Conventional long form:
Commonwealth of Australia
Government type:
federal parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
Capital:
name: Canberra
Independence:
1 January 1901 (from the federation of UK colonies)
chief of state:
Queen of Australia ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Quentin BRYCE (since 5 September 2008)
National holiday:
Australia Day (commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet of Australian settlers), 26 January (1788); ANZAC Day (commemorates the anniversary of the landing of troops of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps during World War I at Gallipoli, Turkey), 25 April (1915)
Head of government:
Prime Minister Anthony John "Tony" ABBOTT (since 18 September 2013); Deputy Prime Minister Warren TRUSS (since 18 September 2013)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kim Christian BEAZLEY
Description of Executive branch:
In their executive branch the prime minister nominates, from among members of Parliament, candidates who are sworn in by the governor
general to serve as government ministers. The way they run their elections is that the monarchy is hereditary: governor general appointed by the monarch on the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party of leader of a majority coalition is sworn in as prime minster by the governor general.
Description of Legislative Branch:
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)
Description of Judicial Branch:
The High Court consists of 7 justices, including the justice; each of the 6 states, 2 territories, and Norfolk Island has a Supreme Court is the final appellate court beyond the state and territory supreme courts. Justices appointed by the governor-general in council for life with mandatory retirement at age 70. Subordinate courts at the federal Court; Federal Magistrates' Courts of Australia; Family court; subordinate courts at the state and territory level: Local Court- New South Wales; Magistrates' Courts- Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia; County Court- Western Australia; Court of Petty Sessions- Norfolk island.
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Australian Ambassador:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kim Christian BEAZLEY (since 7 February 2010)
Australian Embassy:
1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
Australian Consulate(s) General:
Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco
U.S. Ambassador:
Ambassador John BERRY (since 25 September 2013)
U.S. embassy:
Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2600
U.S. Consulate(s) general:
Melbourne, Perth, Sydney
Representative to UN:
Gary Quinlan
Commonwealth of Australia
Government type:
federal parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
Capital:
name: Canberra
Independence:
1 January 1901 (from the federation of UK colonies)
chief of state:
Queen of Australia ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Quentin BRYCE (since 5 September 2008)
National holiday:
Australia Day (commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet of Australian settlers), 26 January (1788); ANZAC Day (commemorates the anniversary of the landing of troops of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps during World War I at Gallipoli, Turkey), 25 April (1915)
Head of government:
Prime Minister Anthony John "Tony" ABBOTT (since 18 September 2013); Deputy Prime Minister Warren TRUSS (since 18 September 2013)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kim Christian BEAZLEY
Description of Executive branch:
In their executive branch the prime minister nominates, from among members of Parliament, candidates who are sworn in by the governor
general to serve as government ministers. The way they run their elections is that the monarchy is hereditary: governor general appointed by the monarch on the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party of leader of a majority coalition is sworn in as prime minster by the governor general.
Description of Legislative Branch:
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)
Description of Judicial Branch:
The High Court consists of 7 justices, including the justice; each of the 6 states, 2 territories, and Norfolk Island has a Supreme Court is the final appellate court beyond the state and territory supreme courts. Justices appointed by the governor-general in council for life with mandatory retirement at age 70. Subordinate courts at the federal Court; Federal Magistrates' Courts of Australia; Family court; subordinate courts at the state and territory level: Local Court- New South Wales; Magistrates' Courts- Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia; County Court- Western Australia; Court of Petty Sessions- Norfolk island.
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Australian Ambassador:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kim Christian BEAZLEY (since 7 February 2010)
Australian Embassy:
1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
Australian Consulate(s) General:
Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco
U.S. Ambassador:
Ambassador John BERRY (since 25 September 2013)
U.S. embassy:
Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2600
U.S. Consulate(s) general:
Melbourne, Perth, Sydney
Representative to UN:
Gary Quinlan
Flag description:
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large seven-pointed star in the lower hoist-side quadrant known as the Commonwealth or Federation Star, representing the federation of the colonies of Australia in 1901; the star depicts one point for each of the six original states and one representing all of Australia's internal and external territories; on the fly half is a representation of the Southern Cross constellation in white with one small, five-pointed star and four larger, seven-pointed stars
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large seven-pointed star in the lower hoist-side quadrant known as the Commonwealth or Federation Star, representing the federation of the colonies of Australia in 1901; the star depicts one point for each of the six original states and one representing all of Australia's internal and external territories; on the fly half is a representation of the Southern Cross constellation in white with one small, five-pointed star and four larger, seven-pointed stars