Ministerial councils
A Ministerial Council is generally made up of Ministers of all Australian States and Territories and the Commonwealth who meet to discuss matters of mutual interest.
Over 40 Commonwealth – State Ministerial councils facilitate consultation and cooperation between the Australian Government and State and Territory governments in specific policy areas. The councils initiate, develop and monitor policy reform jointly in these areas, and take joint action in the resolution of issues that arise between governments.
Responsible Ministers from each government participate in the councils. In certain cases there may be more than one minister from each government represented on a council. New Zealand Ministers have full membership of councils when matters affecting New Zealand are being considered, for example, trans-Tasman mutual recognition.
The Attorney-General and the Minister for Home Affairs are both members of the Standing Committee of Attorneys General (SCAG) SCAG is comprised of:
- the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General, and
- the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General (Censorship)
The Minister for Home Affairs is also an observer in the Ministerial Council on the Administration of Justice (MCAJ). MCAJ is comprised of:
- the Ministerial Council for Police and Emergency Management—Police (MCPEMP)
- the Inter-Governmental Committee of the Australian Crime Commission (IGC –ACC); and
- the Corrective Services Ministers’ Conference (CSMC).
For more information on Ministerial councils please visit the Councils of Australian governments website.