Government of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 as a result of an agreement among six self-governing British colonies, which became the six states. The terms of this contract are embodied in the Australian Constitution, which was drawn up at a Constitutional Convention and ratified by the people of the colonies at referendums. The Australian head of state is the Queen of Australia who is represented by the Governor-General of Australia, with executive powers delegated by constitutional convention to the Australian head of government, the Prime Minister of Australia.
List of Australian government entities
On 18 September 2013 an "Administrative Arrangements Order" was issued by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister Tony Abbott which replaced the previous "Order" of 14 September 2010 issued by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the Gillard Government. The Order formed or re-confirmed government departments, as follows:Following the appointment of Malcolm Turnbull as Prime Minister, three departments were renamed, with effect from 21 September 2015:Following the election of the Turnbull Government, the Department of the Environment was renamed, with effect from 19 July 2016: