11. Ministers of State including Cabinet members, other ministers and assistant ministers ('the Ministry') form the Federal Executive Council—the body that formally advises the Governor-General on the administration of the Commonwealth of Australia.
Principles of Cabinet Government
Guiding principles
12. A Westminster‐style Cabinet is defined by adherence to the principles of collective responsibility and Cabinet solidarity. These principles are the binding devices that ensure the unity of purpose of the Government. They underpin the formulation of consistent policy advice and the exercise of collective accountability.
Collective decision‐making and responsibility
13. The Cabinet system of government is founded on the principle of collective responsibility. It reflects a democratic principle: the Parliament expresses its confidence in the collective whole-of-government rather than in individual ministers. Similarly, the Governor‐General, in acting on ministerial advice, needs to be confident that individual ministers represent official government policy. In all areas of their work, therefore, ministers represent and implement government policy—policy which has often been considered and set by the Cabinet process.
14. In practice this means that a decision of the Cabinet is binding on all members of the Government, regardless of whether they were present when the decision was taken or their personal views. Issues may, and should, be debated vigorously within the confidential setting of Cabinet meetings. The aim is to reach some form of consensus so that the Prime Minister, as Chair of the Cabinet, can summarise what the collective decision is for recording in the Cabinet minute.
15. All members of the Ministry are understood to have participated in the decision‐making process that underpins government policy and therefore share responsibility for those policies.
Cabinet solidarity
16. Cabinet collective responsibility is most obviously expressed in the principle of Cabinet solidarity. In governments using the Westminster system, members of the Cabinet must publicly support all government decisions made in Cabinet, even if they do not agree with them. Cabinet ministers cannot dissociate themselves from, or repudiate the decisions of, their Cabinet colleagues unless they resign from the Cabinet. It is the Prime Minister’s role as Chair of the Cabinet, where necessary, to enforce Cabinet solidarity.
Operational principles
17. The proper implementation of these two guiding principles is entirely dependent on a commitment to three important operational values: consultation, confidentiality and respect for Cabinet authority.
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