The Commonwealth of Australia Government

GDP & E.Q. SS6CG7a. Describe the federal parliamentary democracy of Australia, distinguishing form of leadership, type of legislature, and the role of the citizen in terms of voting and personal freedoms.

Australia has a.. Federal Parliamentary Democracy: power is split between the central & local government (central handles treaties & defense, local handles education & state police) citizens vote for members of Parliament

Australia has 6 states – from 6 original colonies 2 territories – land not claimed by states – can’t pass laws A constitution which grants rights to states & central gov’t National capital: Canberra

How Parliamentary Democracy works in Australia All citizens 18 & older MUST vote or get fined and go to court.

Parliament Makes Laws Parliament is divided into 2 houses House of Representatives Senate Australia is divided into electorates, each with about the same number of people. Citizens of each electorate choose 1 person to represent them in the House of Representatives Citizens choose 12 senators per state & territory for Senate

House of Representatives The winning political party becomes the Government. It chooses the prime minister, who recommends a “governor general” to the Queen to represent her in Australia The political party with the 2nd highest number of people in Parliament is called the Opposition.

Head of State vs. Head of Government Queen Elizabeth II of England Signs laws Commander in chief of military (Governor General does her jobs) Prime Minister Most powerful political figure in Australia Runs the government Julia Gillard

How A representative suggests a new law (called a bill) A In the House of Representatives, the bill is explained, discussed & changed Bill If the representatives pass the bill, it goes to the Senate Becomes If the Senate passes the bill, it becomes an ACT of PARLIAMENT A LAW The Governor General signs the Act & it becomes a law that must be obeyed

School Nurses and Diabetes Care The House Health and Human Services Committee met today and passed Diabetes-related legislation with implications on k-12 schools. HB 879 seeks to mandate that at least two employees at all schools where students with diabetes are enrolled, prior to the 2012-2013 school year, receive special training on diabetes care. The legislation also mandates that at least one employee with such training accompany children with diabetes on any school field trip. Committee members expressed concern that the legislation, though very well intentioned, may create legal and logistical problems for schools. The committee passed the legislation, and its sponsor, Rep. Matt Ramsey (R-Peachtree City), whose school-aged daughter is diabetic, agreed to continue to work on some of the problematic portions of the bill. 

Citizens’ Freedoms Speech Religion To choose a job To travel To vote

Economics in Australia Mixed mostly market economy One of freest in world (more than the U.S.) Easy to start a business Currency is Australian dollar Low tariffs (just to help wheat & other grain farmers) Few trade barriers 1998 Weapons Embargo against Yugoslavia – to help end fighting there

Capital and GDP Australia invests in Has a high GDP as a result human capital Compulsory education ages 6-18 Paid by taxpayers High literacy rate Well-trained work force Good health care One of highest standards of living in the world Physical capital Has advanced technology Has a high GDP as a result

Australia’s Resources Resources: things that help people produce goods & services (human, capital, & natural) Natural – “gifts of nature” Fertile soil (arable) Crops Cattle Water Minerals Coal Bauxite (aluminum) Diamonds

Sales from natural resources bring in money from around the world. 1/3 of exports go to China and Japan

1 in every 12 adults owns his/her own business Australia is a world leader in entrepreneurs (people who start businesses). 1 in every 12 adults owns his/her own business Good laws Good resources Educated well-trained workforce Wealth to start business

Entrepreneurs help Australia’s GDP Businesses keep economy growing Provide jobs for workers When businesses make a profit, they pay taxes that keep the gov’t in operation

Origin & Culture of the Aborigines Indigenous people of Australia – lived here at least 40,000 years Came from SE Asia when Australia, Tasmania, & New Guinea were one landmass Aborigine means “people who were here from the beginning”

Nomadic hunters & gatherers Created earliest rock art, boomerangs, ground axes, & grindstones Passed history along through story-telling Lived where climate & water were best

Religious structure was divided into 2 “moieties” (groups). A person was born into a moiety and stayed there all his life. A person in 1 moiety had to marry a person in the other moiety.

Traditional social structure: tribe or language group of about 500 people Included bands of 10-20 people, called hordes

Then The Europeans Arrived 1606 – 1st Europeans arrived 1770 – Captain Cook from England claimed E. coast of Australia for England – called it New South Wales

After Revolutionary War between U. S After Revolutionary War between U.S. and England, England couldn’t dump prisoners in Georgia. England dumped prisoners in “New South Wales” (Australia) instead from 1788-1868 Many free immigrants came to Australia, too.

Great Britain used Australia as a navy and trading base It wanted to keep France from getting Australia By 1861, the colonies’ boundaries were laid out 1/1/1901: Commonwealth of Australia – independent from U.K. Capital is Canberra

Impact of Europeans on Aborigines Took land, water, & fisheries from Aborigines Brought diseases like smallpox – ½ of Aborigines died Shot or forced Aborigines to leave

Aborigines fought back – when gold rush caused even more settlers to arrive, Aborigines killed their cattle & sheep. Europeans killed Aborigines in response Ranchers asked surviving Aborigines to work on their farms