Is it a Council matter?
There are three levels of government in Australia:
- local government
- state (or territory) government
- federal government.
Local, state and federal governments have different powers and responsibilities.
Local government
Local government looks after matters that affect the local community.
Where is local government located?
Your local government body is Kempsey Shire Council, which is based in West Kempsey.
Kempsey Shire Council is one of 128 councils across New South Wales.
What are local government responsibilities?
Kempsey Shire Council has many responsibilities, including:
- roads and bridges
- waste collection and recycling
- parks, pools and sports fields
- animal control
- libraries
- cemeteries
- water and sewerage
- public health, including inspections of food businesses
- local land use and planning
- building approvals
- environmental management, including weed and pest control.
Who are the elected representatives?
The elected representatives on Council are the Mayor and Councillors. Elections are usually held every four years.
How is Kempsey Shire Council funded?
Council obtains income from:
- rates and charges collected from property owners
- fees collected from the community for services
- state and federal government grants
- loans
- investments.
State government
The state government looks after matters that affect the whole state.
Where is the state government located?
Your state government is the New South Wales Government, based in Sydney.
What are state government responsibilities?
The New South Wales Government is responsible for matters including:
- schools and TAFE
- hospitals
- police and prisons
- energy and water
- major roads and railways
- public transport
- emergency services
- public housing
- regionally significant development approvals
- state-wide planning legislation
- state-wide environmental issues.
Who are the elected representatives?
The New South Wales Parliament has two houses. The lower house is the Legislative Assembly and the upper house is the Legislative Council.
Elected representatives are either a Member of the Legislative Assembly or a Member of the Legislative Council.
State elections are usually held every four years.
How is state government funded?
The New South Wales Government receives more than half its income from the federal government. It also raises income by collecting taxes.
Federal government
The federal (or national) government looks after matters that affect Australia as a whole.
Where is the federal government located?
The Australian Government is led by the Prime Minister and based in the national capital city, Canberra.
What are federal government responsibilities?
The Australian Government has many responsibilities. The main ones are:
- trade
- defence
- foreign affairs
- immigration
- income tax
- banking
- marriage and divorce
- telecommunications
- pensions and welfare
- universities.
Who are the elected representatives?
The Australian Parliament has two houses. The lower house is the House of Representatives and the upper house is called the Senate. Elected representatives are either Members of Parliament or Senators.
Federal elections are usually held every three years.
How is the federal government funded?
The Australian Government raises money to run the country by collecting taxes on incomes, goods and services, and company profits.
More information
The Parliamentary Education Office in Canberra publishes detailed information on the three levels of government in Australia.