Use initial capitals for formal names and titles

Use initial capitals only for the formal names and titles of government entities and office holders. Use lower case for generic references.

These are rules for general content. There might be exceptions if you are writing specialist legal content using terms defined in legislation.

This page orders guidance for common government terms alphabetically.

Australian Government

Refer to the national government of Australia as the ‘Australian Government’. Use an initial capital for both words only when they occur together.

Bench

In general content, use lower case for the ‘bench’ and ‘full bench’.

Budget

Use an initial capital for ‘the Budget’ to show the difference from the generic reference.

Use lower case for ‘budget’ when it is used as an adjective or as a plural.

Cabinet

Always use an initial capital for ‘the Cabinet’ to show the difference from its generic reference.

Commonwealth

‘The Commonwealth of Australia’ is the name of Australia in the Constitution. Use an initial capital for ‘Commonwealth’.

Do not use the phrase ‘Commonwealth government’ to mean ‘Australian Government’. 

Crown

Always use an initial capital for ‘the Crown’ to show the difference from its generic reference.

Departments and agencies

Use initial capital letters only for the formal names of government departments and agencies. Check the names of departments and agencies in the government online directory.

Don’t use capital letters for generic mentions. For example, use:

• ‘the agency’ instead of ‘the Agency’
• ‘the authority’ instead of ‘the Authority’
• ‘the commission’ instead of ‘the Commission’
• ‘the department’ instead of ‘the Department’.

Use a shortened form of the name only if the department or agency uses it regularly in their own content.

If you cite a source written by an organisation that has since changed its name, use the name published in the source. This might not be the organisation’s current name.

Always use an initial capital for ‘the Treasury’ to show the difference from its generic reference.

Use initial capitals for the formal names of areas in a department or agency's organisational structure. Don't use initial capitals for generic mentions of parts of the formal names.

Federal

Use an initial capital letter for ‘federal’ when it forms part of a formal name. Don’t capitalise it when it is used as an adjective.

Federation

Use an initial capital for the word ‘federation’ only when referring to Australia’s Federation in 1901.

Government

Use an initial capital for the word ‘government’ if it is part of a formal name. Use lower case everywhere else.

Government programs and agreements

Use initial capitals for the full names of:

• government programs
• treaties
• protocols and similar agreements.

Use initial capitals for abbreviations that remain specific but not for generic references or abbreviations.

Heads of state and prime ministers

Use initial capitals for the formal and abbreviated titles of current heads of state.

You do not need to use capitals for generic references to the position or when referring to previous incumbents.

Legislation

Use government sources to check the titles of legislation, especially:

• the Federal Register of Legislation
• the Australian Parliament House list of bills and legislation.

Follow the guidance in this manual to use the correct title for legislation.

Use initial capitals for these terms when referring to specific legislation:

• Act
• Ordinance
• Regulation
• Bill.

Use lower case for generic references to bills, regulations and ordinances. Use initial capitals for all references to Acts.

Follow detailed rules for references to delegated legislation.

Ministers and departmental secretaries

Use initial capitals for the official titles of ministers and departmental secretaries. Use lower case for generic references.

Apply this rule to the titles of other government office holders and department officials.

Correct prepositions

Always use ‘for’ (not ‘of’) for a minister’s portfolio.

Generally, use ‘of’ for anyone working at a department or agency.

Principals of Australian institutions

In many cases, you need to use initial capitals for the official titles of the principals and chief executives of Australian institutions. Check a dictionary or reliable reference if you are unsure of the correct title and format.

Use lower case for most of these titles in general references that do not refer to a specific person.

States and territories

To refer to an Australian state or territory:

• Use initial capitals for words in the formal name.
• Use lower case for generic or plural references.

Few situations will require you to use the shortened form for a state or territory.

‘Territory’ is an exception when used for the Northern Territory

‘Territory’ is a semi-official term for the Northern Territory. Use a capital ‘T’ when using ‘Territory’ instead of the full name for the Northern Territory. Use lower case for generic references.

Parliamentary terms

Use initial capitals for formal names connected with parliament. Generic references are in lower case.

Use initial capitals for the formal titles of parliamentary office holders. These include:

• Clerk of the House
• Clerk of the Senate
• Leader of the Government in the Senate
• Manager of Opposition Business
• President of the Senate
• Speaker of the House
• Serjeant-at-Arms
• Usher of the Black Rod.

Use initial capitals for the formal titles of current members of parliament.

Use lower case for parliamentary terms that are not formal titles. These words include:

• member of parliament; members of parliament
• senator; senators
• member; members
• frontbench; frontbencher
• backbench; backbencher
• crossbench; crossbencher.

The houses of the Australian, state and territory parliaments

Always use initial capital letters to refer to:

• the Senate
• the House of Representatives
• the corresponding bodies in the states and territories.

The Senate and the House of Representatives are the ‘houses of parliament’, in lower case.

Use ‘the House’, ‘this House’, ‘lower house’ or ‘people’s house’ to refer to the House of Representatives.

Use ‘this house’, ‘upper house’, ‘house of review’ or ‘states’ house’ to refer to the Senate.