Constitution of Queensland

Constitution of Queensland
Coat of Arms of Queensland
Created28 December 1867
SystemParliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy
Government structure
Branches
ChambersLegislative Assembly of Queensland
Executive
  • De jure: Monarch of Australia as represented by the Governor of Queensland acting through the Executive Council
  • De facto: Cabinet (premier and ministers)
JudiciarySupreme Court of Queensland and other lower courts
FederalismState within Australia
Entrenchments6 (all provisions within the Constitution Act 1867 (Qld))
Citation
Supersedes
  • Australian Constitutions Act 1850 (Imp)
  • New South Wales Constitution Act 1855 (Imp)

The Constitution of Queensland sets out and regulates the powers of the major state institutions of the Australian state of Queensland. It is a written constitution, with most provisions contained within the Constitution of Queensland 2001 (Qld), which consolidated many previous constitutional laws. However, it does not contain all the constitutional principles of the state, with the Constitution Act 1867 (Qld), Australia Act 1986 (Cth), Australian Constitution, the governor's commission, the common law and constitutional conventions also relevant constitutional documents.[1]

These constitutional documents set down Queensland as a constitutional monarchy operating under the Westminster system, with a parliament composed of the Legislative Assembly and the King exercising legislative powers, an executive made up of ministers and the premier appointed to act on behalf of the governor, and a judiciary made up of the Supreme Court and other lower courts.

Following the Federation of Australia, the colony of Queensland became a state within the new Commonwealth of Australia and ceded certain powers to the Commonwealth Government. However, except where valid Commonwealth laws conflict with the laws of Queensland, the Parliament of Queensland retains plenary legislative power[2]

  1. ^ "The Queensland Constitution". Queensland Parliament. Archived from the original on 28 October 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  2. ^ "Legislation". Queensland Law Handbook Online. 4 May 2016. Archived from the original on 2 February 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2022.