Who is the leader of the federal government who sits in both the Parliament and the Executive?

• A. Chancellor
• B. President
• C. Prime Minister
• D. Premier

Answer: (C)

The leader of the federal government who sits in both Parliament and the Executive is the Prime Minister. In Australia’s Westminster-style system, the Prime Minister is the head of government, chosen as the leader of the political party (or coalition) with the majority of seats in the House of Representatives. Because the executive is drawn from Parliament, the Prime Minister must be an active member of Parliament and leads the Cabinet, directing government policy and decisions. The Prime Minister represents the government in Parliament and to the nation, while also appointing ministers to run the various departments.

The other roles aren’t correct at the federal level: a Chancellor is not the Australian federal leader, and a President isn’t used here (Australia has a Governor-General as the monarch’s representative). A Premier leads a state government, not the federal government.