training in the form of a VET transcript. This can be used when they are applying for a job, seeking a credit transfer or as proof of prerequisites when undertaking further training. The USI will stay with

840-407: Is awarded by a university. This generally requires the completion of a major thesis, which has to be assessed externally by experts in the field of study. Additionally, there are professional doctorates, which require less research and are partially assessed by coursework or projects. Entry into an Australian standard doctorate program usually requires an honours degree with at least class 2A honours or

896-418: Is difficult to apply as many actions by executive agencies are wide-ranging, binding and conducted independently of Parliament. The executive can also be delegated legislative power through provisions allowing for statutory instruments and Henry VIII clauses . Ultimately whether power is executive or legislative is determined on a case-by-case basis, and involves the weighing up of various factors, rather than

952-407: Is for life and is a requirement for all higher education students in studying Australia to obtain one. Both domestic and international students are included in the scheme, and the USI is independent of a University ID number as it is managed on a nationwide scale. The concept of a national student registrar was first officially suggested by then Education Minister , Julia Gillard in 2010. It

1008-557: Is less likely to happen at a university or a private institution. The two sectors form a continuum, with VET at the lower end and Higher Education at the higher. VET courses are typically short, practical in nature and delivered by a TAFE college or registered training organisation at a certificate to diploma level. Higher education courses typically take several years or longer to complete, are academic in nature and are delivered by universities and other higher education providers at diploma, associate degree, degree or higher level. There

1064-560: Is not a legal entity; it exists solely by convention. Its decisions do not in and of themselves have legal force. However, it serves as the practical expression of the Federal Executive Council , which is Australia's highest formal governmental body. In practice, the Federal Executive Council meets solely to endorse and give legal force to decisions already made by the cabinet. All members of the cabinet are members of

1120-524: Is significant overlap, however; a TAFE college may offer degrees and universities may offer certificates and diplomas (so called 'dual sector' providers). There has been a strong push towards mutual recognition of qualifications, with VET or Higher Education courses recognised towards other courses (and for those under 21 towards an SSCE). A process of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) has been implemented to allow competencies gained through work and other experience to be assessed and recognised. For instance,

1176-687: The Australian Capital Territory . The head offices of all the federal departments are located in Canberra, along with Parliament House and the High Court . The name of the government in the Constitution of Australia is the "Government of the Commonwealth". This was the name used in many early federal government publications. However, in 1965 Robert Menzies indicated his preference for

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1232-601: The Australian Government introduced the Student Identifiers Amendment (Higher Education) Bill 2019 into Parliament, which seeks to amend the Student Identifiers Act 2014 to extend the use of USI to all higher education students. From January 2021, new domestic and onshore international higher education students may apply for a USI. In January 2023, USI becomes mandatory , where higher education providers must not confer an award on an individual without

1288-474: The Australian Labor Party (ALP), in office since the 2022 federal election . The prime minister is the head of the federal government and is a role which exists by constitutional convention, rather than by law. They are appointed to the role by the governor-general (the representative of the monarch of Australia ). The governor-general normally appoints the parliamentary leader who commands

1344-707: The Commonwealth Government or simply as the Federal government , is the national executive government of Australia, a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy . The executive consists of the prime minister and other cabinet ministers that currently have the support of a majority of the members of the House of Representatives (the lower house) and also includes the departments and other executive bodies that ministers oversee. The current executive government consists of Anthony Albanese and other ministers of

1400-785: The Vocational Education and Training (VET), organised under the National Training System , and Higher Education sectors in Australia. Courses are primarily taken by those aged over 18, however in some vocational and general academic courses a minority of students enter at the minimum school-leaving age of 16, although from May 2009 Federal Government policy calls for young people to be in education, gainful employment, or training until age 17 (Year 12 qualification) with tightening of income support payments to age 20 if not undertaking further training. This tends to happen particularly at Technical and Further Education colleges (TAFE), and

1456-403: The AQF. Honours may be awarded on top of a bachelor's degree after an additional year of study for three-year degrees. An Honours degree is a Level 8 qualification and is denoted by "Hons" in parentheses following the degree abbreviation, for example BA (Hons). Honours degrees requiring an additional year of study generally involve a research project and require the completion of a thesis during

1512-748: The Australian Capital Territory, and the Tertiary Entrance Rank (TER) elsewhere. Competing qualifications outside the Australian Qualifications Framework are the International Baccalaureate (IB) and Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) Year 12 Academic Certificate. The IB is well accepted by universities. ACE has lesser support, and students may also have to additionally pass a Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). There has been growing overlap between

1568-456: The Constitution . These were defined by High Court Justice Anthony Mason , as powers "peculiarly adapted to the government of a nation and which cannot otherwise be carried on for the benefit of the nation". They have been found to include the power to provide financial stimulus payments to households during a financial crisis and the power to prevent "unlawful non-citizens" from entering

1624-534: The Dismissal of 1975. In that case, the Governor-General Sir John Kerr dismissed the prime minister and government due to his conclusion that the government had failed to secure supply. The propriety of the use of the powers during that event remain highly contested. The Federal Executive Council is the body that formally advises the governor-general in the exercise of executive power. Decisions of

1680-668: The Executive Council. A senior member of the cabinet holds the office of vice-president of the Executive Council and acts as presiding officer of the Executive Council in the absence of the governor-general. The cabinet meets not only in Canberra but also in state capitals, most frequently Sydney and Melbourne. Kevin Rudd was in favour of the cabinet meeting in other places, such as major regional cities. There are Commonwealth Parliament Offices in each state capital, with those in Sydney located in 1 Bligh Street . Until 1956 all members of

1736-511: The King and the governor-general must follow the advice of the prime minister or other ministers in the exercise of his powers. Powers subject to the governor-general’s discretion are known as reserve powers. While certain reserve powers, such as the ability to choose the prime minister most likely to command the confidence of the lower house, are uncontroversial, others are subject to much greater debate. The most notable example of their use occurring in

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1792-538: The Parliament. The King is not involved with the day-to-day operations of the government, belonging (according to the Bagehot formulation) to the "dignified" rather than the "efficient" part of government. While the executive power of the Commonwealth is formally vested in the monarch, the Constitution requires those powers to be exercisable by a governor-general, appointed by the monarch as their representative (but since

1848-524: The SSCE are usually aged 16 to 18 and study full-time for two years (years 11 and 12 of schooling). In some states adults may gain the certificate through a Technical and Further Education college or other provider. The curriculum, assessment and name of the SSCE is different in each state and territory . The government of each determines these themselves, although the curriculum must address mutually agreed national competencies. Universities Australia generates

1904-573: The allocation of their portfolios. When Labor first held office under Chris Watson , Watson assumed the right to choose members of his cabinet. In 1907, however, the party decided that future Labor cabinets would be elected by the members of the Parliamentary Labor Party, the Caucus , and the prime minister would retain the right to allocate portfolios. This practice was followed until 2007. Between 1907 and 2007, Labor prime ministers exercised

1960-488: The application of a strict test. As most executive power is granted by statute, the executive power of the government is similarly limited to those areas in which the Commonwealth is granted the power to legislate under the constitution (primarily under section 51 ). They also retain certain powers traditionally part of the royal prerogative , such as the power to declare war and enter into treaties. Finally, there exists certain "nationhood powers", implied from section 61 of

2016-444: The appointing of Sir Isaac Isaacs in 1931, always appointed according to the advice of federal ministers, rather than British ministers). Members of the government do not exercise executive power of their own accord but are instead appointed by the governor-general as ministers, formally as the "Queen's [or King's] Ministers of State". As such, while government ministers make most major decisions in cabinet, if those decisions require

2072-414: The body give legal effect to decisions already deliberated at cabinet. All current and formers ministers are members of the council, although only current ministers are summoned to meetings. The governor-general usually presides at council meetings, but in his or her absence another minister nominated as the vice-president of the Executive Council presides at the meeting of the council. Since 1 June 2022,

2128-594: The bottom layer includes public servants , police, government departments and independent statutory bodies who directly implement policy and laws. Executive power is also difficult to clearly define. In the British context, it was defined by John Locke as all government power not legislative or judicial in nature. The key distinction is that while legislative power involves setting down rules of general application, executive power involves applying those rules to specific situations. In practice, however, this definition

2184-466: The confidence of a majority of the members of the House of Representatives. Also by convention, the prime minister is a member of the lower house. The prime minister and their sworn ministers form the cabinet , the key decision-making organ of the government that makes policy and decides the agenda of the government. Members of the government can exercise both legislative power (through their control of

2240-485: The country . Ministers drawn from the Australian parliament form the core of the Australian Government. A subset of these ministers form the cabinet, the de facto highest executive body of the government. Ministers not part of cabinet belong to the outer ministry. Additionally, there are also assistant ministers (formally parliamentary secretaries ), responsible for a specific policy area, reporting directly to

2296-460: The courses are designed and registered, diplomas may be vocational or higher education, while associate degrees are higher education. These courses are usually delivered by universities, TAFE colleges, and private registered training organisations and higher education providers. The bachelor degree is the standard university qualification and is recognised worldwide. Most courses take three to four years to complete and are Level 7 qualifications on

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2352-580: The following three forms: Master's degree (extended) are permitted to deviate from the 'Master of ...' naming convention. Those in legal practice may use the name Juris Doctor but the qualification does not allow a graduate use of the honorific title 'doctor'. Master's degree (extended) in medical practice, physiotherapy, dentistry, optometry and veterinary practice are allowed to be named 'Doctor of ...' or 'Master of ...', such as Doctor/Master of Dentistry, Doctor/Master of Optometry and Doctor/Master of Medicine, and graduates are permitted to use 'Doctor' (Dr.) as

2408-419: The formal endorsement of the governor-general in council, those decisions do not have legal force until approved by the Federal Executive Council , which is presided over by the governor-general. Similarly, laws passed by both houses of parliament require royal assent before being enacted, as the monarch is a constituent part of the Parliament. However, in all these cases, except for certain reserve powers,

2464-746: The ministry differs depending on their party. When the Liberal Party and its predecessors (the Nationalist Party and the United Australia Party ) have been in coalition with the National Party or its predecessor the Country Party , the leader of the junior Coalition party has had the right to nominate their party's members of the Coalition ministry, and to be consulted by the prime minister on

2520-459: The ministry were members of the cabinet. The growth of the ministry in the 1940s and 1950s made this increasingly impractical, and in 1956 Robert Menzies created a two-tier ministry, with only senior ministers holding cabinet rank, also known within parliament as the front bench . This practice has been continued by all governments except the Whitlam government . The prime minister's power to select

2576-399: The name "Australian Government" in order to prevent confusion with the new Commonwealth of Nations . The Whitlam government legislated the use of "Government of Australia" in 1973 in line with its policy of promoting national goals and aspirations. However, academic Anne Twomey argues that the government was also motivated by a desire to blur the differences between the Commonwealth and

2632-510: The optional fourth year of study. Traditionally these courses have almost exclusively been delivered by universities, however there is now a growing number of TAFE institutions and private colleges who have higher education status to deliver degree programs. Graduate certificate and graduate diplomas are Level 8 qualifications alongside the Bachelor (Honours) degree. Entry to a graduate certificate or graduate diploma typically requires completion of

2688-404: The other two branches of government, however, membership of the executive is not clearly defined. One definition describes the executive as a pyramid, consisting of three layers. At the top stands the king, as the symbolic apex and formal repository of executive power. Below him lies a second layer made up of the prime minister, cabinet and other ministers who in practice lead the executive. Finally,

2744-418: The parliament) and executive power (as ministers on behalf of the governor-general and the monarch). However, in accordance with responsible government , and to ensure accountability, actions of the government in its executive capacity are subject to scrutiny from parliament. The Australian Government is headquartered in the executive wing of Parliament House , located in the nation's capital, Canberra , in

2800-543: The performance of VET and higher education system and better meet the needs of students, education providers and employers. After discussions between state and federal leaders followed by consultations with stakeholders, Commonwealth legislation was passed and the USI Registry System commenced in January 2015. The first issued USI was required to apply or enrol in any nationally registered VET courses. In December 2019,

2856-453: The previous system of trade certificates and provide training in more advanced skills and knowledge. These courses are usually delivered by TAFE colleges, community education centres and registered private training providers. Courses at diploma, advanced diploma and associate degree level take between one and three years to complete, and are generally considered to be equivalent to one to two years of study at degree level. Depending on how

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2912-509: The states in an attempt to increase federal power. The Parliament of Australia website also notes that the name "Australian Government" is preferable in order to avoid confusion with the Commonwealth of Nations and the US federal government by those not familiar with Australia's system of government. This terminology remains preferred by the government. However, the terms Commonwealth Government and federal government are also common. In some contexts,

2968-409: The student for life. All students will need to provide their USI while enrolling in any higher education courses. For students who are unable to create one, some training organisations are able to create a USI for students with their permission. The USI is a randomly generated alphanumeric 9-digit code with an additional check digit . As is the case with many identification numbers, the USI includes

3024-455: The term "government" refers to all public agencies that exercise the power of the State , whether legislative, executive or judicial. The government's primary role, in its executive capacity, is to implement the laws passed by the parliament. However, laws are frequently drafted according to the interests of the executive branch as the government often also controls the legislative branch. Unlike

3080-615: The vice-president has been senator Katy Gallagher . As of 17 August 2024 , there are 16 departments of the Australian Government. Additionally, there are four departments which support the Parliament of Australia : The following corporations are prescribed by Acts of Parliament: As of March 2024 , the following Corporate Commonwealth entities are prescribed as Government Business Enterprises (GBEs): The following Commonwealth companies are prescribed as GBEs: Unique Student Identifier The Unique Student Identifier

3136-720: Was proposed to be linked to the My School website for primary and high school students to keep track of their academic records. However, the proposal faced strong backlash from the opposition and public, mainly due to privacy reasons. In April 2012, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) decided to implement the USI nationally to give VET students access to a complete record of their VET enrolments and achievements to better track their learning, even if they move between institutions for different courses. The government seeks this information to provide an important foundation for improving

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