The states originated as separate
British colonies prior to
Federation in 1901. the
Victoria Colony (1851) and the
Colony of Queensland (1859). Upon federation, the six colonies of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania became the founding states of the new Commonwealth of Australia. The two territory governments (the Australian Capital Territory [ACT] and the Northern Territory [NT]), were created by legislation of the Federal Parliament—the NT in 1978 and the ACT in 1988. and under the principle of
federalism, Commonwealth legislation only applies to the states where permitted by the constitution. The territories, by contrast, are from a constitutional perspective directly subject to the
Commonwealth government; laws for territories are determined by the Australian Parliament. Most of the territories are directly administered by the Commonwealth government, while two (the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory) have some degree of self-government although less than that of the states. The Administrator of the Northern Territory, by contrast, is appointed by the
governor-general. The Australian Capital Territory has neither a governor nor an administrator. Instead, since the enacted of the
Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988 (Cth), the functions of the head of the Executive – commissioning government, proroguing parliament and enacting legislation – are exercised by the Assembly itself and by the
chief minister.
Jervis Bay Territory is the only non-self-governing internal territory. Until 1989, it was administered as if it were a part of the ACT, although it has always been a separate territory. Under the terms of the
Jervis Bay Territory Acceptance Act 1915, the laws of the ACT apply to the Jervis Bay Territory insofar as they are applicable and providing they are not inconsistent with an ordinance. Although residents of the Jervis Bay Territory are generally subject to laws made by the ACT Legislative Assembly, they are not represented in the assembly. They are represented in the
Parliament of Australia as part of the Electoral
Division of Fenner (named the
Division of Fraser until 2016) in the ACT and by the ACT's two senators. In other respects, the territory is administered directly by the Federal Government through the Territories portfolio. The external territory of
Norfolk Island possessed a degree of self-government from 1979 until 2015. The lower house is called the "legislative assembly", except in South Australia and Tasmania, where it is called the "house of assembly". Tasmania is the only state to use
proportional representation for elections to its lower house; all others elect members from single member constituencies, using
preferential voting. The upper house is called the "legislative council" and is generally elected from multi-member constituencies using proportional representation. Along with Queensland, the three self-governing territories, the ACT, the Northern Territory, and Norfolk Island, each have
unicameral legislative assemblies. In normal circumstances, the governor will appoint as premier whoever leads the party or coalition which exercises control of the lower house (in the case of Queensland, the only house) of the state parliament. However, in times of
constitutional crisis, the governor can appoint someone else as premier. travel, applications to educational institutions out of one's home state. There are very few urban areas bifurcated by state or territory borders. The Queensland-New South Wales border runs through
Coolangatta (Queensland) and
Tweed Heads (New South Wales) and splits
Gold Coast Airport.
Oaks Estate, a contiguous residential of
Queanbeyan, was excised out of New South Wales when the Australian Capital Territory was established in 1909. Some
Urban Centres and Localities reported by the
Australian Bureau of Statistics include some agglomerations of cities spreading across state borders, including
Gold Coast–Tweed Heads,
Canberra–Queanbeyan,
Albury–
Wodonga (New South Wales-Victoria) and
Mildura–
Wentworth (Victoria-New South Wales)
Timeline • 1788 –
British Empire establishes the
Colony of New South Wales across central and eastern mainland Australia, the island of Tasmania, both islands of New Zealand and Norfolk Island. • 1803 – The
Coral Sea Islands are claimed by New South Wales. • 1825 – The island of Tasmania becomes the independent colony of
Van Diemen's Land. New South Wales extends its borders further west in mainland Australia. • 1829 – The British Empire establishes the
Swan River Colony in western mainland Australia. • 1832 – Swan River Colony is renamed the "colony of
Western Australia". • 1836 – The Colony of
South Australia is established. • 1841 – The islands of New Zealand become the independent
colony of New Zealand. Much of eastern Antarctica is annexed by Britain as
Victoria Land. • 1844 – New South Wales transfers Norfolk Island to Van Diemen's Land. • 1846 – Northern central and eastern Australia briefly become the independent Colony of North Australia, then are returned to New South Wales. • 1851 – Southeastern mainland Australia becomes the independent colony of
Victoria. • 1856 – Van Diemen's Land is renamed the
colony of Tasmania. Norfolk Island becomes the independent colony of Norfolk Island, however it is to be administered by the same governor as New South Wales. • 1857 – Much of southern central mainland Australia becomes the independent colony of
South Australia. The
Cocos (Keeling) Islands are annexed by Britain. • 1859 – Northeastern mainland Australia and Coral Sea Islands become the independent
colony of Queensland. • 1860 – A pocket of New South Wales territory remaining in southern central mainland Australia is transferred to South Australia. • 1862 – Some of New South Wales' northern central mainland Australian territory is transferred to Queensland. • 1863 – New South Wales' remaining northern central mainland Australian territory is transferred to South Australia. • 1878 – Britain annexes Ashmore Island. • 1884 - Britain annexes
British New Guinea. • 1886 – The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are to be administered by the same governor as the
Straits Settlements. • 1888 –
Christmas Island is annexed by Britain and incorporated into the Straits Settlements. • 1897 – Norfolk Island is officially reintegrated into New South Wales. • 1901 – New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania, Western Australia, Victoria and South Australia federate into the Commonwealth of Australia. Queensland transfers the Coral Sea Islands to the federal government, creating a federal external territory. • 1902 – Britain transfers
British New Guinea to Australia, forming
Territory of Papua as an external territory. • 1903 – The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are incorporated into the Straits Settlements. • 1909 – Britain annexes Cartier Island. • 1910 – Britain claims
Heard Island and the McDonald Islands. • 1911 – The state of South Australia transfers control of northern central mainland Australia to the federal government, creating the
Northern Territory. A small pocket of New South Wales around the city of
Canberra is transferred to the federal government (who are seated within it), creating the Federal Capital Territory. • 1913 – New South Wales transfers
Norfolk Island to the federal government, making it a federal external territory. • 1915 – A small pocket of New South Wales around
Jervis Bay is transferred to the federal government and incorporated into the Federal Capital Territory. • 1920 – Following the defeat of the
German Empire in
World War I, the
League of Nations establishes an Australian mandate in northeastern New Guinea, it becomes the external
Territory of New Guinea. • 1923 – Another conquered German territory, the island of Nauru, is established as an Australian mandate and external territory by the League of Nations, this time as a co-mandate with Britain and New Zealand. • 1927 – The Northern Territory is split into two territories – North Australia and
Central Australia. • 1930 – The remaining territory in eastern Antarctica is annexed by Britain as
Enderby Land. • 1931 – North Australia and Central Australia are reincorporated as the Northern Territory. Britain recognises Australia as possessors of the uninhabited
Ashmore and Cartier Islands, making them an external federal territory. • 1933 – Britain transfers Victoria Land and Enderby Land to Australia, creating the
Australian Antarctic Territory, with ongoing limited international recognition. • 1938 – The Federal Capital Territory is renamed the "
Australian Capital Territory". • 1942 – The
Empire of Japan conquers Nauru from Australia, Britain and New Zealand as part of
World War II. Japan also conquers much of the Straits Settlements, including Christmas Island. The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are not conquered and are transferred to the
Colony of Ceylon. • 1946 – The United Nations, the successor to the League of Nations, renews its mandate of New Guinea to Australia. • 1947 – Following the defeat of Japan in World War II, the United Nations returns Nauru to Australia, Britain and New Zealand as a joint mandate. Christmas Island returns to Britain and is incorporated into the
Colony of Singapore. The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are also transferred to Singapore. • 1949 – Papua and New Guinea are incorporated into the singular
Territory of Papua and New Guinea. Britain transfers Heard Island and the McDonald Islands to Australia, creating a federal external territory. • 1955 – Britain transfers the Cocos (Keeling) Islands to Australia, they become an external territory. • 1958 – Britain transfers Christmas Island to Australia, it becomes an external territory. • 1966 – The
Republic of Nauru is established, ending Australian-British-New Zealander control of the island. • 1971 – Papua and New Guinea is renamed Papua New Guinea • 1972 – Papua New Guinea receives self government • 1975 – Papua New Guinea becomes the
Independent State of Papua New Guinea, ending British-Australian control. • 1978 – Northern Territory gains self-government with certain Commonwealth control. • 1979 – Norfolk Island gains self-government with certain Commonwealth control. • 1989 – The Australian Capital Territory gains self-government with certain Commonwealth control. Jervis Bay becomes independent of the ACT, becoming the
Jervis Bay Territory. • 2015 – Norfolk Island loses self-government with full Commonwealth control.
Comparative terminology == Politics ==