Levels of government

Australia has three levels of government:

• the Commonwealth (also known as federal government)
• state/territory governments
• local council areas/shires/municipalities across Australia.

Each level of government has a law-making body - a parliament or council – which is made up of representatives elected by the people.

If you are an enrolled voter in New South Wales, you must vote at all election events (including referendums) relevant to your local area, state district and federal division.

Federal government

The law-making body at the federal government level is the Parliament of Australia, which looks after national issues including:

• defence
• taxation
• trade
• foreign affairs
• immigration
• communications.

Australia is divided into federal electoral divisions.

Voters in each division choose one person to represent their division in the House of Representatives (also known as the lower house).

Voters in each state and territory also choose people to represent their state or territory in the Senate (also known as the upper house).

The federal Parliament House is located in Canberra.

State government

The law-making body in New South Wales is the Parliament of New South Wales and it makes laws on matters such as:

• police
• schools and hospitals 
• state transport, roads and railways
• housing services
• community services.

New South Wales is divided into 93 state electoral districts.

Voters in each district choose one person to represent their district in the state government's Legislative Assembly (also known as the lower house).

Voters also choose people to represent them in the state Legislative Council (also known as the upper house).

The Parliament of New South Wales is located in Sydney.

Local government

The law-making bodies at local government level are councils. Their role is to look after the needs of a city or local community. Council representatives are called councillors and the head of a council is the mayor.

Councils make a range of decisions and rules that apply in their local government area, such as planning decisions, regulating land use and other activities and deliver a range of community services and facilities, including:

• libraries and public halls
• sporting facilities such as playing fields, swimming pools, tennis courts and golf courses
• public land such as parks and other recreation areas
• household garbage and recycling collections.

New South Wales is divided into 128 local government areas. Each local government area is managed by a council and voters in each area elect people to represent them on the council.

Local government areas may be divided into wards or undivided, without wards. If you live in a divided area, you will vote only in the ward in which you are enrolled.

Voters in some areas also vote to elect their mayor. In other areas, the mayor is chosen by the elected councillors.