The system of Government that exists in Great Britain and which has been copied, to a greater or lesser extent, by many Commonwealth countries; so called because it is named after the precint Westminster where the House of Commons and the House of Lords meet.
Australia's system of parliamentary democracy, inherited from the United Kingdom. The Westminster system focuses on control of government created by majority control of the Lower House of the Parliament, with Ministers selected from Members of Parliament to take responsibility for the executive arm of government (bureaucratic government departments and agencies). Ministers collectively form the Cabinet, headed by the Prime Minister, Premier or Chief Minister (in the case of the States and Territories), and are responsible for their actions to the Parliament and serve with the Parliament's confidence. This system of government is sometimes referred to as "responsible government".