Government of Queensland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Government of Queensland

Emblem of the Queensland Government and its agencies
Coat of arms of the State of Queensland, used for formal and ceremonial purposes.
Formation	1859 as responsible Colonial government; 1901 as an Australian state
Australian state	Queensland
Website	http://www.qld.gov.au/
Legislative branch
Legislature	Parliament of Queensland; Legislative Assembly of Queensland
Meeting place	Parliament House
Executive branch
Main organ	Cabinet of Queensland
Leader	Premier
Appointer	Governor
Meeting place	Parliament House
Judicial branch
Court	Supreme Court
Seat	Brisbane

The Government of Queensland, also referred to as the Queensland Government, is the Australian state democratic administrative authority of Queensland. The Government of Queensland, a parliamentary constitutional monarchy, was formed in 1859 as prescribed in its Constitution, as amended from time to time. Since the Federation of Australia in 1901, Queensland has been a state of the Commonwealth of Australia, and the Constitution of Australia regulates its relationship with the Commonwealth. Under the Australian Constitution, Queensland ceded legislative and judicial supremacy to the Commonwealth, but retained powers in all matters not in conflict with the Commonwealth. Key state government offices are located at 1 William Street in the Brisbane central business district.

Executive and judicial powers

Parliament House in Brisbane; the meeting place of the Parliament of Queensland

Executive Building in George Street, 2015

1 William Street was completed in 2016

The Government of Queensland operates under the Westminster system, a form of parliamentary government based on the model of the United Kingdom. The Governor of Queensland, as the representative of the Monarch, holds nominal power, although in practice only performs ceremonial duties. The Parliament of Queensland holds legislative power, while executive power lies with the Premier and Cabinet, and judicial power is exercised by a system of courts and tribunals.

The Parliament of Queensland is the state's legislature. It consists of the Monarch (represented by the Governor), and a single chamber; the Legislative Assembly. Queensland is the only Australian state with a unicameral parliament after a second chamber, the Legislative Council, was abolished in 1922.

The Legislative Assembly has 89 members; one representing each electoral district in Queensland. Elections for the Legislative Assembly are held approximately every three years.

The Cabinet of Queensland is the government's chief policy-making organ, and consists of the Premier and all ministers.

Current Ministry

Minister	Office	Portrait
Annastacia Palaszczuk	Premier Minister for the Arts
Jackie Trad	Deputy Premier Minister for Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning Minister for Trade and Investment
Curtis Pitt	Treasurer Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships Minister for Sport
Cameron Dick	Minister for Health Minister for Ambulance Services
Kate Jones	Minister for Education Minister for Tourism and Major Events
Yvette D'Ath	Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Minister for Training and Skills
Bill Byrne	Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services Minister for Corrective Services
Anthony Lynham	Minister for State Development Minister for Natural Resources and Mines
Stirling Hinchliffe	Leader of the House Minister for Transport and the Commonwealth Games
Mark Bailey	Minister for Main Roads, Road Safety and Ports Minister for Energy, Biofuels and Water Supply
Steven Miles	Minister for Environment and Heritage Protection Minister for National Parks and the Great Barrier Reef
Grace Grace	Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations Minister for Multicultural Affairs Minister for Racing
Coralee O'Rourke	Minister for Disability Services Minister for Seniors Minister Assisting the Premier on North Queensland
Leeanne Enoch	Minister for Innovation, Science and the Digital Economy Minister for Small Business
Shannon Fentiman	Minister for Communities, Women and Youth Minister for Child Safety Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence
Leanne Donaldson	Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries
Mick de Brenni	Minister for Housing and Public Works
Assistant Ministers
Mark Ryan	Assistant Minister of State Assisting the Premier
Jennifer Howard	Assistant Minister for Local Government

Queensland government agencies

The Queensland Government delivers services, determines policy and regulations, including legal interpretation, by a number of agencies grouped under areas of portfolio responsibility. Each portfolio is led by a government minister who is a member of the Parliament. As of April 2016^[update] there were nineteen lead agencies, called government departments, that consist of:

• Department of the Premier and Cabinet
• Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships
• Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
• Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services
• Department of Education and Training
• Department of Energy and Water Supply
• Department of Environment and Heritage Protection
• Queensland Health
• Department of Housing and Public Works
• Department of Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning
• Department of Justice and Attorney-General
• Department of National Parks, Sport and Racing
• Department of Natural Resources and Mines
• Queensland Police Service and Queensland Fire and Emergency Services
• Department of Science, Information Technology and Innovation
• Department of State Development
• Department of Transport and Main Roads
• Queensland Treasury
• Department of Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and the Commonwealth Games

A range of other agencies support the functions of these departments.

See also

In Spanish: Gobierno de Queensland para niños