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Meeting timetableCabinet meets in the Cabinet room at Parliament House, Canberra, in most weeks of the year. Special Cabinet meetings may be held at other times and other places, as necessary, for…
Cabinet DivisionCabinet Division is directly responsible to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet Secretary for the impartial recording of Cabinet decisions and for the administration…
Last updated 14 August 2024
Copyright Statement© Commonwealth of Australia 2022978-1-925365-13-9 Cabinet Handbook 15th Edition (Online)Copyright NoticeWith the exception of the Commonwealth Coat of…
Cabinet government is founded on the principle of collective decision-making which is rooted in ancient tradition.Set in a mosaic within the Victorian Parliament, which housed the Commonwealth Parliament from Federation until 1927,…
By convention, the Government ensures that important decisions are not taken in the caretaker period that would bind an incoming government and limit its freedom of action. The basic caretaker conventions require Government to avoid making major…
Where a significant government appointment is proposed, the responsible minister must write to the Prime Minister seeking approval of the appointment before any action is finalised. While significant appointments will require Cabinet…
The CabinetThe Cabinet is the council of senior ministers who are empowered by the Australian Government (‘the Government’) to take binding decisions on its behalf.As a forum, the Cabinet seeks…
It is important to note that issues raised as part of the Review involve two distinct matters. The first relates to transfer of documents by PM&C to the NAA under section 27 of the Archives Act. The second relates to the public release of…
Contact the relevant areas of the departments or agencies, to identify and analyse this data and determine its relevance to each policy item. Highly disaggregated data can be sensitive, and the Office for the National Data Commissioner has guidance…
Special nature of Cabinet documentsCabinet documentation is any material departments and agencies prepare that is:intended for submission to the Cabinet (generally Cabinet…
Less controversial submissions can be settled by circulation to Cabinet ministers.The circulation period is ten days after lodgement—hence the process is termed the ‘ten day rule’.Under this arrangement, PM&C is responsible for…
Secure handling of Cabinet documentsCabinet documents, including pre‐exposure drafts, exposure drafts, drafts for coordination comments, final submissions, and drafting comments (including coordination comments),…
Notification of agendasOnce the forward program and agendas are approved by the Cabinet Secretary, Cabinet Division issues to ministers:an agenda for each meeting, showing the business to be considered, the…
Guidance on matters for collective agreementCollective agreement can be sought at a Cabinet meeting or through ministerial correspondence.As a general rule, ministers should put before their colleagues the sorts of issues on which…
Ministers must ensure proposals reach the Prime Minister’s office at least 15 working days before the Cabinet meeting at which the appointment may be raised for consideration. Proposals should be submitted in advance of the time the…
Although the recorded outcomes of Cabinet discussions are often referred to as Cabinet ‘decisions’, they are formally known as Cabinet minutes. As the Cabinet has no legal or…
Articles/Books/ReportsBramston, Troy, ‘Cabinet papers debacle either ‘cover-up or pure farce’, The Australian, Sydney, 2 January 2024Curtis, Katina, ‘Cabinet papers 2003: Iraq war discussions remain secret amid John…
Putting an item on the agendaThe Prime Minister’s control of the agenda is central to the operation of the Cabinet. Ministers seeking to put an item on the Cabinet (or Cabinet Committee)…
In settling Cabinet arrangements, it is open to the Prime Minister of the day to adopt the organisation and system he or she wishes, subject only to the provisions of the Ministers of State Act 1952. The Ministry, the …
An important function of this Framework is articulating the roles and responsibilities of Australian Government ministers and senior officials. During a significant crisis, clarity of purpose and priorities is crucial for ensuring that an Australian…
Cabinet submissionsA Cabinet submission is the documentation by which a minister puts a proposal to the Cabinet or a Cabinet Committee. The rules and procedures below apply to…
IntroductionThe HandbookThis Handbook provides an overview of current Federal Executive Council operations, in particular the preparation of documents for consideration by the Governor-General in Council.This…
Executive SummaryThe Legislation Handbook (the handbook) provides comprehensive guidance on the requirements of the legislation process—from policy approval and drafting through to passage in the Parliament.This is…
Monday 13 February is the 15th anniversary of the Apology to Australia’s Indigenous Peoples.
Given by then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, the Apology was a watershed moment for reconciliation in Australia.
The Apology focused…