News Article

Separation of Powers

in the

Westminster System

Associate Professor GERARD CARNEY

(Bond University)

13 SEPTEMBER 1993

Parliament House

Brisbane

Information Paper on Parliament and Government in Queensland

Parliamentary Education & Training Services, Queensland Parliament

Separation of Powers in the Westminster System

A paper presented by Gerard Carney, Associate Professor of Law, Bond University to A.S.P.G. Queensland

Chapter on Monday 13 September 1993

INTRODUCTION

This paper is intended to outline the extent to which the doctrine of Separation of Powers operates within the

Westminster system of government in Queensland. It needs to be appreciated at the outset that as a

doctrine, it is essentially a theory of government the objectives of which are the protection of liberty and the

facilitation of good government by appropriate specialisation. Hence, the doctrine of separation of powers

may be adopted to varying degrees by any system of government whether it be Westminster, presidential,

etc. The form in which it is adopted may be by way of political practice, convention, or legal principle. It

stands alongside that other great principle, representative government, which is similarly provided for in a

variety of ways in different constitutional systems.

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