by Nick Manning
Ministers
A minister is the member of the government who is responsible for a particular portfolio (topic) within the government. Most ministers are responsible for one or more government departments or agencies, eg:
- the Minister for Education is responsible for the Department of Education
- the Minister for Agriculture is responsible for the Department of Agriculture.
Ministers have to be members of parliament. They can be members of either the lower house or upper house of parliament.
Cabinet
Cabinet is the committee of ministers (or sometimes just the senior ministers). They meet regularly and make many of the major decisions of the government. Cabinet is usually chaired by the Prime Minister (federal cabinet) or the Premier (state cabinet).
Cabinet is also called the Ministry or the Executive.
Shadow ministers & spokespeople
A shadow minister is a member of the opposition who is responsible for a particular portfolio (topic) within the opposition. These portfolios usually match the portfolios of government ministers (eg. health or education). A shadow minister shadows (follows, watches and checks up on) the minister.
Minor parties also have spokespeople for particular portfolios.
Shadow ministers and minor party spokespeople:
- comment on the government's policies and actions in parliament and in the media
- develop and promote their own party's policies on that topic.
Shadow cabinet
Shadow cabinet is the committee of shadow ministers. They meet regularly and make many of the major decisions of the opposition. Shadow cabinet is usually chaired by the Leader of the Opposition.
Published: 2006
