In everyday language, the government is the label given to the
whole structure of public sector activities but the term also has
narrower meanings (see
executive
). Where there is a
distinction made between the government and the parliament,
government refers to the
ministers
and public officials who
steer the day-to-day operation of departments and agencies, as
opposed to the debating, scrutinizing and law making activities
which occur in the
legislative assembly
. The
premier
and other ministers, as
members of parliament, are politically responsible for government
policy and collectively form what is sometimes called the
government of the day (see also
cabinet
). In this narrow
sense, the government is the premier and the body of ministers
commissioned
to implement the
policies of the
party
or
coalition
which has the support of a
majority of the members of the legislative
assembly. See also
parliamentary system
.