Australia
Country occupying all of the Earth's smallest continent, situated
south of Indonesia, between the Pacific and Indian oceans.
Government
Australia is an independent sovereign nation within the Commonwealth,
retaining the British monarch as head of state, represented by
a governor general. The constitution came into effect on 1 January
1901. As in the British system, the executive, comprising the
prime minister and cabinet, is drawn from the federal parliament
and is answerable to it. The parliament consists of two chambers:
an elected Senate of 76 (12 for each of the six states, two for
the Australian Capital Territory, and two for the Northern Territory);
and a House of Representatives of 147, elected by universal adult
suffrage. Senators serve for six years, and members of the House
for three years.
Voting is compulsory; the Senate is elected by proportional
representation, but the House of Representatives is elected as
single- member constituencies with preferential voting. Each state
has its own constitution, governor (the monarch's representative),
executive (drawn from the parliament), and legislative and judicial
system. Each territory has its own legislative assembly. The last
relics of UK legislative control over Australia were removed in
1986.
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