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Australia

Australia. Australian Demographics. Population: 20,600,856 Most people are 15-64 years old Life expectancy: Male: 78 years old Female: 83 years old Ethnic Groups: White 92%, Asian 7%, Aboriginal and other 1%

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Australia

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  1. Australia

  2. Australian Demographics • Population: 20,600,856 • Most people are 15-64 years old • Life expectancy: Male: 78 years old Female: 83 years old • Ethnic Groups: White 92%, Asian 7%, Aboriginal and other 1% • Religions: Catholic 26.4%, Anglican 20.5%, Other Christians 20.5%, Buddhist 1.9%, Muslim 1.5% • Language: English 79.1% • Literacy Rate: 99% • Government Type: Federal parliamentary democracy • Unemployment Rate: 4.4%

  3. History • 68,000 BC – 40,000 BC ~ Aboriginal tribes arrive • 1606 ~ Dutch spot Australian mainland • 1770 ~ English Lieutenant James Cook explores Eastern coast and claims it for Britain • 1778 ~ First fleet from England arrives and founded first European settlement and colony at Sydney • 1808 ~ The Rum Rebellion • 1829 ~ The whole of Australia is claimed as British territory • 1891 ~ First attempt at Federal Constitution is drafted • 1891 ~ Severe depression • 1898 ~ The convention agrees on a final draft • 1901 ~ Australia becomes a Federation

  4. History – cont. • 1902 ~ Franchise Act guarantees women the right to vote • 1903 ~ High Court of Australia is established • 1914 ~ Takes part in WWI • 1939 ~ Australia enters WWII • 1950 ~ Korean War • 1963 ~ Indigenous Australians are given full rights as citizens • 1972 ~ The first Labor Government is elected since 1942 under the leadership of Gough Whitlam • 1987 ~ Hoddle Street Massacre and Queen Street Massacre • 1999 ~ A referendum to changing to a Republic is unsuccessful • 2007 ~ Labor Party elected – Kevin Rudd is PM

  5. Aborigines • Aborigine: People who were here from the beginning • Account for 2% of Australia’s population • Migrated from somewhere in Asia around 30,000 years ago • Believe in a close relationship between humans and land • By the late 1880’s most Aborigines had joined the white, rural and urban communities • Land and property rights fueled an important civil rights movement in the 1970’s • Aborigines spoke out for land rights that had been taken by British settlers

  6. Executive Branch • Chief of State: Queen of Australia Elizabeth II who is represented by Governor General Major General Michael Jeffery • Head of Government: Prime Minister Kevin Rudd • Deputy Prime Minister: Julia Gillard • Cabinet: prime minister nominates, from among members of Parliament, candidates who are subsequently sworn in by the government general to serve as government ministers • Elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is sworn in as prime minister by the governor general

  7. Prime Minister – Kevin Rudd • Most powerful political office in Australia • Always the leader of the political with the majority in the House • Kevin Rudd is the leader of the Labor Party • The Prime Minister is appointed by the Governor General • Has a Cabinet and a Federal Executive Council • Can be voted out by a vote of no confidence

  8. The Governor General • The representative in Australia of the British monarch • Currently Michael Jeffery representing Queen Elizabeth II • Exercises supreme executive power • Appoints ministers, ambassadors and judges • Gives royal assent to legislation • President of the Federal Executive Council • Acts only on the advice of the Prime Minister of Australia • Mostly a ceremonial role

  9. Preferential Voting • Voters rank a list or group of candidates in order of preference • Voter writes #1 by first choice, #2 by second, etc. • Used in instant run-off voting and single transferable vote system

  10. Legislative Branch • Bicameral Federal Parliament • Consists of the Senate and House of Representatives • Most Recent Election Results: • Senate • Liberal Party-National Party coalition 37 • Australian Labor Party, 32 • Australian Greens, 5 • Family First Party, 1 • Other, 1 • House of Reps • Australian Labor Party, 83 • Liberal Party, 55 • National Party, 10 • Independents, 2

  11. Parliament – House of Reps. House of Rep (150) 3 year term Represent a separate electoral division – instant run-off voting The party with majority support in the House forms the government Members may have other functions in the Parliament Have a Question Time They are involved in law making, committee work and in representing their electors

  12. Parliament - Senate • Senate (76) • 12 elected for each State and 2 for each territory • State senators 6 year term and Territory senators 3 year term • Proportional representation – single transferable vote • In order for a bill to become a law, must agree with House • Highly developed committee system • Senators spend much time on committee work

  13. Parties of Australia • Australian Labor Party • Liberal Party • The Nationals • Australian Democrats • Australian Greens • One Nation

  14. Australian Labor Party • Oldest political party – formed in 1890 • Continuously represented in the House since 1901 • Experienced 3 splits and in turn lost seats in the Parliament • A lot of government spending for businesses • Pro Union

  15. Liberal Party of Australia • Formed in 1910 • Liberal party has governed in coalition with the National Party for 36 of the last 52 years • Economy is based on private economy, free enterprise and competitive markets • Government should not provide services that can be better delivered by competitive enterprise • Limited government • Similar to American Republican Party

  16. The Nationals • Originally known as the Country Party • Has held seats in Parliament since 1919 • Rural-based party • Believe in security for the nation • Want strong economy built on private industry • Seek better health care • Support Australian farming

  17. Australian Democrats • Formed in 1977 by Don Chipp • Most successful minor political party • Have elected 5 different women as leaders • Want uniform healthcare system • In favor of tax increase • Expenses paid education • Very concerned about the environment

  18. Australian Greens • The newest party, launched in 1992 • Started because of environmental conflict in the 1980’s • Big emphasis on environment • Health care and human rights platforms are abundant • Emphasis on farming and agricultural development

  19. One Nation • Representing the people of Australia who are concerned that their will is being ignored by the two-party system • Global warming is not an issue • Focus on foreign affairs

  20. Judicial Branch • Highest court is the Australian High Court • Chief Justice and 6 other Justices are appointed by the Governor General • Common Law system • There are 3 other Federal courts: • The Federal Court of Australia • The Family Court of Australia • The Federal Magistrates Court • The High Court has judicial review and interprets the Constitution of Australia • All Federal judges and magistrates can serve until they are 70 years old • The High Court was constituted by the Judiciary Act of 1903

  21. The Bureaucracy • Not the strongest part of the government in Australia • Many civil service offices are present but they aren’t very well represented • The Australians don’t seem to like the bureaucracy very much

  22. Economy of Australia • GDP is on par with the four dominant Western European economies • Extremely strong currency • Agricultural products are main exports • Budget has been in surplus since 2002 due to strong revenue growth • Unemployment rate 4.4% • Main industries are mining, industrial and transportation equipment, and food processing • Currency is the called the Australian Dollar

  23. Political Culture • British influence is extremely important • Voter turn out is high due to fining if one does not participate in voting • Women received the right to vote in the nations history • Decline of cleavages • The biggest cleavages are class and gender • Australians do believe that women should have equal rights • Most Australians support their government and what it does • The Question Time for the government helps to improve legitimacy and trust from the people

  24. Foreign Policy • Large supporters of the U.S. • Close ties with Britain • Tend to take the side of Britain during wartime • Main goal is to start new relationships with other countries and develop coalitions of mutual interests • Looking to form free trade agreements with Singapore, Thailand, and the U.S. • The ANZUS Treaty says that Australia and the U.S. are allies during wartime • Working to expand security • Many goals for the South-Pacific region

  25. Australian Capital Territory • It is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia • It’s the smallest self-governing internal territory • It is an inland enclave in New South Wales • Conceived during the federation conventions of the late 1800s • Following the Federation of 1901, land would be given to the new Federal Government • The capital is Canberra, since 1913

  26. Electoral Map of New South Wales & the ACT     Liberal Party (LP)    Australian Labor Party (ALP)    National Party (NP)    Independent (IND)    Northern Territory Country Liberal Party (CLP)

  27. Australian Defence Force • Established in 1976 • Consists of the Royal Australian Navy, Australian Army, and the Royal Australian Air Force • Relatively small but it’s the largest military in Oceania • Their priority is to maintain the capability to defend Australian territory • Working with other countries on peace keeping operations • Contribute to international coalitions of forces outside of Australia’s immediate region

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