lk Island

Independence: 1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)

National holiday: Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Constitution: 9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901

Legal system: based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Sir William DEANE (since 16 February
1996)
head of government : Prime Minister John Winston HOWARD (since 11
March 1996); Deputy Prime Minister Timothy Andrew FISCHER (since 11
March 1996)
cabinet: Cabinet selected from among the members of Federal Parliament
by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
elections : none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general
appointed by the queen; following legislative elections, the leader of
the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually
appointed prime minister by the governor general for a three-year term

Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Parliament consists of the
Senate (76 seats - 12 from each of the six states and two from each of
the two territories; one-half of the members elected every three years
by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of
Representatives (148 seats; members elected by popular vote on the
basis of proportional representation to serve three-year terms; no
state can have fewer than five representatives)
elections: Senate - last held 2 March 1996 (next to be held NA 1999);
House of Representatives - last held 2 March 1996 (next to be held NA
1999)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - Liberal-National 37, Labor 29, Australian Democrats 8, Greens
1, independent 1; note - subsequent to the election, there has been a
change in the distribution of seats; the new distribution is as
follows - Liberal-National 37, Labor 28, Australian Democrats 7,
Greens 2, independents 2; House of Representatives - percent of vote
by party - NA; seats by party - Liberal-National 94, Labor 49,
independent 5

Judicial branch: High Court, the Chief Justice and six other justices
are appointed by the governor general

Political parties and leaders:
government : coalition of Liberal Party, John Winston HOWARD, and
National Party, Timothy Andrew FISCHER
opposition: Australian Labor Party, Kim BEAZLEY; Australian Democratic
Party, Chery