Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition in Australia fulfils the same function as the official opposition in other Commonwealth of Nations monarchies. It is seen as the alternative government and the existing administration's main opponent at a general election. By convention, the Opposition Leader comes from the House of Representatives, as does the deputy, although the Government and Opposition will also both have leaders in the Senate.
It is styled as "Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition" to show that, although the group may be against the sitting government, it remains loyal to the Crown (the embodiment of the Australian state), and thus to Australia. The Leader of the Opposition is styled The Leader of Her Majesty's Opposition.
The present Opposition at a Federal level is the centre-right Coalition, which is led by Tony Abbott of the Liberal Party of Australia.
The Opposition at the level of the States and Territories are:
- Australian Capital Territory: Liberal Party of Australia, led by Zed Seselja.
- New South Wales: Australian Labor Party, led by John Robertson.
- Northern Territory: Australian Labor Party, led by Delia Lawrie.
- Queensland: Australian Labor Party, led by Annastacia Palaszczuk
- South Australia: Liberal Party, led by Isobel Redmond.
- Tasmania: Liberal Party, led by Will Hodgman.
- Victoria: Australian Labor Party, led by Daniel Andrews.
- Western Australia: Australian Labor Party, led by Mark McGowan.
Famous quotes containing the word opposition:
“My opposition [to interviews] lies in the fact that offhand answers have little value or grace of expression, and that such oral give and take helps to perpetuate the decline of the English language.”
—James Thurber (1894–1961)