What is the difference between the role of the Federal Executive Council and the Cabinet?

Thanks for your question.

The executive government includes the Prime Minister and ministers. Cabinet is a group within the executive government consisting of the Prime Minister and top-level ministers, and is the main decision-making group within the executive.

The Federal Executive Council is made up of all government ministers and the Governor-General. The full Council does not meet; representatives meet with the Governor-General to advise about the work of the government. Policy is not debated at Council meetings; rather, the Council makes sure that government decisions are documented and legally valid under the Australian Constitution.