The Constitution of the Australian Capital Territory

Book excerpt: The Constitution of the Australian Capital Territory provides a detailed reference work for those who need to understand the constitutional arrangements that exist for the government of the Australian Capital Territory. It provides an outline and explanation of the Commonwealth laws which make up the constitution of the Australian Capital Territory, most importantly the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988 (Cth). The book also covers: the establishment of the Territory and the history of its government since 1911; a detailed examination of the Commonwealths constitutional power to make laws for the government of the Territory and the extent to which the power in s. 122 of the Constitution is qualified by other provisions of the Constitution; the granting of self-government in 1989; the constitutional framework for the Legislative Assembly and the power of the Assembly to make laws and the scope of executive and judicial power in the Territory, and the division of responsibilities for land management in the Territory between the Commonwealth and Territory governments.--