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The Government of Queensland is commonly known as the "Queensland Government". The form of the Government of Queensland is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1859, although it has been amended many times since then. Since 1901 Queensland has been a state of the Commonwealth of Australia, and the Australian Constitution regulates its relationship with the Commonwealth.

Queensland is governed according to the principles of the Westminster system, a form of parliamentary government based on the model of the United Kingdom. Executive power is exercised by the Premier of Queensland and the Cabinet, who are appointed by the Governor, but who hold office by virtue of their ability to command the support of a majority of members of the Legislative Assembly. The Queensland Legislative Council was the upper house of the Queensland Parliament until its abolition in 1922. Consequently, the Queensland Legislative Assembly is the only unicameral state parliament in Australia.

Legislative power rests with the Parliament of Queensland, which consists of the Crown, represented by the Governor of Queensland, and the Queensland Legislative Assembly. (Since 1922 Queensland has been the only Australian state which does not have a two-house, or bicameral, legislature). The Legislative Assembly generally sits at Parliament House, Brisbane.

Judicial power is exercised by the Supreme Court of Queensland and a system of subordinate courts, but the High Court of Australia is the final arbitrator of most legal questions, other federal courts have jurisdiction on matters which fall under the ambit of the Federal Government as defined by the Australian Constitution.

Emergency services are provided by the Queensland Government Department of Emergency Services, which sponsors among other agencies the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service, the Queensland Police Service, Biosecurity Queensland (within the Department of Primary Industries and Fishereis), and Queensland Health, especially through an extensive network of public hospitals.

[edit] Government Ministerial Portfolios

Premier: Anna Bligh
Deputy Premier, Minister Health: Paul Lucas
Treasurer and Minister for Employment and Economic Development: Andrew Fraser
Minister for Public Works and Information and Communication Technology: Robert Schwarten
Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy and Minister for Trade: Stephen Robertson
Minister for Education and Training: Geoff Wilson
Minister for Police, Corrective Services and Emergency Services: Neil Roberts
Minister for Main Roads: Craig Wallace
Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries and Rural and Regional Queensland: Tim Mulherin
Minister for Local Government and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships: Desley Boyle
Minister for Infrastructure and Planning: Stirling Hinchliffe
Minister for Transport: Rachel Nolan
Minister for Tourism and Fair Trading: Peter Lawlor
Minister for Child Safety and Minister for Sport: Phil Reeves
Minister for Community Services and Housing and Minister for Women: Karen Struthers
Minister for Disability Services and Multicultural Affairs: Annastacia Palaszczuk
Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability: Kate Jones
Attorney-General and Minister for Industrial Relations: Cameron Dick