Constitution ComparisonBy AntiYukeI compared the U.S.A. constitution and the Australian constitution. Their differences are as abundant as their similarities. The Australian constitution is extremely long and drawn out, where as the United States constitution sticks right to the point. All in all, the two constitutions have the same goal in that they wish to bestow the same basic rights to each person.
The two constitutions both have a preamble, however the Australian constitution is many more times greater in length. They both state how the power is bestowed on the federal government, but the power from each comes from different places. Australian takes it from the Queen, where USA takes it from the people, displaying how the separation from the British Empire by the Australians was more peace oriented than the rebellion of the United States.
The Australian preamble doesn’t deal with legitimacy to USA standards because it doesn’t state the reasons for its creation where USA simply states, “in order to form a more perfect union.” The Australian preamble sis redundant in that it states things in it that are restated later in the body of the constitution.
Both constitutions are segmented into powers bestowed upon branches or states and other important agendas. The US calls their segments articles, and the Australians call theirs chapters. The basic framework of the two is basically the same in that universally the first three deal with the Federal Government in the same order: Parliament (Australia)/Legislature (US), the Executive Government (Aust.)/Executive Branch (US), and the Judicature (Aust.)/Judicial Branch (US).
Again both the US constitution and the Aust. Constitution have segments dedicated to state powers and alteration; however the Aust. Constitution goes further by dealing specifically with “Finance quel Tracle” and “Miscellaneous.”Under the US Constitution our legislature is a bicameral containing a House of Representatives and a Senate. The Australian constitution has a parliamentary system, which is not bicameral, although their system has a house of representatives and a senate; these two houses have to share power with the Queen. The Prime Minister leads the legislature.
In the Australian constitution the Queen holds the executive power and also has legislative power. The Governor General is appointed by the Queen and is also the commander-in-chief. Another difference between the two countries is the Australian judicature. The High Court of Australia does not have the power of judicial review. Ultimately, in Australia the parliament and the prime minister have the complete power.
I don’t believe that the Australian constitution stacks up against the US constitution. It is extremely wordy and not as well planned out in my opinion, but it’s working and they’re aren’t too many complaints as far as I know about it so more power to them.
