The Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988 is an Act of the

Parliament of Australia The Parliament of Australia (officially the Federal Parliament, also called the Commonwealth Parliament) is the legislative branch of the government of Australia. It consists of three elements: the monarch (represented by the governor- ...

enacted on 6 December 1988, that establishes ‘a body politic under the Crown by the name of the

Australian Capital Territory The Australian Capital Territory (commonly abbreviated as ACT), known as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) until 1938, is a landlocked federal territory of Australia containing the national capital Canberra and some surrounding township#Aust ...

’ and is the Territory's constitutional foundation.

History

The territory presently called the Australian Capital Territory was transferred to the Commonwealth by the state of

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

as the ''Federal Capital Territory'' on 1911, to be the seat of the federal government. The planning and construction of Canberra followed, with the

moving there in 1927. In 1930, the

ACT Advisory Council The Australian Capital Territory Advisory Council was an elected body that operated from 1930 until 1974, when it was replaced by the Australian Capital Territory House of Assembly. The Council originally consisted of three elected members, being ...

replaced the Federal Capital Commission, which had existed since 1925. The Council and the Minister for Territories administered the ACT. In 1934, the ACT Supreme Court was created. The Territory officially became the Australian Capital Territory in 1938. In 1974, the Advisory Council became a fully elected Legislative Assembly, but with only an advisory role to the Department of the Capital Territory. In 1979 the re-named House of Assembly had 18 elected members. On 27 November 1978, the Australian Capital Territory voted at a referendum on whether the ACT should be granted self-government. Voters were given the choice of becoming a self-governing territory, a

local government Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration within a particular sovereign state. This particular usage of the word government refers specifically to a level of administration that is both geographically-loc ...

or continuing with the Legislative Assembly being an advisory body to the Department of the Capital Territory. 63.75% voted to continue with the then current arrangement. Despite the outcome of the referendum, the ACT Assembly was dissolved in 1986, and the

passed the ''Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act'' in 1988 and the ACT became a self-governing territory in 1989. The first elections in the ACT were held on 4 March 1989; and the

Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly The Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory (known in short as the ACT Legislative Assembly) is the unicameral legislature of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). It sits in the Legislative Assembly Building on Civic Sq ...

first sat on 11 May that year.

References

Parliament@Work - At a Glance Australian Capital Territory
* National Archives of Australi
- Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988

ACT Legislation register - sources of law
Acts of the Parliament of Australia History of the Australian Capital Territory 1988 in Australian law {{australia-law-stub

History

See also

References