#AustralianPolitics.com » Feed AustralianPolitics.com » Comments Feed * Home * About * CONTACT * AUDIO + 1970 – 1979 o 1972 o 1973 o 1974 o 1975 o 1976 o 1977 o 1978 o 1979 + 1980 – 1989 o 1980 o 1981 o 1982 o 1983 o 1984 o 1985 o 1986 o 1987 o 1988 o 1989 + 1990 – 1999 o 1990 o 1991 o 1992 o 1993 o 1994 o 1995 o 1996 o 1997 o 1998 o 1999 + 2000 – 2009 o 2001 o 2002 o 2003 o 2004 o 2005 o 2006 o 2007 o 2008 o 2009 + 2010 – 2013 o 2010 o 2011 o 2012 o 2013 * WHITLAM DISMISSAL * WORDS * OPINION * U.S.A. + CONSTITUTION * U.K. * Follow Me On Twitter AustralianPolitics.com * DEMOCRACY + KEY TERMS + CONVENTIONS + PRESSURE GROUPS * CONSTITUTION + FULL TEXT + GOVERNOR-GENERAL + HIGH COURT + FEDERALISM + CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM * PARLIAMENT + GENERAL INFORMATION + FUNCTIONS + HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES + SENATE + PARLIAMENT IN ACTION + LEGISLATION + PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES + HANSARD + BACKBENCHERS + FIRST / MAIDEN SPEECHES + OPPOSITION + QUESTION TIME + DOUBLE DISSOLUTIONS + SPEAKER & OTHER PEOPLE + PARLIAMENTARY REFORM * EXECUTIVE + CABINET & MINISTRY + PUBLIC SERVICE + PRIME MINISTER + - JULIA GILLARD + - KEVIN RUDD + - JOHN HOWARD + - PAUL KEATING + - BOB HAWKE + - MALCOLM FRASER + - GOUGH WHITLAM * PARTIES + REGISTERED PARTIES + AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY + LIBERAL PARTY + THE NATIONALS + GREENS + AUSTRALIAN DEMOCRATS + PAULINE HANSON’S ONE NATION * VOTING/ELECTIONS + ELECTORAL SYSTEM – FEATURES & HISTORY + FEDERAL & STATE ELECTIONS + ELECTION STATISTICS + ELECTION COSTS, FUNDING & DONATIONS + VOTING BEHAVIOUR * STATES + NEW SOUTH WALES + VICTORIA + QUEENSLAND + WESTERN AUSTRALIA + SOUTH AUSTRALIA + TASMANIA + AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY + NORTHERN TERRITORY + LOCAL GOVERNMENT * TOPICS + CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF TOPICS & ISSUES + FOREIGN POLICY * REFORM * LISTS __________________________________________________________________ You are here: Home / Constitution / Constitution Text / Australian Constitution – Chapter 2 Australian Constitution – Chapter 2 The Executive Government Sections 61-70 Section 61 – Executive power The executive power of the Commonwealth is vested in the Queen and is exercisable by the Governor-General as the Queen’s representative, and extends to the execution and maintenance of this Constitution, and of the laws of the Commonwealth. Section 62 – Federal Executive Council There shall be a Federal Executive Council to advise the Governor-General in the government of the Commonwealth, and the members of the Council shall be chosen and summoned by the Governor-General and sworn as Executive Councillors, and shall hold office during his pleasure. Section 63 – Provisions referring to Governor-General The provisions of this Constitution referring to the Governor-General in Council shall be construed as referring to the Governor-General acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council. Section 64 – Ministers of State & Ministers to sit in Parliament The Governor-General may appoint officers to administer such departments of State of the Commonwealth as the Governor-General in Council may establish. Such officers shall hold office during he pleasure of the Governor-General. They shall be members of the Federal Executive Council, and shall be the Queen’s Ministers of State for the Commonwealth. After the first general election no Minister of State shall hold office for a longer period than three months unless he is or becomes a senator or a member of the House of Representatives. Section 65 – Number of ministers Until the Parliament otherwise provides, the Ministers of the State shall not exceed seven in number, and shall hold such offices as the Parliament prescribes, or, in the absence of provision, as the Governor-General directs. Section 66 – Salaries of Ministers There shall be payable to the Queen, out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Commonwealth, for the salaries of the Ministers of State, an annual sum which, until the Parliament otherwise provides, shall not exceed twelve thousand pounds a year. Section 67 – Appointment of civil servants Until the Parliament otherwise provides, the appointment and removal of all other officers of the Executive Government of the Commonwealth shall be vested in the Governor-General in Council, unless the appointment is delegated by the Governor-General in Council or by a law of the Commonwealth to some other authority. Section 68 – Command of naval and military forces The command in chief of the naval and military forces of the Commonwealth is vested in the Governor-General as the Queen’s representative. Section 69 – Transfer of certain departments On a date or dates to be proclaimed by the Governor-General after the establishment of the Commonwealth the following departments of the public service in each State shall become transferred to the Commonwealth:- Posts, telegraphs, and telephones: Naval and military defence: Lighthouses, lightships, beacons, and buoys: Quarantine. But the departments of customs and of excise in each State shall become transferred to the Commonwealth on its establishment. Section 70 – Certain powers of Governors to vest in Governor-General In respect of matters which, under this Constitution, pass to the Executive Government of the Commonwealth, all powers and functions which at the establishment of the Commonwealth are vested in the Governor of a Colony, or in the Governor of a Colony with the advice of his Executive Council, or in any authority of a Colony, shall vest in the Governor-General, or in the Governor-General in Council, or in the authority exercising similar powers under the Commonwealth, as the case requires. 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