Opposition (Australia) Explained

In Australian parliamentary practice, the Opposition or the Official Opposition consists of the second largest party or coalition of parties in the Australian House of Representatives, with its leader being given the title Leader of the Opposition. The Opposition serves the same function as the official opposition in other Commonwealth of Nations monarchies that follow the Westminster conventions and practices. It is seen as the alternative government and the existing administration's main opponent in the Australian Parliament and at a general election. By convention, the Opposition Leader in the federal Parliament comes from the House of Representatives, as does the deputy, although the Government and Opposition may also both have leaders in the Senate. The Opposition is sometimes styled as His Majesty's Loyal Opposition[1] to show that, although the group may be against the sitting government, it remains loyal to the Crown (the embodiment of the Australian state), and thus to Australia.

The current Opposition at a federal level is the centre-right Liberal Party/National Party Coalition, led by Peter Dutton.

State and territory opposition

The Opposition parties and leaders of Australian States and Territories are:

width=170 State/territorywidth=75 colspan="2" Opposition party/coalitionwidth=150 Leader of the Oppositionwidth=75 colspan="2" Opposition
LiberalElizabeth LeeAustralian Capital Territory Opposition[2]
New South WalesLiberal (Coalition)Mark SpeakmanNew South Wales Opposition[3]
National (Coalition)
Country LiberalLia FinocchiaroNorthern Territory Opposition[4]
QueenslandLiberal NationalDavid CrisafulliQueensland Opposition[5]
LiberalDavid Speirs[6] South Australian Opposition[7]
TasmaniaLaborDean WinterTasmanian Opposition[8]
Liberal (Coalition)John PesuttoVictorian Opposition[9]
National (Coalition)
Western AustraliaNationalShane LoveWestern Australian Opposition[10]
Liberal

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Altar egos clash over Wills and Babykins . The Australian . 18 November 2010 . 31 March 2011 . Samantha . Maiden.
  2. Web site: ACT Shadow Ministry Tenth Assembly . www.parliament.act.gov.au . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230918033044/https://www.parliament.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/1655962/Opposition-June-2022-Shadow-Ministry-list.pdf . 18 September 2023 . 30 June 2022 . 18 September 2023.
  3. Web site: Shadow Ministry . . 18 September 2023.
  4. Web site: Shadow Ministry - 14th Assembly. . Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory . 19 May 2023. parliament.nt.gov.au . 18 September 2023.
  5. Web site: Current Shadow Ministers . Queensland Parliament . www.parliament.qld.gov.au . 18 September 2023.
  6. News: SA Liberals elect former environment minister David Speirs as new party leader. 19 April 2022 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20230918031849/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-19/sa-liberals-elect-david-speirs-as-new-leader/100998430 . 18 September 2023 . . live.
  7. Web site: South Australia - 55th Parliament Shadow Ministry . 8 August 2023 . 18 September 2023 . The Parliament of South Australia . 18 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230918035040/https://www.parliament.sa.gov.au/-/media/Project/Parliament/Documents/Members/Shadow-Cabinet-as-at-08-August-2023.pdf . live.
  8. Web site: Labor Shadow Ministry . Parliament of Tasmania . www.parliament.tas.gov.au . live . 18 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230918025343/https://www.parliament.tas.gov.au/house-of-assembly/laborcab . 18 September 2023.
  9. Web site: Liberal Nationals Shadow Cabinet . 20 December 2022 . . new.parliament.vic.gov.au . 18 September 2023.
  10. Web site: Shadow Ministers. www.parliament.wa.gov.au . 18 September 2023.