Australia

toc Home of Team Australia (Jalyn; Lorena; Urayah; Anthony)

GEOGRAPHY

 * //Area://** total: 7,741,220 sq km, country comparison to the world: __6,__ land: 7,682,300 sq km, water: 58,920 sq km


 * //Cities://** Adelaide, Brisbane, Byron Bay, Cairns, Canberra. Capricorn Coast, Fraser Island, Geelong, Gold Coast, Hervey Coast, Melbourne, Newcastle, Northern Territory, Perth, Sunshine Coast, Sydney, Tasmania, Townsville, Whitsundays


 * //Terrain://** mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast.


 * //Climate://** generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north.



PEOPLE
**Population (date of census being used): ** 21,262,641 (July 2010 est.)

**Ethnic Groups: ** White 92% Asian 7% Aboriginal and Other 1%

**Language(s): ** English 78.5% Chinese 2.5% Italian 1.6% Greek 1.3% Arabic 1.2%, Vietnamese 1% Other 8.2% Unspecified 5.7% (2006 Census)

**Religion(s): ** Catholic 25.8% Anglican 18.7% Uniting Church 5.7% Presbyterian and Reformed 3%, Eastern Orthodox 2.7%, Other Christian 7.9%, Buddhist 2.1%, Muslim 1.7%, Other 2.4%, Unspecified 11.3%, and None 18.7% (2006 Census)

**Education: ** The education system in Australia is open to all people. It offers an opportunity for all age groups and levels of ability. You can get into any level of education if you have the entry requirements. If at first you do not reach the entry standard, then you can do other study to get to the standard. Help is available for all people who suffer disadvantage. School is compulsory for all children aged between five and fifteen years. These ages may vary slightly in some states. The government provides public schools. Churches and other groups provide private schooling. Public schooling is free and users pay fees for private schooling.

**Health: ** Infant mortality rate: 4.7/1,000. Life expectancy: Males 78.7 years and Females 83.

Agriculture, Fishing and Forestry:3.25% Mining:1.6% <span style="color: #151515; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">Manufacturing:9.1% <span style="color: #151515; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">Retail trade:10.7% <span style="color: #151515; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">Public administration, defense, and safety:6.2% <span style="color: #151515; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">Construction:9%.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">Work Force (occupations): **<span style="color: #151515; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 15.0pt;">(10.8 million)

FEATURES OF GOVERNMENT
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 19px;"> <span style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">**//<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Type: //** federal parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm.

<span style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">**//<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Constitution: //** 9 July 1900; effective on 1 January 1901 Parliament is limited by a written constitution, so that the three branches of government—executive, legislative, and judicial—all share power.

<span style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">**//<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Executive Power: //** The prime minister is the actual leader of the government. Australia is officially a constitutional monarchy. Meaning the British monarch nominally holds executive power. The monarch consults with the prime minister before nominating a governor-general, which is a largely ceremonial post.

<span style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">**<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Chief of state: ** Queen of Australia ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Quentin BRYCE (since 5 September 2008)

<span style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">**<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Head of government: ** Prime Minister Julia Eileen GILLARD (since 24 June 2010) Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Maxwell SWAN (since 24 June 2010)

<span style="display: inline !important; line-height: 19pt;">**<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Cabinet: ** Prime minister nominates, from among members of Parliament, candidates who are subsequently sworn in by the governor general to serve as government ministers.

<span style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">**<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Elections: **<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"> T he monarchy 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.

<span style="line-height: 21.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">**//<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Legislative Power: //** bicameral Federal Parliament consists of the Senate (76 seats; 12 members from each of the six states and 2 from each of the two mainland territories; one-half of state members are elected every three years by popular vote to serve six-year terms while all territory members are elected every three years) and the House of Representatives (150 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve terms of up to three-years; no state can have fewer than 5 representatives) T he state members serve six-year terms, while the territory members serve three-year terms.

<span style="line-height: 21.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">**<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Elections: ** half-Senate - last held on 24 November 2007; House of Representatives - last held on 24 November 2007 (the latest a simultaneous half-Senate and House of Representative elections can be held is 16 April 2011)

<span style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">**<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Election results: ** Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 37, Australian Labor Party 32, Australian Greens 5, Family First Party 1, independent 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Australian Labor Party 43.4%, Liberal Party 36.3%, Australian Greens 7.8%, National Party 5.5%; seats by party - Australian Labor Party 83, Liberal Party 55, National Party 9, independents 3

**//<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Judicial Power: //** High Court (the chief justice and six other justices are appointed by the governor general acting on the advice of the government). I ts chief justice and six other justices are appointed to serve on the court until the age of 70. The High Court is responsible for interpreting the constitution. It is the final arbiter of Australian law, though this was not always the case.

<span style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">**//<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Citizen Participation - //** **Strengths of Government:** <span style="line-height: 19.0pt; margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"> • Three main institutions of government (legislature, executive, and judiciary) following the principles separations of power. **Weaknesses of the Government:**
 * Known to make poor decisions for example when it came to the transportations system by railroads and trains it cost them a lot of money.

**Significant Political History Notes:** <span style="line-height: 19.0pt; margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"> • Australia has led the world in many phases of electoral reform, though it did not grant full voting rights to Aborigines until the 1960s. The secret ballot, universally known as the Australian ballot, was first used in Victoria in 1856. The South Australian government was the first in the world to adopt suffrage (voting rights) for all adult males (1856), and the second—after New <span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> Zealand women who secured this right in 1893, and the first in the world to gain the right to stand for election. <span style="line-height: 16.0pt; margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"> • <span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The Commonwealth of Australia was created in 1901 when the former British colonies—now Australia’s six states—agreed to federate. <span style="line-height: 16.0pt; margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"> • <span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Although Australia is a fully independent parliamentary democracy, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom is also formally the Queen of Australia. <span style="line-height: 16.0pt; margin-left: .5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 11.0pt .5in; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.5in;"> • <span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">All citizens over the age of 18 must vote in both federal and state government elections.

<span style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">**<span style="color: #151515; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Principal Government Officials: **<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"> Governor General: Quentin Bryce Prime Minister: Kevin Rudd Deputy Prime Minister: Julia Gillard Treasurer: Wayne Swan Foreign Minister: Stephen Smith Defense Minister: John Faulkner Trade Minister: Simon Crean Ambassador to the United States: Kim Beazley <span style="color: #151515; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"> Ambassador to the United Nations: Gary Quinlan = = =WHITE PAPER (FINAL REPORT)= = = I. First part should be a review of the basic function of a constitution in a democracy, including the essential characteristics of limited vs. unlimited governments

<span style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">**<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Constitutional Democracy: ** Written set of laws; written __ rules __ for setting up the government.

<span style="line-height: 19.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">** Parliament System ** : <span style="display: inline !important; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 19pt;">picks the leader (Prime Minister) Selected by people (representatives) So Prime minister usually is the Leader of the majority party in the through the Electoral College.

<span style="display: inline !important;">** Limited Government: ** A type of government in which the functions and powers exercised by that government are prescribed, limited and restricted by law usually in a written constitution.

** Unlimited Government: ** A type of government that's functions are that they have ultimate power over the people.

<span style="display: inline !important; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal;"> **Unicameral: 1 House / Chambers**

**Bicameral: 2 House/ Chambers**
 * Structure of Legislature

**Separation of Powers:**
 * 3 Branches
 * Each branch has separate powers
 * Which allows for check and balances.

II. Final recommendation for Xlandia's government with at least the following addressed:

A. What type of system would your constitution establish? What is your reasoning (include what makes this better than the other options)?
 * We have decided that we would have a written constitution so just like Australia** **the three branches of government—executive, legislative, and judicial—all share power.**

B. How would you protect the rights of minorities and individuals?
 * Australia protects the rights of the minorities and individuals by having established laws that protect the rights and individuals. **

C. What would be the relationship between the military and the civilian leadership?
 * The relationship between the military and the civilian leadership would be that the military would be there to protect the civilians and the civilians would not be fearful of the military. **

D. The Executive Branch
 * The government is formed by the party or parties that have the confidence of the majority of members of the House of Representatives. **

E. The Legislative Branch
 * The Legislative Branch of government is constant of <span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;">76 seats; 12 members from each of the six states **

F. Judicial Branch
 * The Judicial Branch in Australia is the high government and is appointed by the governor general **

G. Citizen Participation- who gets the right to vote? What would your voting requirements be?
 * We believe that the citizens of Xlandia should have the right to vote at age 18 or order, this includes either a fairly disputed test that makes sure they have enough knowledge to state there opinion on the government. We believe that no one should be discriminated by race, or sex. This means both men and women can vote, and any race.**

III. What is needed to keep a democracy strong? Which ones are present in Xlandia? Which ones are not?
 * What is needed to keep a democracy strong is having voting about once a year to know what the citizens opinions. What is also needed to keep a democracy strong is strong leaders. Xlandia has strong leaders but, they don't have citizens opinions. **

A. What advice would you give the leaders of Xlandia to help them develop these conditions as they move from an authoritarian past to a democratic future? **The advice we give the leaders of Xlandia to help develop these conditions as they move from an authoritarian past to a democratic future is to hold yearly elections on laws and the new leader**s.

INTERESTING FACTS:

 * Australia is the only continent occupied entirely by a single country.
 * It is an Island Continent, located entirely on the Southern hemisphere.
 * Australian fossils are among the oldest on Earth.
 * <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom is also formally the Queen of Australia.

LINKS
// [] // [|//http://www.immi.gov.au/living-in-australia/settle-in-australia/everyday-life/education///] http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2698.htm http://www.hcourt.gov.au/ http://kids.britannica.com/comptons/article-9273020/Australia http://www.thecheers.org/Opinion/article_2075_Bad-Government-Decisions-to-Cost-Australia-Billions.html =YOUTUBE VIDEOS=

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