Australia,afederalparliamentarydemocracy,isanindependentself-governingstateandamemberoftheCommonwealthofNations.TheconstitutionofAustralia,whichbecameeffectivein1901,isbasedonBritishparliamentarytraditions,andincludeselementsoftheUnitedStatessystem.TheheadofstateistheBritishsovereign,andtheheadofgovernmentistheAustralianprimeminister,whoisresponsibletotheAustralianParliament.Allpowersnotdelegatedtothefederalgovernmentarereservedtothestates.AustraliaisafoundingmemberoftheUnitedNations(UN).In1998aconstitutionalconventionvotedtochangeAustralia'sformofgovernmenttoarepublic,withapresidentelectedbyparliamentastheheadofstate.Beforethisdecisiongoesintoeffect,itmustbeapprovedbyareferendum,expectedtobeheldin1999.A.ExecutiveFormally,executiveauthorityinAustraliaisvestedinthegovernor-general,whoisappointedbytheBritishmonarchinconsultationwiththeAustralianprimeminister.TheBritishmonarchisalsotheroyalheadofAustralia,buthasnorealpowerinthegovernmentandservesasasymbolicheadofstate.Thegovernor-generalactsonlyontheadviceoftheExecutiveCouncil,orcabinet,comprisingallministersofstate.Federalpolicyinpracticeisdeterminedbythecabinet,whichischairedbytheprimeminister,whoistheheadofthemajoritypartyinparliament.Theministersareresponsiblefortheindividualdepartmentsofthefederalgovernment,andthesedepartmentsareadministeredbypermanentcivilservants.B.LegislatureNationallegislativepowerinAustraliaisvestedinabicameralparliament,madeupofaSenateandaHouseofRepresentatives.TheSenateconsistsof76members(12fromeachstateand2fromeachterritory).Senatorsfromstatesarepopularlyelectedtosix-yeartermsunderaformofproportionalrepresentation;senatorsfromterritoriesareelectedtothree-yearterms.AccordingtotheAustralianconstitution,theHouseshouldhaveabouttwiceasmanymembersastheSenate.Thenumberofmembersfromeachstateisproportionaltoitspopulation,butmustbeatleastfive.Inthemid-1990stheHousehad148members,popularlyelectedtoatermofuptothreeyears.Theprimeministercanaskthegovernor-generaltodissolvetheHouseandcallnewelectionsatanytime.Australiahasuniversalandcompulsorysuffrageforallcitizensovertheageof18.用心爱心专心C.PoliticalPartiesTherearefourmajorpoliticalpartiesinAustralia:theAustralianLaborParty(ALP),theLiberalPartyofAustralia(LP),theNationalPartyofAustralia(NP),andtheAustralianDemocrats(DEM).Allaremoderatesocial-democraticparties.Traditionally,theALPisassociatedwithtradeunions,theLPisalignedwithbusinessinterestsandsupportsfreeenterprise,theNPismoreconservative,andtheDEMismoreprogressive,butthesedifferenceshavebecomeincreasinglyblurred.D.LocalGovernmentAbicameralsystemofgovernmentexistsineachstateexceptQueensland,whichhasonlyonehouse.TheBritishsovereignisrepresentedineachstatebyagovernor.Governmentalaffairsarehandledbyacabinet,theheadofwhichisknownasthepremier.WithineachAustralianstate,hundredsoflocalgovernmentauthoritiesareresponsiblefortrafficandbuildingregulation;maintenanceofstreets,bridges,localroads,waterandsewerage,parks,libraries,andhospitals;andsimilarfunctions.Amongtheseauthoritiesareshirecouncils,boroughcouncils,andtownandcitycouncils.Legislationgrantingpowertolocalauthoritiesexistsineachstate.E.HealthandWelfareThegovernmentofAustraliahasplayedanimportantroleinadvancingsocialservices.Programsofassistanceforpeoplewhoaresick,aged,widowed,orunemployedexist.Amaternityallowanceispaidtomothersirrespectiveofincome,andanendow...
