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Law consists of the rules of conduct and organisation recognised and enforced by the government of a state. What is a ‘state’? We can define it as a geographical area with defined borders and its own government. There are roughly 200 such states in the world.
The organisational structures, powers and practices of governments are normally laid down in a foundational set of laws referred to collectively as a ‘constitution’. A constitution can be written, or unwritten, or partly written and unwritten. The contitutional powers of a governement to make and administer the law are of particular importance.
The constitutional arrangements of Australia are complex and best understood in the light of historical events which gave rise to modern Australia. Thereafter, the institutions of Australian government can be identified and explained.
You should note that the broad area of law under consideration is 'constitutional law'.
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