Tasmanian Government

Government of Tasmania

Emblem of the Tasmanian Government and its agencies
Tasmanian coat of arms featuring two thylacines
Formation	1856 as responsible government; 1901 as an Australian state
Australian state	Tasmania
Website	http://www.tas.gov.au/
Legislative branch
Legislature	Parliament of Tasmania; Tasmanian Legislative Council Tasmanian House of Assembly
Meeting place	Parliament House
Executive branch
Leader	Premier
Appointer	Governor
Meeting place	Parliament House
Judicial branch
Court	Supreme Court
Seat	Hobart

The Government of Tasmania, also referred to as the Tasmanian Government, is the state democratic administrative authority of Tasmania. The Government of Tasmania, a parliamentary constitutional monarchy, was formed in 1856 as prescribed in its Constitution, as amended from time to time. Since the Federation of Australia in 1901, Tasmania has been a state of the Commonwealth of Australia, and the Constitution of Australia regulates its relationship with the Commonwealth.

Under the Australian Constitution, Tasmania ceded certain legislative and judicial powers to the Commonwealth, but retained complete independence in all other areas. In practice, however, the independence of the Australian states has been greatly eroded by the increasing financial domination of the Commonwealth.

Tasmania is governed according to the principles of the Westminster System, a form of parliamentary government based on the model of the United Kingdom. Legislative power rests with the bicameral Parliament of Tasmania, which consists of the Crown, represented by the Governor of Tasmania, and the two Houses, the Tasmanian Legislative Council and the Tasmanian House of Assembly.

Executive power rests formally with the Executive Council, which consists of the Governor and senior ministers. In practice executive power is exercised by the Premier of Tasmania and the Cabinet, who are appointed by the Governor, but who hold office by virtue of their ability to command the support of a majority of members of the House of Assembly. Judicial power is exercised by the Supreme Court of Tasmania and a system of subordinate courts, but the High Court of Australia and other federal courts have overriding jurisdiction on matters which fall under the ambit of the Australian Constitution.