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By ratifying the Constitution of Australia, the colonies agreed to become States of the Commonwealth, and to cede certain of their legislative powers to the Commonwealth Parliament, but otherwise retained their self-governing status with their own parliaments. The legislative powers of the state parliaments cannot be altered except by altering the Constitution, which can only be done by the Australian people voting in a referendum.
The Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory, by contrast, are territories of the Commonwealth, and their parliaments were created by way of legislation of the Commonwealth Parliament. Although the Commonwealth treats the territories as though they were states for many purposes, they are not states, and the legislative powers of their parliaments can be altered or even abolished by the Commonwealth Parliament.
The Parliament of New South Wales consists of two houses. The New South Wales Legislative Council is the oldest legislative body in Australia, having been created in 1825 as an appointed body to advise the Governor. Today it has 42 members serving eight-year terms and elected by proportional representation. The New South Wales Legislative Assembly was created in 1856 when New South Wales attained self-government. Today it has 93 members elected for four-year terms from single-member constituencies.
The Parliament of Victoria consists of two houses. The Victorian Legislative CouncilThe Legislative Council or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of Victoria, Australia. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit in Parliament House in Spring Street, Melbourne. It serves as a house of review, in a similar fash was created in 1851Events January 23 The flip of a coin determines whether a new city in Oregon is named after Boston, Massachusetts, or Portland, Maine, with Portland winning. March 1 Victor Hugo gives speech at the French national assembly and uses the phrase United State. Today it has 44 members serving eight year terms and elected from single-member constituencies. The Victorian Legislative AssemblyThe Legislative Assembly or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of Victoria in Australia. The other is the Legislative Council. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Melbourne. The Assembly has 88 members, each coming fro was created in 1855Events Births January 5 King Camp Gillette, inventor († 1932) January 21 John Moses Browning, inventor († 1926) January 28 William Seward Burroughs, inventor of the calculator († 1898) March 13 Percival Lowell, astronomer († 19 when Victoria attained self-government. Today it has 88 members elected for four-year terms from single-member constituencies.