Editing Canberra (section)

=== Territory government ===
{{See also|Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly|Electoral systems of the Australian states and territories}}
[[File:Entrance to the ACT Legislative Assembly building July 2022.jpg|thumb|ACT Legislative Assembly<br />and the statue ''Ethos'' (Tom Bass, 1961)]]
There is no local council or city government for the city of Canberra. The [[Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly]] performs the roles of both a [[city council]] for the city and a territory government for the rest of the Australian Capital Territory.<ref name="ass"/> However, the vast majority of the population of the Territory reside in Canberra and the city is therefore the primary focus of the ACT Government.

The assembly consists of 25 members elected from five districts using proportional representation. The five districts are [[Brindabella electorate|Brindabella]], [[Ginninderra electorate|Ginninderra]], [[Kurrajong electorate|Kurrajong]], [[Murrumbidgee electorate|Murrumbidgee]] and [[Yerrabi electorate|Yerrabi]], which each elect five members.<ref name="elecpage">{{cite web |title=Electorates 2016 election |date=27 April 2016 |url=http://www.elections.act.gov.au/electoral_boundaries/electorates/electorates_2016_election |publisher=Elections ACT |access-date=9 December 2016 |archive-date=3 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161103212449/http://www.elections.act.gov.au/electoral_boundaries/electorates/electorates_2016_election |url-status=live}}</ref> The Chief Minister is elected by the Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) and selects colleagues to serve as ministers alongside him or her in the Executive, known informally as the cabinet.<ref name="ass" />

Whereas the ACT has federally been dominated by Labor,<ref name="ABCelections2007" /><ref name="fras" /> the Liberals have been able to gain some footing in the ACT Legislative Assembly and were in government during a period of {{frac|6|1|2}} years from 1995 and 2001. Labor took back control of the Assembly in 2001.<ref name="state_el" /> At the 2004 election, Chief Minister [[Jon Stanhope]] and the Labor Party won 9 of the 17 seats allowing them to form the ACT's first majority government.<ref name="state_el" /> Since 2008, the ACT has been governed by a coalition of Labor and the Greens.<ref name="state_el" /><ref name="anniv">{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/11/2566162.htm |title=Turbulent 20yrs of self-government |date=11 May 2009 |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |access-date=31 January 2010 |archive-date=10 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110165810/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-05-11/turbulent-20yrs-of-self-government/1679008 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/act-election-2016/guide/preview/ |title=2016 ACT Election Preview |first=Antony |last=Green |author-link=Antony Green |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |access-date=9 December 2016 |archive-date=20 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220072314/http://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/act-election-2016/guide/preview/ |url-status=live}}</ref> {{As of|2022}}, the Chief Minister was [[Andrew Barr]] from the Australian Labor Party.

The Australian federal government retains some influence over the ACT government. In the administrative sphere, most frequently this is through the actions of the [[National Capital Authority]] which is responsible for planning and development in areas of Canberra which are considered to be of national importance or which are central to Griffin's plan for the city,<ref name="nca">{{cite web |url=http://www.nationalcapital.gov.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=315&Itemid=284 |title=Administration of National Land |date=18 December 2008 |publisher=[[National Capital Authority]] |access-date=13 May 2010 |archive-date=18 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110218171546/http://www.nationalcapital.gov.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=315&Itemid=284 |url-status=live}}</ref> such as the Parliamentary Triangle, Lake Burley Griffin, major approach and processional roads, areas where the Commonwealth retains ownership of the land or undeveloped hills and ridge-lines (which form part of the Canberra Nature Park).<ref name="nca" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nationalcapital.gov.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=312&Itemid=281 |title=Capital Works Overview |date=23 October 2008 |publisher=[[National Capital Authority]] |access-date=13 May 2010 |archive-date=16 May 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090516063457/http://www.nationalcapital.gov.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=312&Itemid=281 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nationalcapital.gov.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=314&Itemid=283 |title=Maintenance and Operation of Assets |date=23 October 2008 |publisher=[[National Capital Authority]] |access-date=13 May 2010 |archive-date=16 May 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090516063401/http://www.nationalcapital.gov.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=314&Itemid=283 |url-status=live}}</ref> The national government also retains a level of control over the Territory Assembly through the provisions of the ''[[Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988]]''.<ref>{{cite Legislation AU|Cth|act|acta1988482|Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988}}</ref> This federal act defines the legislative power of the ACT assembly.<ref>{{cite Legislation AU|Cth|act|acta1988482/sch4.html|Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988}} Schedule 4.</ref>