| Together with New Zealand, Canada, and other | | | | government. There are 850 local governments |
| former British colonies around the world, Australia | | | | from each state and each of these local |
| is considered a constitutional monarchy under the | | | | governments is regulated by State Acts of |
| throne of Queen Elizabeth II. The present | | | | Parliament. |
| Governor General, Quentin Bryce, is the Queen's | | | | The Judiciary |
| representative. | | | | The Federal Government is vested with judicial |
| Australia's government today follows the tradition | | | | power in the High Court. Part of Federal |
| of liberal democracy, which allows religious | | | | Government's responsibility is to create other |
| freedom, and is committed to uphold the | | | | courts like Family Court and Federal Court |
| freedom of speech and association. The country | | | | whenever necessary. The High Court is the |
| today has about 20 million people. Australia's | | | | highest court of the land. It interprets the |
| territory is made up of six states and seven | | | | constitution and helps settle disputes between the |
| other external territories and islands in Indian, | | | | State and Federal Governments. |
| Pacific, and Southern Oceans. The present political | | | | Political Parties |
| structure is a combination of American and British | | | | Political parties are the lifeblood of a democracy. |
| governments. The country's constitution shares | | | | In Australia, a "party system" is the norm, which |
| different powers to Federal- and State-level | | | | means that the party or coalition of parties that |
| governments. | | | | garnered the highest number of votes forms the |
| The Federal Government of Australia | | | | government. A good example is the present |
| The Federal Government is made up of two | | | | government under the Labor Party. A party with |
| Houses--Upper and Lower. The Senate, which is | | | | the second highest number of votes will officially |
| composed of 12 elected representatives from | | | | become the Opposition. |
| each state is the Upper House; while the House of | | | | Australia has been dominated by two major |
| Representatives composed of 147 members is | | | | parties for over 50 years now--the Labor Party |
| called the Lower House. A dominant party in the | | | | and the coalition of the Liberal and National Parties. |
| House of Representatives will become the | | | | At present, the Labor Party is the Government |
| government. A ministry from its members will be | | | | and the Coalition is the Opposition. There are |
| distributed in both Houses. The Prime Minister, the | | | | however, several minor parties that hold the |
| country's political leader, will come from the Lower | | | | balance of power for almost 20 years now. The |
| House. | | | | country is also one of the few nations in the |
| Local or State Government of Australia | | | | world that make voting compulsory in both state |
| Every state in Australia, except Queensland, has 2 | | | | and federal levels. |
| Parliament houses patterned after the Federal | | | | |