Salient Feature of Constitution of Australia & Switzerland – Notes for UPSC
🇦🇺 Australia
1. Form of Government
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Australia follows a hybrid model of representative democracy and constitutional monarchy.
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It is a federal state, modeled on the US federation.
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Residuary powers rest with the States, unlike India.
2. Nature of the Constitution
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Written Constitution (1900), came into force on 1 January 1901.
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Divided into 8 chapters and 128 parts.
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Defines 3 organs: Parliament, Executive, and Judiciary.
3. Parliament
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Consists of the Queen (represented by the Governor-General), the Senate, and the House of Representatives.
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Senate: Elected directly, 6-year term, represents the States.
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House of Representatives: Elected directly, number of members roughly equals senators.
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4. Elections
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Held under a uniform federal electoral system.
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Held every 3 years, date decided by the Governor-General.
5. Voting
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Compulsory for citizens aged 18 and above.
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Non-participation can lead to penalty/fine.
6. Federal Structure
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Three layers of Government:
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Federal Parliament – laws for whole country.
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State Legislatures – laws for each State.
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Territory Legislatures – for mainland territories.
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🇨🇭 Switzerland
1. Form of Government
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Direct Democracy model (established in 1848).
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Citizens over 18 years vote on national policies.
2. Tools of Direct Democracy
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Referendum: Law passed by Parliament is referred to people for ratification.
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Plebiscite: People vote to confirm or reject a political decision or government.
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Initiative: Citizens can propose constitutional changes; requires minimum signatures.
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Recall: People can remove an elected official before term-end through majority vote.
🇦🇺🇨🇭🇮🇳 Comparison Table: Australia vs Switzerland vs India
| Feature | Australia | Switzerland | India |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form of Government | Federal, Constitutional Monarchy | Direct Democracy | Federal, Parliamentary Republic |
| Head of State | Queen (represented by Governor-General) | Collective Federal Council | President (ceremonial) |
| Head of Government | Prime Minister | Federal Council (Collective Executive) | Prime Minister |
| Constitution Type | Written, 8 chapters & 128 parts | Written, Direct Democracy model | Written, Federal Constitution |
| Legislative Structure | Bicameral: Senate & House of Representatives | Bicameral Federal Assembly | Bicameral: Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha |
| Voting | Compulsory for citizens 18+ | Voluntary for citizens 18+ | Voluntary for citizens 18+ |
| Federal Structure | 3-tier: Federal, State, Territory Governments | Federal with strong tools of citizen engagement | 3-tier: Union, State, Local Governments |
| Role of People | Elect representatives | Direct law-making through referendum etc. | Elect representatives |
| Amendment Process | Rigid – Needs referendum for change | Citizen-driven initiatives allowed | Flexible & Rigid – Amendment by Parliament |