The Constitution of Australia is a constitutional document that is the supreme law in Australia. It establishes Australia as a federation under a constitutional monarchy and outlines the structure and powers of the Australian governments three constituent parts: the executive, legislature, and judiciary. The Constitution originated as an agreement under which the former colonies came together as states in a federation. It was approved in referendums and agreed to by the British Parliament, and the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900 was passed in 1900 and came into effect on 1 January 1901.
The Constitution describes the composition, role, and powers of the Australian Parliament, sets out how the Australian and state parliaments share the power to make laws, and details the roles of the executive government and the High Court of Australia, among other things. It is divided into eight chapters.
Copies of the Constitution are available from the Australian Parliament. The full text of the Constitution of Australia with all amendments can be found on the Federal Register of Legislation.
