Federal Executive Council (Australia)

The Federal Executive Council is a body established by the Constitution of Australia to advise the Governor-General. The Governor-General is bound by convention to follow the advice of the Executive Council on almost all occasions, giving it de facto executive power. This power is used to legally enact the decisions of the Cabinet, which has no de jure authority.

The Federal Executive Council is the Australian equivalent of Executive Councils in other Commonwealth realms, and is similar to the privy councils of Canada and the United Kingdom (although unlike the UK privy council, the Leader of the Opposition is not typically a member).

The Federal Executive Council consists of all current and former Commonwealth ministers and assistant ministers (previously called parliamentary secretaries). Membership is governed by Section 64 of the Constitution, which stipulates that once appointed to a ministerial role, a person shall also be a member of the Executive Council. Membership is usually for life, however only those serving in the current ministry are actually involved in Council activities. Members of the Executive Council are entitled to the style 'The Honourable'. The Governor-General presides over meetings of the Executive Council, but is not a member.

The position of Vice-President of the Executive Council is usually given to a Member of the Cabinet, and no additional salary or allowance is paid. The appointment of Sir James Killen to this post in 1982 was controversial because the office was seen as a sinecure given that he held no Ministerial portfolio. He was nevertheless considered a member of the Ministry by virtue of this office, and he even administered a small, short-lived department (the Department of the Vice-President of the Executive Council; such a department also existed for two months in 1971 under Sir Alan Hulme, who was simultaneously Postmaster-General).

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