Commonwealth of Australia
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Capital: Canberra
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Government: Federal parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy
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Monarch: Queen Elizabeth II
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Governor-General: Quentin Bryce
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Prime Minister: Kevin Rudd
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Important Parties: the Australian Labor Party, the Liberal Party, the National Party
Branches of Government
1. the legislature (Commonwealth Parliament)
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was opened on 9 May 1901 in Melbourne, today in Canberra
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three components (the Queen, the Senate, the House of Representatives)
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principal function is to pass laws, to provide a forum for popular representation
House of Representatives:
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150 members
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represent districts
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Speaker of the House of Representatives: Harry Jenkins
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Party with the majority support forms government and its leader becomes Prime Minister
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elections are held every three years
Senate:
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76 members
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twelve for each state and two for each mainland territory
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President of the Senate: John Hogg
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elections are held every three years
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but overlapping six-year terms
2. the executive
Governor-General of Australia:
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exercises the supreme executive power
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allowed to appoint ministers, judges, ambassadors
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President of the Federal Executive Council and Commander-in-Chief of the Australian Defence Force
Prime Minister:
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appointed by the Governor-General
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tells Governor-General what to do -> more powerful
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the Prime Minister is not mentioned in the Constitution of Australia
3. the judicary (High Court of Australia)
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established in 1901
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located in Canberra
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highest court in the Australian court hierarchy
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has the power of judicial review over laws passed by the Parliament of Australia
