Australia Essay Research Paper AustraliaINTRODUCTIONAustralia island continent

Australia Essay, Research Paper

Australia

INTRODUCTION

Australia, island continent located southeast of Asia and forming, with the

nearby island of Tasmania, the commenwealth of Australia, a self governing

member of the Commenwealth of Nations. The commenwealth of Australia is made up

of six states–News south Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria,

and Wester n Australia–and two territories–the Australian Capital Territory

and the Northern Territory.

Australia, including Tasmania but excluding external territories, covers a land

area of 7,682,300 sq. km, extending from Cape York (100 41′ S) in the north some

3,680 km to Tasmania (430 39′ S), and from Cape Byron (1530 39′ E) in the east

some 4,000 km west to Western Australia (1130 9′ E).

Basic Data

Population (estimates), July 1995, 18,322,231, with the age structure under 15

(female 1,929,366; male 2,032,238), 15-64 (female 6,017,362; male 6,181,887), 65

and over(female 1,227,004; male 934,374). Population growth rate is estimated at

1.31% (1995 est.). Literacy rate age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.).

English is the official language, with modern Australian English a conglomerate

of British, American, and their own phraseology and spelling. Because

Australia is one of the most multicultural nations in the world it is possible

to find vibrant ethnic communities using almost every other world

language.Australian school children have the highest rate of learning Asian

languages, particularly Japanese and Chinese, of any industrialized western

nation – in recognition of their future as a member of the Asia-Pacific region.

Labor force is 8.63 million(september 1991) by occupation of finance and service

33.8%, public and community services 22.3%, wholesale and reatail trade 20.1%,

manufacturing and industry 16.2%, agriculture 6.1%(1987).

Political System

Australia has a federal system of government, and a long history as a multiparty

parliamentary democracy. There is no written Bill of Rights, but fundamental

rights are ensured by law and respected in practice.

The Commonwealth (federal) government and the six state governments operate

under written constitutions that draw on the British tradition of a Cabinet

Government, led by a Prime Minister, which is responsible to a majority in

Parliament’s lower house. The Federal Constitution, however, also contains some

elements that resemble American practice (e.g., a Senate, in which each state

has equal representation). The Head of State is Queen Elizabeth II, the

reigning British monarch, but she exercises her functions through personal

representatives who live in Australia (i.e., Australian citizens who serve as

the Governor-General of Australia, and the Governors of the six states).

Australians are debating whether their country should become a republic, give up

ties with the Queen, revise the constitution, and adopt a new flag.

Members of the Federal House of Representatives are elected for three years, and

national elections were last held in March, 1993. Lower-house elections, thus,

are due no later than mid-1996, but earlier scheduling is a matter of discretion.

(The Prime Minister may recommend that the House be dissolved at any time, and

the Governor-General traditionally follows such advice.) Current political

commentary focuses on two likely “windows” for national elections: August-

October, 1995, and March-May, 1996.

Members of the Senate are elected for six years. June 30, 1996 is the next date

on which Senators’ terms expire, and a regular election for half the members of

the Senate is due before that time, but no earlier than July, 1995.

Under complex conditions specified in the federal Constitution — in essence,

extended deadlock between the House and Senate — both houses may be dissolved

simultaneously, so that ensuing national elections would involve all seats in

Parliament. This “double dissolution” is unusual, and has occurred only six

times since the Constitution entered into effect (1901).

All major parties support the U.S.-Australia alliance and stress the importance

of close relations between Australia and the United States. Thus, this

longstanding and stable pattern is essentially unaffected by the outcome of

national elections.

The ruling Australian Labor Party (ALP) maintains close ties to the trade union

movement and has held office since 1983. During that period, the government has

carried out major restructuring of the economy (e.g., floating the Australian

dollar, cutting tariffs by substantial amounts, reducing and simplifying

regulations that affect business). Liberalizing trade and enhancing economic

integration with Asia-Pacific countries are major tenets of the ALP and, in

particular, of the incumbent Prime Minister, Paul Keating.

The opposi

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