Citz Booklet Full Ver

Becoming an Aus ustr tral alian ian citiz itizen en

© Commonwealth of Astralia 2007 This work is copyright. Apart fr om any se as permitted nder the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reprodced by any process withot prior written permission from the Commonwealth. Reqests and inqiries concerning reprodction and rig hts shold be addressed to: Commonwealth Copyright Administration, Attorney General’s Department, Robert Garran Off ices, National Circit, Barton ACT 2600 or posted at http://www.ag.gov.a/cca ISBN 978-0-9803727-9-3 Pblished September 2007 Reprinted with corrections November 2007

Acknowledgements

Page 22 Kokoda Track Track image cor tesy of the Astr alian War Memorial (014028) (014028) Page 24 Stmp jmp plogh image cortesy of Msem Victoria Page 25 Sop kitchen image cortesy of State Librar y of New Soth Wales Schoolchildren line p for free isse of sop and a slice of bread, Belmore North Pblic School, N.S.W., 2 Agst 1934, photograph by Sam Hood. (ref: H&A 4368), 4368), Mitchell Librar y, State Library of NSW Page 30 Migrants ar riving image cortesy of the Astralian News and Information Brea Page 33 Aboriginal dancers image cortesy of Jne Orford

CONTENTS

Introduction

1

Part 1 – What What does being an Austr alian mean?

3

Responsibilities and privileges of Astralian citizenship

3

Astralian vales

5

Part 2 – Our land, our nation

9

Introdcing Astralia

9

The Astralian people today

10

Astralia’s name and symbols

14

A story of Astralia

17

Part 3 – Governing the country

35

Government in Astralia

35

The Astralian Constittion

35

Levels of government

37

Yor elected representatives

41

Part 4 – Applying for citizenship

43

Becoming an Astralian citizen

43

How to se this book

43

Example qestions

45

Becoming an Australian citizen

INTRODuCTION

You have chosen to live in Australia Aust ralia and to make a contribution to its it s future by seeking to become an Australian citizen. Becoming a citizen gives you the opportunity to call yourself an Australian. It is the final and most important step in the migration journey. Astralian citizenship is a common

are expected to have a basic knowledge

bond for all Astralians, whether

of English. They are also expected to

by birth or by choice. Becoming an

know something of Astralia’s history

Astralian citizen is abot joining a

and heritage, or land and its people,

distinct national commnity. With

and of the niqe national cltre which

that comes responsibilities and

has evolved in Astralia over time.

privileges and the opportnity to participate flly in Astralian life.

This knowledge will help new citizens to embrace edcation, employment

An ancient land and a yong nation,

and other opportnities in Astralia.

Astralia has welcomed settlers and new

It also helps to foster a cohesive and

citizens from more than 200 contries.

integrated society with a sense of shared

Few contries have managed to combine

destiny and, shold the need arise,

ethnic and cltral diversity with national

shared sacrif ice for the common good. good.

nity as sccessflly as Astralia.

Astralian citizenship provides for an

When citizenship is conferred, new

overriding commitment to Astralia.

citizens are asked to pledge loyalty

The different experiences we bring, or

to Astralia and its people, to share

diverse backgronds and cltres, can all

their democratic beliefs, to respect

serve to enrich that shared commitment.

their rights and liberties and to phold and obey Astra lia’s laws.

Astralian citizenship is a privilege that offers enormos rewards to all who strive

Astralia is a liberal democracy in the

to phold its obligations. The Astralian

Western political tradition. The civic

Government welcomes yor desire to

vales of Astralia inclde respect for the

join or national commnity. We

eqal worth, dignity and freedom of every

want new citizens to participate

individal, religios tolerance and the

flly in or national life so that each

eqality of men and women. Astralian

individal can make the most of his or

citizenship is abot living ot these vales

her abilities and help to bild an even

in everyday life and in local commnities.

stronger and more nited Astralia.

Modern citizenship also rests on

This book will help yo prepare to

sentiments of nationhood and endring

become an Astralian citizen.

attachment to what Astralians hold in common. With this in mind, and with spport from government, new citizens

For frther information abot citizenship go to: w ww.citizenship.gov.a ww.citizenship.gov.a

1


PARt One WhAt dOes being An AustR AliAn me An?

Rpo a prv of Araa czp From this time forward, under God* I pledge my loyalty to Australia and its people whose democratic beliefs I share, whose rights and liberties I respect, and whose laws I will uphold and obey Astralian Citizenship Pledge *A person may choose whether or not to se the words ‘nder God’

With these words, new citizens become

To seek election to parliament

part of the Astr alian commnity.

The freedom to seek election to

They become part of the Astralian

parliament is an important privilege

experience. They promise loyalty, respect

of Astralian citizenship, and serving

and obedience to the law. They share

in an Astralian parlia ment is both an

freedoms, responsibilities and privileges.

honor and a heavy responsibility. To stand for election, a candidate who is

Becoming an Astralian citizen will mean

also a citizen of another contry mst

that yo will have the right to live in

show that they have done everything

Astralia. Permanent residents, on the

possible to renonce that citizenship.

other hand, have permission to live in Astralia, provided they remain of good

To apply for an Australian

character. An Astralian citizen can

passport and to enter

travel overseas and cannot be denied

Australia freely

retrn entry to Astralia provided

Only Astralian citizens are able to

they have proof of their citizenship,

apply for an Astralian passport, and

sally an Astralian passport.

only Astralian citizens have the right to enter and stay in Astralia freely.

Astralian citizens have certain vg abot which some more

To register childre n born

details are provided below.

overseas as Australian citizens by descent

To vote

Astralian citizens who are living

The right to vote is one of t he most

otside Astralia when their children

important privileges held by Astralian

are born are able to register those

citizens. A person’s vote is secret so

children as Astralian citizens at any

everyone is free and safe to vote as they

Astralian diplomatic mission overseas.

wish. The voting process is independently

This means that their children will

and careflly monitored by the Astralian

also have access to all the privileges

Electoral Commission to ensre openness

of Astralian citizenship even thogh

and fairness.

they were not born in Astralia. 3


To seek full con sular

To serve on a jury if

assistance from

called on to do so

Australian diplomatic

A jry is a grop of ordinar y men and

representatives

women who listen to all the ev idence

while overseas

in a case that comes before a cort

Astralian citizens mst obey

and decide the reslt. Jry service is

the laws of the contries in

a key role that all Astralian citizens

which they are travelling.

can play in ensring that the exercise

In the event of accident,

of jstice in or cor t system is fair,

injry or mishap, however, all

balanced and eqitable for all.

Astralian citizens have access to fll conslar assistance from Astralian diplomatic missions overseas.

To defend Australia should the need arise (subject to the same rights and exemptions as

To seek the full range of

Australian-born citizens)

employment opportunities in the

While service in the Astr alian Defence

Australian Defence Force and

Force is volntary, shold the need

the Australian Public Service

arise it is vital that all Astralian citizens

Pblic service is a worthy endeavor

be committed to joining together to

and can lead to an extremely

defend the nation and it s way of life.

rewarding career working on behalf of the Astralian commnity. Most positions in the Astralian Pblic Service and the Astralian Defence Force reqire applicants to be, or abot to become, Astralian citizens. Astralian citizens also have specific t which are explained

below.

Consistent with the pledge of loyalty that new citizens make, Astralian citizenship also involves broader obligations and opportnities. In particlar, new citizens are asked to embrace the vales of Astralia. As important as the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship, these vales provide the everyday gideposts for

To vote in federal, state and

living in Astralia, for participating flly in

territory elections

or national life and for making the

and at a referendum

most of the opportnities that Astralia

Participating in the democratic process

has to offer.

throgh enrolling and voting is an important responsibility of all eligible Astralian citizens. Voting is complsory in Astralian federal, state and territory elections. All citizens aged 18 years or over are reqired to register to vote.

4


Australian values Vales which are import ant in modern Astralia inclde: • respectfortheequalworth,dignity

and freedom of the individal • freedomofspeech

This statement of vales and principles shold not be seen as a qest for conformity or a common set of beliefs. On the contrar y, respect for the free-thinking individal and the right to be different are fondations of Astralian democracy.

• freedomofreligionand

seclar government • freedomofassociation • supportforparliamentary

democracy and the rle of law • equalityunderthelaw

The goal here is to help new citizens nderstand the core vales that have helped to create a society that is stable yet dynamic, cohesive yet diverse. They define and symbolise why so many people want to become Astralians.

• equalityofmenandwomen • equalityofopportunity

Respect for the equal worth, dignity and freedom of the

• peacefulness

individual

• tolerance,mutualrespectand

Individal Astralians are free and eqal

compassion for those in need.

and shold be treated with dignity and respect. They enjoy basic freedoms –

These vales and principles are central to

sch as freedom of belief and speech,

Astralia remaining a stable, prosperos

religion, peacefl assembly and association

and peacefl commnity. They provide

– sbject to the law and as long as one

the common reference points for

person’s freedoms do not harm others.

or free and democr atic society. Astralians reject the se of violence, While shared to some extent by all liberal

intimidation and hmiliation as ways

democracies, they have been adapted to

to settle conflict in or society.

Astralia’s niqe setting, molded and modernised throgh waves of settlement

Freedom of speech

by people from all over the world.

All Astralians are free to say or write what they think abot any sbject, isse or

These vales and principles reflect strong

person, so long as they do not endanger

inflences on Astralia’s history and

people, defame anyone or obstrct the

cltre. These inclde Jdeo-Christian

free speech of others. The sa me applies

ethics, a British political heritage and the

to Astralian newspapers, radio, television

spirit of the Eropean Enlightenment.

and other forms of media. Astralians are

Distinct Irish and non-conformist attitdes

free to protest the actions of government

and sentiments have also been important.

and to campaign to change laws.

5


Freedom of speech allows people to express themselves and to discss ideas. There are laws that protect an individal’s good name against false information or lies.

and grops inclde political parties, trade nions and social grops. Support for parliamentary democracy and the rule of law

Parliamentary democracy means that

Freedom of religion and

Astralians participate in how the contry

secular government

is rn and how Astralian society is

All Astralians are fre e to follow

represented. Throgh reglar elections

any religion they choose, so long as

and throgh open parliamentary debate,

its practices do not break any Astralian

governments are accontable to all

law. Astralians are also free not to

Astralians. Elected parliaments are the

follow a religion. Religios intolerance

only bodies able to make or laws or

is nacceptable in Astralian society.

delegate the athority to make laws.

Astralia has seclar government

Astralians recognise the vale of laws

and no official or state religion.

as rles of condct that are est ablished

Governments treat all citizens as eqal

by elected governments and followed

regardless of religion. Religios laws

by the commnity to maintain an

have no legal stats in Astralia.

orderly and free society. Ever yone in

The divorce laws, for example, are those laws enacted by the parliament. The process of divorce and related matters, sch as cstody of children and the settlement of property arrangements, can only be done in a ccordance with

Astralia mst obey laws established by governments. Eqally, all Astralians are protected by the r le of law. This means that no one is ‘above the law’, even if they hold a position of power, like politicians or the police.

the laws passed by the Astralian

Equality under the law

Parliament. All Astralians are entitled

All Astralians are eqal nder the

to the protection of these laws. Some

law. This means that nobody shold be

religios or cltral practices, sch

treated differently from anybody else

as bigamy for example, are illegal.

becase of their race, ethnicity or contry

Freedom of a ssociation

Sbject to the law, Astralians are free to gather together and to protest against the government or any other organisation, so long as the protes t is

of origin; becase of their age , gender, marital stats or disability; or becase of their political or religios beliefs. Government agencies and independent corts mst treat ever yone fairly.

peacefl and does not damage or injre

Being treated the same means that

any people or property. The freedom to

getting a job or being promoted is

associate incldes the freedom to join

based on a person’s skills, ability and

or not to join any organisation or grop,

experience, and not on their cltral

provided it is legal. Sch organisations

backgrond or political beliefs.

6


It also means that people cannot

Astralia prides itself on being

be refsed service in a shop or

an egalitarian society where no

hotel becase of their race, color,

one is regarded as better than

religion, gender or marital stats.

anyone else by virte of who they

Equality of men and women

are or where they were born.

Men and women have eqal rights

Astralia has a strong tradition of

in Astralia. Jobs and professions are

‘mateship’ – where people help and

eqally open to both women and men.

receive help from others volntar ily,

Both men and women can serve in

especially in times of adversity. A mate

the military. Both women and men

can be a spose, par tner, brother,

can hold positions in government.

sister, daghter, son or a fr iend. A

Equality of opportunity

mate can also be a total stranger.

Astralians vale eqality of opportnity

Government spport in the for m of a

and what is often ca lled a ‘fair go’. This

social safety net for those who strggle

means that what someone achieves in

throgh life throgh no falt of their

life shold be a prodct of their talents,

own is part of Astralia’s egalitarian

work and effort r ather than an accident

ethos. There is also a strong tradition of

of birth. No one shold be disadvantaged

commnity service and volnteering.

on the basis of their contry of birth , cltral heritage, political beliefs, langage, gender or religios belief.

The vales otlined above have been promoted and discssed by Astralians over many years. They have helped

This does not mean that everyone is

Astralia sccessflly to welcome and

the same or that everybody has eqal

integrate millions of people from many

wealth or proper ty. The aim is to ensre

ethnic grops and cltral traditions.

there are no formal or entrenched class distinctions in Astralian society.

Astralia’s cltral diversity is a strength which makes for a dynamic

Peacefulness

society. Within a framework of

We are prod of or peacefl society.

laws, all Astralians have the right to

We believe that change shold occr

express their cltre and beliefs.

by discssion, peacefl persasion and the democratic process. We reject violence as a means of changing a person’s mind or the law. Tolerance , mutual respect and compassion for those in need

On the whole, Astralians spport the principle of ‘live and let live’. Tolerance and mtal r espect towards all people, whatever their

What is asked is that Astralian citizens make an overriding commitment to Astralia – its laws, its vales and its people. Astralian citizenship is more than a ceremony. It is at the heart of Astralia’s national identity in the 21st centry, as a nation at ease with the world and with itself.

backgrond, is valed as a reslt. 7


•

DARWIN

NORTHERN TERRITORY QUEENSLAND WESTERN AUSTRALIA BRISBANE •

SOUTH AUSTRALIA •

NEW SOUTH WALES

PERTH

SYDNEY •

ADELAIDE

CANBERRA •

ACT

VICTORIA •

MELBOURNE

TASMANIA HOBART •

8


•

PARt t WO OuR l And, OuR nAtiOn

Introducing Australia Australia is a nation of migrants. Throughout Australia’s history, millions of migrants have helped build our country. We welcome people from some 200 countries to Australia. Twenty-two per cent of our population was born overseas. Indigenos Astralians have been here

By 1947, an immigration boom was nder

for between 40 000 and 60 000 years.

way, with a large and growing nmber of

Their cltre is one of the oldest in

arrivals, inclding many who had arrived

the world. Migrants started arriving

on government-assisted passages.

in Astralia from 1788, the first year of Astralia’s Eropean settlement.

Many of the 6.5 million people who have come to Astralia since 1945

Immigration has always been an important

were motivated by a commitment to

element in Astra lia’s nation bilding.

family, or a desire to escape pover ty,

We have integrated millions of people

war or persection. They were

with diverse backgronds from over 200

determined to establish a new life

contries and we have drawn from that

for themselves and their families and

diversity to bild a sccessfl nation.

were willing to work hard to make

While many of the early arrivals in

the most of their opportnities.

Astralia were convicts from Britain,

More than 100 000 migrants from

an average of arond 50 000 free

30 contries worked on the Snowy

settlers arrived in Astralia each year

Montains Scheme, a hge hydro-

dring the gold rsh era in the mid-

electric power generating project in the

19th centry. Migration to Astralia

Astralian Alps. The project took 25

contined in sbseqent years,

years to complete, from 1949 ntil 1974.

reflecting the economic and social conditions in Astralia and elsewhere.

Migrants have chosen to come to Astralia and to share a common

Most were from Britain and Ireland.

set of vales. They added to the rich

Their Anglo-Celtic heritage was

tapestry of Astralian life – in the words

the basis of the new nation.

of Astralia’s ‘Father of Feder ation’,

At the end of World War II, millions of people in Erope were displaced

Sir Henry Parkes, we have become ‘one people, with one des tiny’.

from their homelands. At the same time, there was an acte shortage of labor in Astralia and a growing belief that significant poplation growth was essential for the contry’s ftre.

9


Australia’s national language

English is the national langage of

The AusTrAliAn people TodAy

Astralia. It is an important part of or national identity. Being able to commnicate in English is important for making the most of

Popao

living and working in Astralia.

21 million Kangaroo

Since 1949, people seeking to become

io

Astralian citizens have generally been

483 000 (2.3 per cent of the poplation)

reqired to have a k nowledge of English.

brpac

Everyone in Astralia is encoraged to learn and se English, which is an

Born overseas

22 per cent

important nifying element of Astralian society. Being able to speak English

Of those born overseas:

allows people the best opportnity to united Kingdom

19.4 per cent

New Zealand

8.8 per cent

China

4.7 per cent

Italy

4.5 per cent

Vietnam

3.6 per cent

ma a

37 years

achieve their aspirations in Astralia. However, langages other than English are also valed. In fact, more than 15 per cent of Astralians speak langages other than English at home, something which is a clear reflection of Astralia’s diverse natre. Indigenous Australia

Astralia’s Indigenos poplation is Ro

Christianit y

comprised of Aboriginal and Torres Strait 63.9 per cent

Islander peoples. They are ethnically and cltrally different from one another.

Bddhism

2.1 per cent

Islam

1.7 per cent

Historically, Aboriginal people are from mainland Astralia a nd Tasmania. Torres Strait Islanders come from the islands

Hindism

Jdaism

0.7 per cent 0.4 per cent

between the tip of Qeensland and Papa New Ginea. They share many cltral similarities with the people of Papa New Ginea and other Pacific islands.

Koala

(Sorce: Astralian Brea  of Statistics)

It is estimated there were some 750 000 Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders in Astralia at the start of Eropean settlement in 1788.

10


This poplation declined dramatically

Yet mch of norther n Astralia

dring the 19th and early 20th centries

has a tropical climate and part s of

de to a nmber of factors, inclding

Qeensland, the north of Western

conflict with the new settlers and

Astralia and the Northern

especially the impact of new diseases.

Territory experience monsoon-

Today, Astralia’s Indigenos poplation is abot 483 000. Indigenos cltres today are diverse and a vital part of Astralia’s national identity. Indigenos people contribte

type rain dring the wet season. In fact, Astralia is so large that it experiences most climatic conditions, ranging from snow and frost to searing heat.

significantly across many fields,

The coldest areas a re in Tasmania

inclding the arts, media, government,

and the alpine areas in the soth-east

academia, sport and bsiness.

highlands of mainland Astralia.

The land an d the environment

Astralia has a great diversity of

Astralia is a niqe land, fll of contrasts.

landscapes with an nsal arr ay of

Astralia is one of the world’s oldest land masses. It is the Earth’s biggest island and the sixth largest contry in

flora and fana and is committed to protecting and conserving its environment and rich, niqe biodiversity.

area in the world. It is also one of the

More than 10 per cent of continental

driest, wit h jst 6 per cent of its land

Astralia – abot 77 million hectares – is

considered sitable for agricltre.

protected. Another 65 million hectares

Astralia’s landmass stretches 4000 kilometres from eas t to west and 3700 kilometres from nor th to soth. In total

of marine areas are also protected, inclding the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park off the North Qeensland coast.

area, it is abot the same size as the

Seventeen parts of Astralia are on the

united States (not inclding Alask a),

World Heritage List, inclding the Great

more than doble the size of India a nd

Barrier Reef, the Tasmanian Wilderness,

32 times the size of the united Kingdom.

the Wet Tropics of Qeensland, K akad

Mch of Astralia’s interior is flat, barren and sparsely poplated. Mch of it is desert. Astralia’s remote inland areas, often referred to as the

Uluru

National Park, ulr-Kata Tjta National Park in the Northern Territory, the Lord Howe Island Grop and the Central

Great Barrier

Eastern Rainforest Reserves of Astralia.

Reef

‘otback’, are an important part of Astralia’s history and mythology.

Diving on the Great Barrier Reef

11


ACT

New South Wales

Victoria

Queensland

Western Australia

South Australia

States and territories

Qa, the second-largest state in

Astralia has six states and two

terms of area, stretches from the tropical

mainland territories.

rainforests of Cape York in the far north

The Ataa Cata Tt is

to the more temperate areas in the

sitated between Sydney and Melborne.

soth-east of the state. The world-famos

It was established in 1911 as the site for

Great Barrier Reef rns along its north-

Canberr a, the nation’s capital. It is home to

eastern coast. The capital of Qeensland

important national instittions, inclding the

is Brisbane. Mining, agricltre and farming

Astralian Parliament, the High Cort of

are central to the Qeensland economy.

Astralia, the National Library, the National

Wt Ataa , the largest state

Gallery and the Astralian War Memorial.

in area, is abot the sa me size as all of

An American architect, Walter Brley

Western Erope. The east of the sta te is

Griffin, designed the city of Canberra.

mostly desert while to the west the state

The name Canberr a comes from a local

is bond by 12 500 kilometres of nspoilt

Aboriginal word meaning ‘meeting place’.

coastline. Abot three-qarters of the

Sydney, the nation’s larges t city, is the

state’s poplation live in Perth, the capital.

capital of nw st Wa . Sydney’s

It is the home to many of the lar ge mining

Harbor Bridge and Opera Hose are

developments of the past 40 years.

national icons, and Sydney Airport is the

The Soth West is a rich agricltral

contry’s major international g ateway.

and wine-growing region.

Sydney was the host city for the Olympic

st Ataa is known as the

Games in 2000 and is the host for

‘Festival State’ with many festivals taking

the largest nmber of Rgby Leage

place there every year. The state has 13

clbs in Astralia. New Soth Wales

wine regions and is a centre for fine food

is characterised by its famos beaches,

and wine. Adelaide, the capital of Soth

inclding Bondi and Manly, and its natral

Astralia, is probably the best preserved

featres sch as the Ble Montains.

of Astralia’s capital cities, with many

Vcta is the smallest of the mainland

fine examples of colonial architectre.

states in area b t the second most

Tamaa is separated from mainland

poplos and the most densely poplated.

Astralia by Bass Strait a nd is the smallest

th

Tasmania

The boom years of the 19 centry left

state in Astralia. With its nspoilt

Victoria with a legacy of fine architectre

wilderness landscapes, it is one of

and ‘Marvellos Melborne’ was renowned

Astralia’s most poplar torist destinations

as one of the great cities of the sother n

for both Astralians and overseas visitors.

hemisphere. Victorians’ enthsiasm for

Every year on 26 December the keenest

sport is legendar y and the nation stops

of sailors race their yachts from Sydney to

each November for the Melborne Cp,

Hobart, Tasmania’s capital, in the nation’s

Astralia’s premier horse race. Victoria is

most hotly contested yachting event.

also the home of the niqely Astralian Northern Territory

football code – Astralian Rles.

12


The nt Tt is twice as big

Along with significant agricltral,

as France bt has a poplation of abot

mining and manfactring sectors,

200 000 people. Darwin, on the northern

Astralia has developed a sophisticated,

coast, is the capital and Alice Springs

knowledge-based economy with

the principal inland town. The Norther n

services acconting for abot 80

Territor y is home to the famos ulr-

per cent of economic activity.

Kata Tjta and Kakad national parks.

Astralian agricltre is largely based on

The Astralian Government also

extensive grazing and farming activities.

administers Ashmore and Cartier

Mch of Astralia’s prodce is exported,

Islands, Christmas Island, the Cocos

with Astralian wool, beef, wheat, dairy

(Keeling) Islands, the Coral Sea

prodcts, sgar and cotton contribting

Islands, Heard Islands, the McDonald

significantly to global markets.

Islands, Norfolk Island and the Astralian Antarctic Territory.

Astralia contines to rank as one of the world’s leading mining nations

Religions

with large deposits of baxite, coal,

Astralia has no official or sta te religion

mineral sands, ranim and zinc.

and all Astralians are free to practise

Trade in natr al resorces is an

any religion they wish. Astralia has

important part of the economy.

a Jdeo-Christian heritage, and two thirds of Astralians describe themselves as Christians. Religions practised in Astralia also inclde Bddhism, Islam, Hindism, Jdaism and many others. People can practise re ligios cstoms

Astralia boasts a highly prodctive, skilled and mltilingal workforce. Stable and transparent instittions mean that it is relatively easy to start a bsiness in Astralia.

and ritals as long as they are not in

Strong trade and investment links mean

conflict with Astralian laws. Religios

that Astralia is well positioned to take

laws are not recognised and have no

advantage of ftre growth in the Asia-

legal stats in Astralia. Astralia ses

Pacific region. Astr alia’s top

a Christian calendar. This means that

for trading partners are

days like Good Friday, Easter Snday

Japan, China, the united

and Christmas Day are pblic holidays.

States and Soth Korea.

The Australian economy

Astralia’s economy is strong, open and competitive. Its average standard of living is among the top 10 in the world and higher than most of the world’s large indstrialised economies.

13


Australia’s name and symbols Australia

of Astralia • TheCommonwealthStar–theseven

word Australis, meaning ‘of the soth’. For

point star nder the union Jack, which

centries, it was legend that there was an

represents the states and territories.

Incognita. This description was sed in

writings abot exploration to the region. The name ‘Astralia’ gained poplar acceptance following the pblication in 1814 of Matthew Flinders’ accont of his circmnavigation of the continent, A Voyage to Terra Australis. Flinders sed

the name ‘Astralia’. Governor Lachlan Macqarie sbseqently sed it in his official reports and recommended it be adopted. In 1824, the British Admiralty agreed that the continent be off icially named ‘Astralia’. Australia’s flags

Astralia has three official flags: Aboriginal f lag

the history of British settlement

The name Astralia derives from the Latin

nknown great soth land – Terra Australis Australian flag

• TheUnionJack–acknowledging

the Astralian flag and special flags for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

In addition, each state and territory has its own flag (see page 12). Aboriginal flag

The Aboriginal flag was first displayed on 12 Jly 1971 on National Aborigines Day in Adelaide, Soth Astralia. It has been an official Astralian flag since 14 Jly 1995. The flag is divided horizontally into two halves. The top is black, representing the Indigenos peoples of Astralia, and the bottom is red, representing the earth. It has a yellow circle in the centre, representing the sn. Torres Strait Isl ander flag

The Torres Strait Islander f lag was adopted in May 1992 dring the Torres Strait Islands Cltral Festival. It has been an official Astralian flag since 14 Jly 1995. The green panels

Australian flag

at the top and bottom of the flag

The design of the Astralian flag was

represent the land and the central ble

chosen after a world-wide competition

panel represents the sea. The black

in 1900. In all, over 32 000 entries were

lines dividing the panels represent

received. The jdges chose five designs

the Torres Strai t Islander people.

that were almost identical. The flag was first f lown on 3 September 1901.

The centre of the flag shows a white dhari (dancer’s headdress) and is a symbol for

The Astralian flag is ble, red

all Torres Strait Islanders. underneath

and white and comprises:

the dhari is a white fi ve-pointed star. The star is an important symbol for

• TheSouthernCross–thefivewhite

stars that repr esent the constellation Torres Strait Islander flag

of stars that can be seen in the sothern hemisphere

14


navigating the sea. The points of the star represent the island gr ops in the Torres Strait and white symbolises peace.

National anthem

National day

Advance Australia Fair is Astralia’s

Astralia Day is celebrated every year

national anthem. It wa s composed by

on 26 Janary. This commemorates the

Peter Dodds McCormick in 1878. It was

landing of the first governor, Arthr

proclaimed the national anthem by the

Phillip, at Sydney Cove in 1788.

Governor-Gener al on 19 April 1984.

The Commonwealth

Coat of Arms

The Coat of Arms is sed by the Australians all let us rejoice, For we are young and free; We’ve golden soil and wealth for toil; Our home is girt by sea; Our land abounds in nature’s gifts

Coat of Arms

Commonwealth to identify its athority and property. The emblem represents the national nity of Astralia. Astralia’s Coat of Arms was granted in 1912 by King George V replacing a previos Coat of Arms that had been created in 1908.

Of beauty rich and rare; In history’s page, let every stage Advance Australia Fair. In joyful strains then let us sing Advance Australia Fair.

The Coat of Arms comprises: • ashieldrepresentingthesixstates,

with a border representing federation • akangarooandanemusupporting

the shield on either side Beneath our radiant Southern Cross

• agoldCommonwealthStarsitting

on a wreath of gold and ble

We’ll toil with heart s and hands; To make this Commonwealth of ours Renowned of all the lands; For those who’ve come across the seas

• abackgroundofAustralianwattle • theword‘A ustralia’.

It is nsal for private people or organisations to se the Coat of Arms.

We’ve boundless plains to share; With courage let us all combine to Advance Australia Fair.

However, the Astralian Government grants permission to se the Coat of Arms, for example, to Astralian national sporting

Other poplar national songs inclde

teams for se on their

Waltzing Matilda, I still call Australia home,

official team niforms.

and I am Australian. Australia Day celebrations

15


Australian floral emblem

The wattle was Astralia’s nofficial national flower for many years. In 1988 the golden wattle, Acacia pycnantha, was declared the national

floral emblem of Astralia. The golden wattle is a small hardy tree which grows mainly in sotheastern Astralia. It has bright green leaves and in spring prodces a great The golden wattle

many golden yellow flower heads. Wattle Day is celebrated on 1 September each year – the fir st day of spring. In addition each state and territory has its own floral emblem. National colours

Astralia’s national colors are green and gold. They featre on the niforms of or national sporting teams.

nATionAl holidAys Fixed dates New Year’s Day 1 Janary Marking the st art of the new year.

Australia Day 26 Janary Commemorates the landing at Sydney Cove in 1788.

Anzac Day 25 April Commemorating the landing of the Astralian and New Zealand Army Corps at Gallipoli in 1915 dring World War I.

Christmas Day 25 December Celebrating the birth of Jess Christ.

Boxing Day 26 December Some people sggest it was a day on which boxing matches were held; or when gifts were given in boxes. Boxing day is considered part of the celebration of Christmas.

Variable dates Labour Day

Australia’s national gemstone

The opal is the national gemstone. In Aboriginal legend, the opal was a gift

Celebrating the eight-hor day (eight hors work , eight hors sleep, eight hors recreation).

from the sky – the fire of the desert – a

ear

rainbow that had toched the earth

Commemorating the death and resrrection of Jess Christ.

and created the colors of the opal.

Queen’s Birthday Currency

Astralia introdced decimal crrency on 14 Febrary 1966. Astralia’s crrency is the Astra lian dollar. One dollar comprises of 100 cents.

Qeen Elizabeth II was bor n on 21 April 1926. Astralians mark the day on the second Monday in Jne. Western Astralia marks i t in late September or early October.

Other public holidays Other pblic holidays are held in different states and cities. For example, the Astralian Capital Territory has Canberra Day, Soth Astralia ha s Volnteer’s Day, Western Astralia has Fondation Day. Melborne has Melborne Cp Day which is held on the first Tesday in November.

16


A t f Ataa

Captain James Cook

The east coast of Astralia was not Early Australia

explored by Eropeans ntil James Cook

Hmans have inhabited Astralia for

reached it in 1770. Cook had been sent

at least 40 000 to 60 000 years. The

by the British Government on a voyage of

Aboriginal people lived as hnters and

discovery to the Soth Pacific. He charted

gatherers. They existed in langage and

the east coast for over for months,

clan grops which occpied different

landing twice, at Botany Bay jst soth

parts of the vast land. It is thoght

of modern Sydney, and near what is now

they came to Astralia throgh what

Cooktown in north Qeensland, where

is now Indonesia sailing across the

he repaired his ship, the Endeavour, which

seas between the islands and the last

had been damaged on the Great Barrier

100 kilometre gap to Astralia.

Reef. On Possession Island in Torres Strait

Early European e xploration

The Endeavour

he claimed this land for King George III.

In the 17 th centry, Portgese and Dtch

The botanist in his exploring party was

explorers discovered parts of what

Joseph Banks, who collected specimens

was called Terra Australis Incognita – the

and observed the native flora and fana

nknown land of the soth. In 1606,

of the continent. The native Astralian

the Dtchman William Jansz landed

plant, the banksia, is named after him.

on the western side of Cape York

Convict settlers

Peninsla, the northern tip of Astralia,

Astralia is niqe in that most of its

and Lis Vaez de Torres, a Portgese

first Eropean settlers were convicts.

in charge of a Spanish expedition, sailed

Britain sed to send its convicts to

throgh the strait to the nor th of the

America bt after the American colonies

continent. Later in the 1600s Dtch

declared their independence in 1776

sailors explored the coast of Western

they refsed to accept them. Convicts

Astralia; Dtch ships were reglarly

then had to be kept in Britain in the

wrecked on this coast on their way to

gaols and on old ships (hlks) moored

the Dtch Eas t Indies (now Indonesia).

in rivers. The nmbers kept monting

The Dtch called this land ‘ New Holland’.

so that a new place had to be fond for

In 1642, Abel Tasman fond the coast

them. In 1786 Britain decided to send

of a new land that he na med ‘Van

them to New Soth Wales, the land

Diemen’s Land’ (now Tasmania) after the

Captain Cook had claimed for Britain

Governor-General of the East Indies.

in 1770. As the possessor of a great empire, Britain also had an eye to the commercial and strategic advantages of having a base in this part of the world. Historians arge abo t how mch this new colony was jst a soltion to the problem of convicts and how mch a strengthening of Britain’s empire.

Captain James Cook

17


The first governor was

positions; they were lawyers, architects,

Captain Arthr Phillip. He

engineers, newspaper reporters

was responsible for bringing

and editors, and school teachers.

the First Fleet of 11 ships safely to the other side of the globe. He took great care over the feeding and welfare of the convicts and very few died on the voyage.

Convict ship

becase he treated reformed convicts as if they had never offended. He invited rich ex-convicts to government hose and expected the free settler s to accept them as eqals. He was a gre at bilder sing

the early years of the colony,

the services of an ex-convict architect

he pt the whole settlement , inclding

Francis Greenway. The convict barracks

himself and the military officers, on the

and St James’ Chrch, two Gree nway-

same ration. It was his determination and

designed bildings, still stand opposite

vision that saw the colony throgh its

each other in Macqarie Stree t, Sydney.

Day, 26 Janar y, commemorates of the landing of Phillip at Sydney Cove in 1788.

After Macqarie’s time Britain tried to remake the colony to ensre that convicts were properly pnished and

The hard work of the early settlement

that they did not live too well, bt it

was done by the forced labor of the

never scceeded in shtting off all the

convicts. They were flog ged if they did

opportnities. The government eventally

not work to their masters’ satisfaction

decided to stop sending convicts.

or if they ran away or got drnk. If they

Convicts stopped coming to mainland

again committed a serios crime, they

Astralia in 1840 and to Tasmania

were sent to a remote settlement or

in 1853. Western Astr alia received

hanged. Bt, from the first, convicts and

convicts at its own r eqest from 1850 to

ex-convicts fond new opportnities

1868. All together, more than 160 000

in this strange colony. The military

convicts were transported to Astralia.

officers sed their time to make money by trading. They employed convicts and ex-convicts to assist them. Soon some of the assistants were setting p in bsiness on their own as merchants. Other ex-convicts got a good living as farmers, tradesmen and shop and pb keepers. Ex-convict women were Macquarie

is remembered with great affection

When starvation loomed in

perilos first years. Astralia’s National

Governor Lachlan

Governor Lachlan Macqar ie (1810-1821)

prominent among these bsinesspeople and enjoyed more freedom than married women in England. Convicts and exconvicts also occpied professional

18


English woman Caroline Chisholm, who came to Astralia with her army officer hsband in 1838, became known a s ‘The Immigrants’ Friend’. She worked to improve life on the ships bringing people to Astralia and helped people start new lives. She fond accommodation and employment for women and girls and started a loan plan to break the cycle of dependence and poverty.

Instead of the convicts, Britain started to

Astralians are reminded of the

send free working men and women to

difficlties of their contry by the

Astralia. The British Government paid

stories of the hardships and disasters

most of the cost of the voyage since it was

of explorers and pioneers.

so expensive to come so far. Then in the 1850s, with the discovery of gold, there was a rsh of people from all rond the globe who were happy to pay their own fares. The convict and ex-convict element in the poplation rapidly diminished. The children of the convicts had al ways been free. From the 1850s the colonists were governing themselves and wanting to bild prosperos and respectable societies. The colonists became ashamed of their convict past and did not talk abot it, thogh the res t of the world did not forget Astralia’s strange origins. From abot the 1960s, after years of shame and denial, Astralians began to be prod of their convict past and many people are now pleased to find a convict ancestor.

The first great barrier the Sydney settlers faced was the montain range only 50 kilometres to the west – the Ble Montains. This is not so mch a montain range as a great tableland ct into deep valleys. Explorers trying to get throgh it wold go p the valleys and then face sheer cliffs. In 1813 three men, Blaxland, Wentwor th and Lawson, got across by going p to the platea and following the ridges. The road and railway across the Ble Montains still follows their rote. Beyond the montains was good open contry sitable for sheep and cattle. Bt soon the explorers were into dry and deser t contry. They had troble finding water and carrying enogh food to srvive. The German-

By embracing their convict past,

born explorer, Ldwig Leichhardt,

Astralians have shown they believe

disappeared while trying to cross the

that this is a better place than the

continent from east to west in 1848.

‘old world’ evidenced by the fact that people driven to crime in Bri tain cold make a fresh start here. Astralians have also become a people who don’t care mch abot a person’s family backgrond or pas t behavior, people tend to be jdged by what they are.

Burke and Wills expedition

In 1860 Robert O’Har a Brke and William John Wills set ot from Melborne to cross the continent from soth to north. They led a large, well eqipped expedition bt they still strck disaster and died. Brke and Wills were not experienced bshmen. Only very late

A harsh country

did they seek and accept help from

Very little of Astralia is fertile

Aboriginal people. Other explorers

contry. It is a hostile environment

took Aboriginal gides and took

for hmankind. The Aboriginal people

care to stay on good terms with the

had learnt to manage and live in this

Aboriginal people on their rote.

environment thogh they too cold sffer in hard times of droght and their poplation remained small. 19


Often they were following Aboriginal

In a dry continent, stor ing and moving

paths and Aboriginal directions. Bt

water has reqired great effort. Gold

the failre of Brke and Wills, t hogh

was discovered in Kalgoorlie in Western

easy to explain, can not easily be forgotten. Their story has inspired great writing and art. It remains

contry. The miners had to se the wind to separate ot the gold from the soil

a symbol of a contry

they had dg. Mining cold only become

that can destroy yo.

a settled indstry if there was a reglar

After the explorers came the Gold nugget

Astralia in the 1890s in semi-desert

first settlers, or pioneers. Even when they had large trac ts of good contry they faced great difficlties. The climate in Astralia is ver y ncertain. After droght can come flood. E ven if the seasons are good, the prices for wheat or wool might fall. Going broke or starting again from scratch are reglar Astralian

water spply. The government engineer Charles O’Connor designed a scheme to dam water near Perth and pmp it over 500 kilometres to the goldfields, then the longest pipeline rnning phill in the world. The critics said the scheme wold fail. It scceeded bt not before O’Connor, worn down by work and criticism, had taken his own life.

experiences on the land. People battle

To revitalise Astralia af ter World War II

on, and a ‘battler’, a person who srvives

the Astralian Government developed a

even if they do not prosper, is an

bold scheme to catch the waters of the

admired figre . Women too have been

Snowy River before they flowed qickly

honored for their part in pioneering,

to the sea in eastern Victoria; divert them

often keeping the bsiness or farm going

to flow inland for irrigation along the

when the man wa s away, or died.

Mrray and Mrrmbidgee rivers, and as

The tradition of mateship – of helping each other ot – owes a lot to the harshness of the contry. It was strong among the working men who travelled throgh the otback doing

they fell into the rivers generate electric power. It was a massive nder taking which took 25 years to complete. Most of the workers were new migrant s to Astralia. The Snowy Montains Scheme is a lasting legacy of their contribtion .

the work of shearing or

Sir Charles Kingsford Smith became an

droving. Bt it became also

international aviation hero in 1928 when

the practice of settlers

he and Charles ulm completed the first

to help each other ot

trans-Pacific crossing from the united

in difficlty, which is still

States to Astralia in the Fokker tr imotor

done, for example, when

Southern Cross . One of his ppils, Nancy

volnteers fight bsh fires.

Bird Walton, became the yongest Astralian woman to gain a pilot’s licence

Workers on the Snowy Mountains Scheme

and went on to become the first woman to be employed in the aviation indstry.

20


Diggers

Corps. Anzac Day is now an opportnity

Except for small scale battles between

to honor all those who have died in wa r.

settlers and Aboriginal people,

It is a military celebration only in a limited

Astralia has been a remarkably

sense. It does not honor victories – the

peacefl contry. There have been no

Gallipoli campaign was a failre; it honors

civil wars or revoltions. It is strange,

the qalities of the ordinary soldier:

then, that it has a very strong military

mateship, endrance, hmor in the face

tradition and that the ordinar y soldier,

of adversity. One individal soldier on

the digger, is a national hero.

Gallipoli has come to stand for all these

The first settlers were very loyal to the British Empire. As a Eropean otpost on the edge of Asia they also felt they were in danger, especially after Japan became a great power. They needed the Empire and its great fleet to defend them. Astralia foght with Britain in both World Wars to keep the Empire strong and so protect itself. Astralian soldiers enter ed World War I in 1915 with an attack on Germany’s ally, Trkey. They were part of a large contingent of British and French troops bt the Astralians and New Zealanders were given their own sector of the Gallipoli Peninsla to attack . They were pt ashore in the wrong place and had to scale almost perpendiclar cliffs nder enemy fire. They got p the cliffs and dg in. This was acknowledged as an amazing feat of arms. Astralians at home took tremendos pride in their soldiers. The soldiers had laid to rest the dobts that British colonists had gone soft in snny Astralia, or were infected with bad convict blood, or were too ill-disciplined to be good soldiers. The date of the landing at Gallipoli

qalities – John Simpson Kirkpatrick, who served as Private Simpson in the field amblance. He acqired a donkey and was allowed to work on his own carrying the wonded back to the shore. He and his donkey were killed one month after the landing. There are states to Simpson and his donkey at the War

Gallipoli Peninsula

Memorials in Canberra and Melborne. After withdrawing from Gallipoli the Astralian soldiers foght on the western front in France. Here they acqired the name ‘diggers’, allegedly becase a soldier said to an officer: ‘we are not soldiers we are diggers’ becase they spent so mch time digging and repairing trenches. John Monash became the commander of the Astralian forces. He was one of the most creative generals in the war and the only Astralian general who has come close to having heroic stats. He careflly planned advances to ensre his men were well protected and, with his care and with the dash and daring of his troops, he won great victories in the last battles against Germany.

Anzac diggers

Monash was a part-time soldier who, before the war, had been an engineer.

(25 April) is the nofficial national day; it is called Anzac Day sing the acronym for the Astralian and New Zealand Army

21


Red poppies have been used as a symbol of remembrance since World War 1

In World War II Astralians foght in the

One of the sharpest Astralian

desert of North Africa and many other

memories of the war is the crel

theatres. In North Africa, they withstood

treatment meted ot to these men by

a long siege by the Germans and Italians

the Japanese. Many died bt Astralians

in the town of Tobrk. The enemy called

looked after each other better than

them the ‘Rats of Tobrk’ becase they

the other captives and made less

were cornered a nd scavenging for food,

distinction between officers and men.

bt they held ot in appalling conditions and adopted this name for themselves. The siege confirmed that these soldiers had the fighting spiri t of the World War I diggers; the soldiers themselves knew they had a great tradition to live p to. After Japan lanched its war in the Pacific the Astralian soldiers came home. Bt before these battle-hardened troops cold arrive, the defence of Papa and New Ginea fell to a limited nmber of reglar soldiers and to yong conscript soldiers poorly trained and eqipped. Their battlefield was the jngle and the way to the

The hero of this dreadfl captivity was a doctor, Edward ‘Weary’ Dnlop, who protected his men at the r isk of his own life and who ran the makeshift operating room that helped keep men alive. As well as the Anzac Day ceremonies, Remembrance Day is also a day on which Astralians remember those who have served and died in war. At 11am on 11 November each year Astralians pase to remember the sacrifice of those men and women who died or sffered in wars and conflict s and all those who served dring the past 100 years.

enemy was p a steep mddy trail

Astralian soldiers off the battlefield had

known as the Kokoda Track. The

a tendency to be ‘lar rikins’. Yet in recent

Astralian troops stopped the

years they have gained a high reptation

Japanese advance and the Kokoda

as peacekeepers. This can be explained

Track has joined A nzac Cove on

becase they are reglar soldiers

Gallipoli as a place of pilgrimage.

nder tight discipline, not volnteers

When the Japanese took the great

for a particlar war, bt retaining their

British base at Singapore, 15 000

Astralian character and style. It has

Astralian troops were among

been observed that they get closer to the

those taken into captivity and to

people they are protecting; recognise that

work on the Thai-Brma railway.

everyone mst be treated as an eqal and given a fair go; and they will pitch in and help ot in r ebilding commnities.

A wounded soldier on the Kokoda Track helped by a Papuan carrier

22


The AnZAC leGend The Anzac tr adition was for ged on 25 April 1915 when the Astralian a nd New Zealand Army Corps (Anzac) landed on the Gallipoli Peninsla in Trkey. It marked the start of a campaign which lasted eight months and reslted in some 25 000 Astralian casalties, inclding 8700 who were killed or died of wonds or disease. The bravery and spirit of those who served on the Gallipoli Peninsla shaped a legend, and so ‘Anzac’ became par t of the Astralian and New Zealand lexicon. In 1916, the first anniversary of the landing was observed in Astralia, New Zealand, England and by troops in Egypt. In that year, 25 April was named ‘Anzac Day’ By the 1920s, Anzac Day ceremonies were held throghot Astralia and the st ates had designated Anzac Day a s a pblic holiday. Major war memorials were bilt in the capital cities, and cenotaphs in cities and towns across the nation recall the yong men and women killed in that and later conflicts. Today, Anzac Day is commemorated at Gallipoli and at the si te of the ThaiBrma Railway, dring the constrction of which nder the Japanese dring World War II, thosands of Astralian and British prisoners-of-war and Thais died. Over the ensing decades, retrned Astralian servicemen and women from World War II, and from conflicts in Malaya, Indonesia, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and elsewhere, as well as peacekeepers and veterans from allied contries prodly march in Anzac Day parades. Anzac Day parade

23


Economy and politics

wold have happened withot the Ereka

The first British settlers came to Astralia

rebellion bt over the years it has become

jst as Britain was changing rapidly into

a symbol of protest and poplar rights.

the first indstrialised contry in the world. Astralia became a prosperos contry very qickly becase it cold grow wool to spply the English woollen

over, there was a great str ggle to take land away from the people who ran sheep

mills. The wool indstry provided work

and cattle (the ‘sqatters’) and open it p

at high wages in the bsh and in the cities,

as farms for the workingman. The political

which processed and exported the f leece

battle was won bt far ming did not make

as Astralia qickly became the biggest

mch inroad into the sqatters’ territory.

wool exporter in the world. Then in the

The farmers faced a difficlt environment

1850s the discovery of gold gave Astralia

and, ntil the railways were bilt, were far

a new sorce of wealth and attracted

from markets. The opportnity to earn high

people from arond the world. Gold gave

wages in the cities always made a hard life

ordinary men the chance to become rich.

on the land, for little reward, nattractive.

Some did, thogh most made not mch more than wages and were soon looking for work again. Gold digging soon shifted into a bsiness organised by companies. By arond 1890 it is possible that Astralia had the highest standard of living in the world. The goldfields are remembered as the great democratic moment in Astralia’s past. Men of every sort were digging and calling each other ‘mate’, the term that wold eventally be sed everywhere. At the Ballarat goldfield in 1854 the gold diggers staged a large protest at the harsh way the government officials ran the gold field, especially the collection of the licence fee to dig for gold. They called for the end to the licence and the establishment of a democratic and repblican government.A Stump jump plough

In the 1860s, after the f irst gold rshes were

small grop bilt a stockade on the site of the Ereka mining lead and flew their rebel flag with the Sothern Cross on it.

Farming did do well in Soth Astralia and here the Astralian tradition of inventing labor-saving devices for farming began. The stripper harvester (1840s) and the stmp-jmp plogh (1870s) were among the ingenios devices invented. Astralia enjoyed a long period of prosperity from the gold rshes ntil the 1890s. Wool was still the staple export bt manfactring for local consmption (clothing, footwear, food and drink) and bilding were important parts of the economy in a society where cities had always been large. The living standard was the highest in the world. Astralian workers were the first to enjoy an eight-hor working day. It was possible for working men in the cities to become homeowners in the sbrbs, which was something nheard of in Britain, Ireland and the other contries migrants had come from.

The government officials sent soldiers to

Then depression and droght strck.

attack the stockade on the morning of

Working men who, in good times, had

3 December 1854 and the gold diggers

bilt p strong trade nions called strikes

were soon overpowered and abot 30

to protect their wages and conditions and

killed. The gaining of democratic reforms

were defeated in disptes more bitter than

24


Astralia had seen. The workers trned

small farmers while its more radical

to politics and in 1891 created the Labor

members wanted government to

Party whose first task was to restore and

take over indstries so they were

improve the workers’ wages and conditions.

not rn for profit. The Liberals

There was a degree of sympathy from

were sspicios of government and

many middle class people for the plight of

encoraged individal enterprise while

the workers, for ever yone believed that in

the more radical wanted to roll back

Astralia there shold be no poverty and

the level of government activity.

no harsh conflicts. This led to the creation of official boards and commissions which set wages and attempted to prevent strikes. The Commonwealth Arbitration Cort in 1907 set a minimm wage so that a working man, his wife and three children cold live in decent comfort (the Harvester jdgement).

Despite these party differences, the amont of government activity in the economy in the first 70 years of the 20 th centry was very high. If wages were to be kept high, manfactrers had to be protected from foreign competition so that they cold pay them.

Edith Cowan became the first woman

Farmers who sold their prodce in world

parliamentarian when she was elected

markets cold only pay high wages and

to the Western Astralian Parliament

afford the high cost of manfactred goods

in 1921. It was not for another 20 years

if the government assisted in the marketing

ntil another woman, Enid Lyons (later

of their crops. The Contry Party, formed

Dame Enid Lyons), was elected to the

after World War I, at first wanted to redce

Commonwealth Parliament in 1943.

protection for local indstry. Failing that, it

Abot 1900 Astralia became known as the social laboratory of the world. Political rights were widespread. Most men had had the vote from the 1850s; women then gained the vote, in Soth Astralia first

arged that farmers, as the earners of export income, shold get every possible assistance. In the 1980s the Contry Party changed its name to the National Par ty. usally it acts in coalition with the Liberal Party.

in 1894 and in the new Commonwealth

From the 1980s more and more exper ts

in 1902. Governments were active in

arged that the economy wold grow

protecting wages and living conditions, giving

more strongly if it was not protected in so

help to farmers and pensions to the old.

many ways by the government. Dring the

As the Labor Party grew, all other parties combined into a Liberal Party in 1910. This party has had many names. Between the wars it became the Nationalist Party and the united Astralia Party before emerging again as the Liberal Par ty in 1944.

A soup kitchen during the depression

1980s and 1990s Astralian governments took this advice. They opened p the economy by floating the dollar, ctting back on tariff protection, selling off government enterprises and abandoning the central control of wages. Both major parties now see Astralia’s ftre in a global economy

One difference between the parties was

with prosperity depending on leaving

that Labor was more ready to se the

indstries to the discipline of the market.

government to help the workers and

25


Sport

Astralia was noted and criticised for being a sports-crazy nation very early in i ts history.

Astralians became prod of themselves becase of their achievements in sport and this was par ticlarly so in regard to cricket. When the Astralian

The English were a keen sporting

cricketers first beat the English in

people bt in Astralia more people

England in 1882, the enthsiasm in

cold watch and participate in sport.

Astralia was immense. As a joke, an

This was partly becase people

English newspaper said English cricket

had more leisre time and earned

was dead, the body was to be brned

more money and partly becase

and the ashes sent to Astralia. The

the climate was good and there was

competition for ’The Ashes’ – the test

plenty of open space to play in, eve n

matches between the two contries – is

within the cities. What otsiders

still the international sporting event in

also noted was that nearly everyone

which Astralians take most interest.

followed the great sporting events.

Sir Donald Bradman

Sporting was national in another sense.

Sir Donald Bradman was the greatest

The Melborne Cp, starting in 1861,

cricket batsman of all time. He was

was the horse race with the r ichest

small and slight bt amazingly qick on

prize. It became a national event. The

his feet, playing his shots almost like a

day of the race is sti ll a pblic holiday

machine. On his first tor of England

in Melborne and, from the time of

in 1930 he broke nearly all the batting

the invention of the telegraph, the

records. The team he led in England

whole contry has known the reslt

in 1948 is known as the ‘Invincibles’

and been able to collect their winnings

becase they did not lose a single

within a few mintes of the race being

match. Among all Astralian sporting

won. It is still known as ‘the race that

heroes, Bradman is the best known.

stops the nation’. Many Astralians cont the years by the name of the horse that won the Cp. The great winners have become national heroes. Phar Lap, the most famos of them, won the Melbor ne Cp in 1930 in the depth of the Depression. He started as favorite, won easily and made many people happy in dark days. Phar Lap was taken to the united States to race and died soon afterwards. Phar Lap’s body is in the Melborne Msem and his great heart in the National Msem in Canberra. Phar Lap

26


Other sportspeople also excelled:

New Soth Wales

Sir Hbert Opperman as a long-

and Qeensland.

distance cyclist, Walter Lindrm

More recently

on the billiards table.

Soccer has at tracted

In the 1950s it was tennis in which Astralia were world beaters. Here the

a large following among yong people.

chief opponent was not England bt the

Staging the Olympic

united States and again a small nation

Games has been a great

gained in pride by beating a great one.

boost to Astralian pride.

Sedgman and McGregor, Hoad and

When Melborne staged

Rosewall carried Astralia to victories

the Games in 1956,

in the international competition, the

Astralians felt that they

Davis Cp. In t he 1960s and 1970s two

were for this moment not

women players, Margaret Cor t and

a small isolated contry a

Evonne Goolagong, won all the great

long way away from the great

international competitions and Rod

centres of the globe. For the first time

Laver became the first player to twice

the world’s athletes were gathering

win the ‘Grand Slam’ – the Astralian,

in the sothern hemisphere. When

French and united States Opens as

Sydney staged the games in 2000 the

well as Wimbledo n – in the one year.

nation was more self-confident.

Astralians invented one game of

The opening ceremony displayed

their own, Astralian Rles Football,

Astralian cltral icons in a light-

which was developed in Melborne

hearted way, Aboriginal cltre

in the late 1850s. Its rles were a

was celebrated and an Aboriginal

mixtre of the rles of the varios

athlete, Cathy Freeman, lit the

codes of football in England bt

Olympic caldron. The volnteers

perhaps with a local element. The

who assisted the smooth rnning

Aboriginal people played a game of

of the Games were another way

football and it may have been their

that Astralia demonstrated

games that inflenced the Astralian

its character to the world.

Australian Rules Football

game to be open and fast, with long kicking and high catches (‘marks’). While Astralian Rles became the dominant game of football in for states – Victoria, Soth Astralia, Western Astralia and Tasmania – Rgby Leage and Rgby union (originally

Soccer

an amater game) were poplar in

27


An Arthur Streeton landcsape

Nation

From the 1880s a new poplar Astralian

The fonding poplation of Astralia wa s

literatre emerged. Henry Lawson and

made p of the English, Scots and Ir ish.

A B (Banjo) Paterson wrote verse and

They were different people with different

stories abot ordinary life with a great

traditions and had been in the past at war

respect for ordinary people. They broght

with each other. The Irish were the most

tales of bsh life to the city whe re most of

distinct grop, separated by their Catholic

the people lived. One of Paterson’s verses

religion and their bitterness at rle by

Waltzing Matilda has become an nofficial

the English. In this new contry the three

national anthem. Otsiders wonder at

grops mixed in with each other and

a nation that celebrates a tramp who

did not live in separate commnities.

steals a sheep and then kills himself

On the whole they did not want old-

rather than being taken by the police.

world disptes and bitterness to take

Henry Lawson’s mother, Loisa

root here. Both the Scots and Ir ish did

Lawson, was a newspaper propr ietor,

not want the English to rle over them

jornalist, poet and feminist whose

and the Chrch of England soon lost

jornalistic and political efforts did

its privileged place in Astralia. The

mch to make the vote for women a

Scots were prominent in edcation

precondition for a federated Astralia

and bsiness. The Irish, less well edcated, took nskilled jobs bt

At the same time a grop of yong

some florished in small bsinesses.

artis ts began to paint in the new

Their lively spirit made its mark on

impressionist way. They became known

the emerging Astralian identity.

as the ‘Heidelberg School’ becase that village otside Melborne was one of

The six self-governing colonies of

the places where they set p camp. At

Astralia came together in a federation

first, like the French impressionists, they

in 1901. Before then a common sense

painted every-day scenes and were not

of national belonging had already grown

interested in pictres with a message.

p. The feeling is caght in the motto

Bt then in the 1890s they reached for

‘Advance Astralia Fair ’ and the song

an art that wold embody the nation.

of that name writ ten by Peter Dodds

Arthr Streeton flooded his pictres

McCormick and fir st sng in Sydney

with light; Tom Roberts painted shear ers

in 1878. It is now the national an them.

at work; Fred McCbbin depicted that

The song depicts Astralia a s a yong

reglar nightmare, a child lost in the bsh.

and free land, kept safe by the encircling sea, where there is oppor tnity for all.

Dame Nellie Melba was Astralia’s first international prima donna. She dominated the world’s opera stages for almost 40 years, winning acclaim at Covent Garden, London, the Metropolitan Opera, New York and most of the wor ld’s leading

Dame Nellie Melba

opera hoses before retir ing in 1928.

28


Astralians had also become conscios

He gave his speech at Tenterf ield near

of the need to keep ot the people who

the Qeensland border. He managed

seemed to threaten their new way of

to assemble a convention of all the

life. The colonies took common action in

colonies in 1891 and for a constittion

1888 to limit severely Chinese migration

to be written. Bt there was too mch

even thogh the nmbers arriving were

opposition to it, especially in Par kes’s own

relatively small. The colonists, like most

colony of New Soth Wales and it lapsed.

people then, believed that there were differences between races and that the Chinese were inferior, bt they also did not want a society with deep divisions or where foreign otcasts worked for low wages and lowered the dignity of all labor.

The federal movement revived in 1893 and was rn on a novel basis. The electors chose the members of the next constittional convention and they voted at referendm on whe ther to accept the constittion it drafted or not. After two

The colonies had developed separately

ronds of referendms the constittion

and, in the absence of a strong otside

was accepted. This was another sign of

threat, it wold be difficlt to bring them

how progressive Astralia was, basing the

together. It took two attempts. In 1889

new nation on the wishes of the people.

the grand old man of New So th Wales politics, Sir Henry Parkes, issed a call for a strong new nation to be formed.

Edmund Barton, our first Prime Minister

The first Astralian Government was sworn in before a hge crowd in Sydney’s Centennial Park on 1 Janary 1901, the first day of the new centry. The Prime

‘There is no other way for true

Minister of the new nation was Edmnd

federation of this Australasia

Barton, who had led the movement

than to unite under one great

for federation in New Sot h Wales;

government. It will be a fatal mistake to curtail the power of the government we shall create when we are one as an Australian nation,

his depty Alfred Deakin, had led the movement in Victoria and became the second Prime Minister when Barton retired in 1903. Sir Henry Parkes ‘the Father of Federation’ had died in 1896.

as brave and as powerful as any other nation on the face of the

Astralia was now a nation bt still

earth, when we shall have become

within the British Empire. It did not

‘one people, with one destiny’,

acqire fll powers over defence

and when we shall be bound together by that crimson thread of kinship that can never perish.’ - Sir Henr y Parkes, 1891

and foreign affairs ntil 1931. Thogh national feeling had grown, the sense of being British as well as Astralian was still strong. Parkes had appealed to this feeling to bring the colonists together by saying that the ‘crimson thread of kinship’ ran throgh them all.

29


Migrants still came overwhelmingly

The new migration programme worked

from Brita in. The new nation also

well and the new migrants were giving

declared that it was to be white;

a new variety and vigor to Astralian

the exclsion of Chinese and

life. In 1967 the dismantling of t he

other Asians was to contine.

White Astralia Policy began and in

World War II called into qestion Astralia’s British identity. The British Empire cold not defend Astralia against the Japanese and the government looked to the united States for assistance. Af ter the war, to bild p its poplation, Astralia operated a largescale programme to bring migrants from the contries of Erope, not jst Britain. In 1951 the ANZuS Treaty

1973 migration was placed on a totall y non-discriminatory basis. Vietnamese, Chinese and Indians arrived and then migrants and refgees from the MiddleEast and Africa . Astralia became a nation of all the lands, one of the great sccesses of the modern world, and has taken in a high propor tion of newcomers in a shor t space of time. Twenty-two per cent of Astralians are born overseas.

with the united States was signed.

The inflence of Britain srvives in

Still the Britishness of Astralia did not

Astralia’s instittions, in many of its

disappear ntil Britain itself abandoned its

vales and, of corse, in its common

leadership of the British Commonwealth

langage – English. The formal ties with

by applying to join the Eropean union

Britain have diminished over time. The

in the 1960s. Astralia was on its own.

Qeen still appoints the Governor-

Already its trade with Britain had become less important; by 1967 Japan had become Astralia’s leading trading partne r.

European migrants arrivi ng in the 1950s

30


General on the advice of the Astralian Prime Minister. An attempt to make Astralia a repblic was defeated in 1999.

AusTrAliAn nobel lAureATes Astralia has become renowned for scientific and medical research. Nine Astralians have been made Nobel Lareates in these fields. Wam bagg (1862–1942) and lawc bagg (1890–1971) Physicists,

William Bragg (father) and Lawrence Br agg (son) were joint winner s of the Nobel Prize in Physics 1915, ‘for their services in the analysis of crystal strctre by means of X-rays’. hwa Wat F (1898–1968) Pathologist . Born in Adelaide, Soth

Astralia, Florey received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1945 (jointly) ‘for the discovery of penicillin and its crative effect in varios infectios diseases’. s Fak Macfaa bt (1899–1985) Medical Scientist and Biologist .

Born in Victoria, Brnet was awarded The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1960 (joint ly), ‘for discovery of acqired immnological tole rance’. J Caw ecc (1903–1997) Physiologist . Eccles was born in Melborne

and received the Nobel Pr ize in Physiology or Medicine 1963 (jointly) ‘for discoveries concerning the ionic mechanisms involved in excitation and inhibition in the peripheral and central portions of the nerve cell membrane’. J Wac Cft (1917–2007) Chemist. Cornforth was born in

Sydney, and received the Nobe l Prize in Chemistr y 1975 (jointly) ‘for his wor k on the s tereochemistry of enzyme-catalyzed reactions’. pt dt (1940–) Immunologist . Peter Doherty was born in Qeensland

and received the Nobel Pr ize for Physiology or Medicine 1996 (jointly) ‘for discoveries concerning the specificity of the cell mediated immne defence’. ba Maa (1951–) and r Wa (1937–)Doctor , Barry Marshall

and pathologist Robin Warren were joint winners of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2005 for their discovery of ‘the bacterim Helicobacter pylori and its role in gastritis and peptic lcer disease’. Astralia also has one Literatre Nobel Lareate. patck Wt (1912–1990) Novelist and playwright . Born in London to

Astralian parents, White was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literatre in 1973 ‘for an epic and psychological narrative art which has introdced a new continent to literatre’.

31


Aboriginal people

New Zealand the British government did

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

make treaties with Indigenos people.

People have been living in Astralia for between 40 000 – 60 000 years.

The early governors were nevertheless

Astralian Indigenos cltre is the

told to ensre that Aboriginal people

oldest srviving cltre in the world.

were not harmed. Of corse the taking of their land and the arrival of thosands of

There were hndreds of Indigenos

foreigners harmed them. This contradiction

commnities living in Astralia before

made it impossible for governments to

settlement, which were all cltrally and

effectively protect Aboriginal peoples.

lingistically diverse from one another. Didgeridoos

More than 700 langages were spoken pre-

Officially the Aboriginals had the protection

settlement with arond 250 still active today.

of British law, bt it was extremely rare for white settlers on the frontier to be

Aboriginal cltres have strong

broght to cort or pnished for killing

hnter-gatherer traditions bt have

Aboriginal people. Occasionally the

always had great respect and care

governors themselves athorised pnitive

for the natral environment.

expeditions against Aboriginal people who

Aboriginal peoples often refer to the

had speared settlers or taken sheep and

The Dreaming as a way to explain the

cattle. In the second half of the 19 th centry

natral world and creation. The Dreaming

in Qeensland, when the settlers controlled

tells of the jorney and the actions of

the government, a force of native police

Ancestral Beings who created the world.

was rthless in killing Aboriginal people

It is believed The Dreaming is infinite

who resisted the taking of their land.

and links the past with the present.

The Aboriginal people were not withot

Dreamtime stories which talk abot the

friends. Some sqatters were able to

Ancestors and Creation of the land give

maintain good relations with them and

significance to all aspects of the landscape.

employed them on their sheep rns.

Aboriginal descendants of particlar

Missionaries attempted to convert them

Ancestral Beings have a very special

to Christianity bt with only very limited

relationship with the featres of the land

sccess. Governor Macqarie (1810-1821)

associated with the Ancestor. The

took a special interest in them, rnning a

sccess of Astralia was bilt on

school for their children and offering them

lands taken from Aboriginal people

land for farming. Bt very few Aboriginal

after Eropean settlement in 1788.

people were willing to move into Eropean society; they were not very interested

The British Government did not

in what the Eropeans had to offer.

consider that it had to make a Aboriginal people an artist’s impression

treaty with the Aboriginal tribes,

There has been great debate abot how

who seemed to them to have no

many Aboriginal people were killed in the

firm attachment to the land and did not

frontier battles. Many more Aboriginal

cltivate it. By contrast, America and

people than settlers were killed. Everyone agrees that the greatest killer of Aboriginal

32


people was disease. The fall in poplation

condemned and the new united

was immense, and where white settlement

Nations issed its Universal Declaration

was dense, catastrophic. In Victoria an

of Human Rights. In the 1940s and

original poplation of 10 000 in the 1830s

1950s Government policy changed

was redced to a mere 1907 in 1853.

to the assimilation of Aboriginals and

After the frontier battles were over, Aboriginal people srvived on the edges of society, taking casal work or begging; on the remote cattle stations they became the labor force (with no wages). Governments provided handots of food and set aside small reserves in recognition of the great losses they had sffered. On some mission stations and reserves, settled commnities began to emerge. This worried the governments for a growing proportion of the people on the reserves were mixed blood. Thogh fll-blood Aboriginal people were disappearing fast,

in the 1960s to the integration of Aboriginal people into white society. Their civil rights and the right to vote were restored to them. The Astralian people showed their willingness to see Aboriginal people become fll members of Astralian society when in 1967 they gave an overwhelming YES vote (90 per cent) to a proposal to change the Aboriginal sections of the Constittion. Aboriginal people were now to be conted in the censs and the Astralian Government was given power to pass laws on Aboriginal affairs.

it looked as if there wold be an ongoing

However, jst at this time, Aboriginal

separate grop of Aboriginal people.

leaders, with many white spporters,

In the years arond 1900 the colonial and state governments moved to a policy of firmly confining Aboriginal people on their reserves or ensring that they disappeared into the wider society.

adopted a more separatist policy: Aboriginal people shold own their traditional lands and, on them, maintain their traditional cltre. The High Cort in its 1992 Mabo decision restored nsold land to

Aboriginal people if they had maintained

To manage this process they took away

their traditional ties to it. As a reslt

their civil rights. Aboriginal people cold be

Aboriginal people have become owners of

told where to live, had to seek permission

vast areas of otback Astralia. Here

to marry and cold have their children

aspects of traditional society do

taken from them. There has been a

srvive. Aboriginal art and dance

great debate too on the intent of these

florish and are widely admired

policies, particlarly over the forcible

in the broader commnity. Bt

removal of children from their parents.

many of the Aboriginal people in these remote locations do not

By the 1920s small Aboriginal grops were

live well. This is a great dilemma

protesting at the policy of protection and

facing Astralian society.

th

in 1938, the 150 anniversary of white settlement, Aboriginal people staged a

Astralia faces an ongoing

day of morning in Sydney. Policy changed,

challenge to ensre that the

bt more becase after World War II

Aboriginal people flly share in

world opinion had changed; racism was

the life and prosperity of the nation.

A traditional Aboriginal dance being performed

33


PARt thRee gOVeRning the COuntRY

Government in Australia As a citizen you can personally make a difference to Australia by voting for a suitable person to represent you in parliament. Every vote counts. As an Astr alian citizen yo have yor

Astralian citizen. This means yo can

say in how the contry is r n. Voting

stand as a candidate to represent other

in elections means yo can personally

Astralians in any of the three levels of

make a difference to Astralia by

government: federal, state and territory

freely voting for a sitable person

Parliaments, or on local concils.

to represent yo in parliament (a grop of people elected by voters to make laws on their behalf). Ther e is a Commonwealth Parliament as well as a parliament in each of the states and territories. There are also local concils.

The Australian Constitution

Astralia is an independent nation. The Astralian Constittion was originally passed as part of a British Act of Parliament in 1900 and took effect on 1 Janary 1901. However, the

Yor local member is there to serve

Constittion was drafted at a series of

yo in the Parliament. This means

conventions attended by representatives

yo, and yor fellow Astralians, a re

of the Astralian colonies and approved

able to inflence the administration,

by the people of those colonies at a

laws and policies of government.

series of referendms. The Astralian

Yo have both a right and responsibility to vote in federal, state (or territory)

Constittion sets ot the basic rles for the government of Astralia. Queen Eli zabeth 11

parliamentar y and concil elections. If yo

Astralia is a federal nation. The

are over 18, and an Astralian citizen, it is

Constittion establishes a federal

complsory to enrol to vote. If yo don’t

system which involves a national

attend a polling booth to vote in

government and state governments.

an election yo will have to pay a fine,

It is also a parliamentar y democracy.

nless yo can give a good rea son for

The Constittion establishes a national

not doing so.

parliament which is elected by the

Voting is by secret ballot. Voters pt their votes into a sealed box (a ballot box) so that no one can k now how they have voted. Impartial electoral officers check that the election is condcted correctly and that the conting of votes is honest.

Astralian people on a reglar basis. Astralia is a constittional monarchy. The Qeen’s role is established by the Constittion. However, the Qeen does not play a day-to-day role in Astralian government. The GovernorGeneral, appointed by the Qeen on

Standing for pblic office in an Astralian parliament is another way yo can participate in rnning the contry as an

the advice of the Prime Minis ter, is the Qeen’s representative in Astralia.

35


The Governor-General normally acts on

The new bilding took seven years to

the advice of the Prime Minister and other

constrct and was opened on

ministers of the Astralian Government.

9 May 1988 by Qeen Elizabeth II .

Astralian national government also

The Exective Government encompasses

draws on American democratic

not only government ministers, bt

traditions. Astralia’s Constittion is a

also the Astralian Pblic Service

written docment which establishes a

and other Astralian Government

‘separation of powers’ at the national

agencies. Ministers are a ppointed by

level. This means that the Constittion

the Governor-General on the advice

establishes three separate arms of

of the Prime Minister, who is generally

national government – a legislative arm,

the parliamentary leader of the party

an exective arm and a jdicial arm –

or coalition of parties with a majority

and distribtes powers between them.

of parliamentarians in the Hose of

The Prime Minister is the head of the Astralian Government, which has as its principal decision-making body a grop of ministers known collectively as the Cabinet.

Representatives. Ministers, with the assistance of their ‘departments’, develop government policy. They also administer the laws made by parliament with the assistance of government departments and other agencies. Departments are

The Commonwealth Parliament is the

the main administrative agencies and are

national law-making body and is at the

staffed by pblic servant s. A change of

heart of Astralian national government.

government at a federal elec tion may lead

The Parliament has two ‘Hoses’, the

to changes. New departments may be

Hose of Representatives and the Senate,

formed or existing departments merged.

in which elected members and senators sit to consider proposed laws and condct the other bsiness of the Parliament.

The Jdiciary encompasses the federal cort system, which incldes the High Cort of Astralia, the

The Parliament has been hosed in

Federal Cort of Astralia, the Family

three bildings since federation in 1901.

Cort of Astralia and the Federal

At federation there was no capital city

Magistrates Cort. The High Cort

so the federal Parliament met in the

is the highest cort in Astralia.

Victorian state parliament ntil 1927, when the provisional Parliament Hose was opened in Canberra. Dring the 1960s and 1970s, the provisional bilding became seriosly over-crowded and a competition was condcted to design a new bilding ready for the celebration of Astralia‘s bicentennial year in 1988.

36


When the Astralian Constittion came into effect on 1 Janary 1901, the six colonies became the six states of Astralia. The Constittion allows each state to make laws with respect to the affairs of t hat state. However, laws of the Commonwealth Parliament prevail over state laws if ther e is any inconsistency.

leVels oF GoVernMenT The Astralian (federal) Government is responsible for national laws inclding: • taxation • theeconomy • immigrationandcitizenship • employment • postalservicesandtelecommunications • socialsecurity(pensionsandfamilysupport) Provisional Parliament House in Canberra opened in 1927

• defenceforces • tr ade • airportsandairsafety • relationswithothercountries(foreignaffairs)

The state and territory governments are primarily responsible in their state or territory for carrying ot the laws passed by their Parliaments in relation to: • hospitals • schools • railways • roads • forestry • police

Local governments (or concils) are responsible for local, town or city matters inclding: • streetsignsandtrafficcontrols • dr ains • childimmunisation • parks,playgrounds,swimmingpoolsandsportsgrounds • foodandmeatinspection • noiseandanimalcontrol • librariesandhalls • rubbishcollection • buildingpermits • localroads,bridgesandfootpaths • localenvironmentalissues

New Parliament House in Canberra opened in 1988

37


For  Coowa Para

All Australian citizens aged 18 years and over are required to enrol to vote.

A general election is held

The Government is formed

The leader of the par ty (or coalition of parties) that wins the majority of seats in the Hose of Representatives becomes the head of the Gover nment, or Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is the leader of the whole nation and the spokesperson for Astralia at international meetings and events.

The political par ty that wins the second largest nmber of seats is known as the Opposition. Its leader is k nown as the Leader of the Opposition whose role is to check what the Government is doing and to present other ideas on how to rn the contry.

Ministers are appointed

The Prime Minister chooses members or senators to become ministers whose role is to administer portfolios, for example health or e dcation. Ministers are chosen from all states and territories.

The Cabinet is formed

Ministers with the most senior portfolios make p the Cabinet, which is the key decision making body of the government .

38


The Constittion also provides for

laws made, a majority of Members

Commonwealth territories, of which there

of the Hose of Representatives

are now a nmber. In the Northern

and of Senators mst agree.

Territory, the Astralian Capital Territory and the Territory of Norfolk Island the Commonwealth parliament has established governmental arrangements which are similar to state governmental

It mst also be signed by the Governor-Gener al. The process of signing by the Governor-General is known as Royal Assent.

arrangements. State parliaments have

Our Head of State

also established bodies, generally

Astralia’s constittional Head of State

known as local governments, with

is Qeen Elizabeth II. The Qeen

responsibilities in relation to particlar

appoints the Governor-General as

cities or regions. Local governments

her representative in Astralia. She

have only limited law-making powers.

does so on the advice of the Pr ime

The Astralian Constittion can be changed only by a law passed by the Commonwealth Parliament and

Minister. The Governor-General is not aligned to any political party and is Astralia’s effective Head of State.

approved by a majority of voters across

On the Qeen’s behalf, and on the

Astralia and in a majority of states.

advice of government ministers,

This process is called a referendm.

the Governor-General:

Since Federation in 1901 only eight ot of 44 proposals to amend the Constittion have been approved.

• signsalllawspassedbythe

Parliament (Royal Assent) • signsdelegatedlegislation(regulations)

Laws are the end reslt of government policy and may reslt from:

• performsceremonialduties • approvestheappointment

• particularcommunityneeds

of ministers, senior jdges

• politicalpartypolicy

and other officials.

• pressureforchange • administrativeimprovement.

A Bill (a proposed law that has not yet passed throgh Parliament) mst go throgh certa in steps before it becomes a national law. The Bill is debated in both the Hose of Representatives and the Senate and may be referred to a parliamentary committee for detailed examination. Before any new law can be passed, or a change to existing

The two Houses of Parliament

The Hose of Representatives has 150 Members who each represents abot 80 000 voters living in one particlar area (an electorate). As Victoria and New Soth Wales have the largest poplations, most of the members of the Hose of Representatives come from there. This is balanced by the Senate, where all states, no matter what their poplation, have the same nmber of senators.

39


The House of Representatives

Members of the Hose of Representatives

State and territory government

get to know the people and local isses

Each state and territory has its

in their electorate. When in Parliament,

own parliament. State and territory

they speak on behalf of the people in their

governments are based in the capital

electorate, discss proposals for new laws

city of each state or territory.

(Bills) and important national matters.

As with the Commonwealth Parliament,

The Senate has 76 senators – 12 are

people vote to elect a representative of

elected for each of the six states, and

their area who then becomes a Member

two each for the Astralian Capital

of State Parliament. In each State,

Territory and the Northern Territory.

the Premier is the leader of the State Government. In each Territory, the Chief

Senators debate crrent isses, consider

Minister is the leader of the government.

Bills (proposed new laws), committee reports and papers presented (or tabled)

Like the federal parliament, each

by ministers in Parliament. They travel

State, except for Qeensland, has

to meet people in their state and take

two Hoses of Parliament. The Lower

the views they hear back to Parliament.

Hose, known as the Legislative Assembly or the Hose of Assembly,

Parliament has members and senators

and the upper Hose, known as the

from different political parties (a grop

Legislative Concil. The Qeensland

of people who share similar ideas and

Parliament and the Parliaments of each

philosophies abot how a contry

Territor y have only one Hose, which

shold be managed). The major

is known as the Legislative Assembly.

political parties in Astralia are the Liberal Party of Astralia and National

Local government

Party of Astralia, and the Astralian

Local government area s (concils or

Labor Party. The Liberal Party and the

shires) are made p of a grop of sbrbs ,

National Party often join forces and

a town, a town and its srronding

work in coalition. Minor par ties inclde

contryside, or a rral area. There are

the Astralian Greens, Astralian

abot 850 local concil areas in Astralia.

Democrats and Family First Party.

The people in each area elect members, known as concillors. Concils are led

Political parties help strengthen governments and make them more stable. In Astralia, anyone can join a political party if he or she wants to participate in setting goals and party policy, or help party candidates in their election campaigns.

The Senate

40


by the Mayor or Shire President.

your eleCTed represenTATiVes Australian Government

Head of Government – The Prime Minister The party/parties in government The Leader of the Opposition The party/parties in Opposition My member of the Hose of Representa tives The federal electorate where I live The senators from my state or territory are

State government

Head of government – The Premier The party/parties in government The Leader of the Opposition The party/parties in Opposition My state representative(s)

Territory governm ent

Head of government – The Chief Minister The party/parties in government The Leader of the Opposition The party/parties in Opposition My territory representative(s)

Local government

The name of my mnicipality Mayor or Shire President

41


PARt FOuR

APPLYING FOR C ITIZENSHI P

Becoming an Australian Citizen Frther information on becoming an

Citizenship tests are condcted in

Astralian citizen is available at

every office of the Department of

www.citizenship.gov.a or by calling the

Immigration and Citizenship. Tests are

Citizenship Information Line on 131 880.

also reglarly schedled in a nmber

How to use this book

This book will help yo prepare for the citizenship test. Yo shold: • studythisbook • askafriendorfamilymemberto

of locations throghot regional Astralia. The qestions in a citizenship test are based on the information contained

help yo practice answering

in this book. The

qestions abot Astralia

test incldes qestions abot:

• takelanguageclassesifyouneed

to learn to speak English • taketheexampletestonthe

website at w ww.citizenship.gov.a About the citizenship test

The citizenship test is a compter based written mltiple- choice test. The test is designed to assess whether yo have a

• Australia’shistory • Australia’sgeography • theAustralianpeople • Australianvalues • thesystemofgovernment • responsibilitiesandprivilegesof Astralian citizenship.

basic knowledge of the English langage. It is also sed to test yor k nowledge

For frther information, and to find the

of Astralia and the responsibilities

test centre nearest to yo, please visit the

and privileges of citizenship.

department’s citizenship website at www.citizenship.gov.a or by calling

The test consists of 20 qestions

the Citizenship

drawn at random from a pool of 200

Information Line

qestions. To pass the test, yo mst

on 131 880.

correctly answer 60 per cent of the qestions, inclding answering three qestions on the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship correctly.

43


Australian Citizenship Pledge From this time forward, under God* I pledge my loyalty to Australia and its people Whose democratic beliefs I share,

If you have special needs

Australian Citizenship Pledge

It is expected that most people will have

After yo have sccessflly completed

the literacy skills necessar y to complete

the test, and if yor application for

the citizenship test nassisted. For those

citizenship has been approved, yo

who reqire some assista nce becase of

need to make a pledge of commitment.

low literacy skills, an off icer will provide

This is sally a pblic ceremony to

assistance by reading the qestions and

celebrate yor acceptance as a formal

possible answers. This will still reqire

member of the Astralian commnity.

yo to have the nderstanding and knowledge to meet the reqirements for

Whose rights and

citizenship.To be eligible for this assistance,

liberties I respect, and

yo will need to have completed a

Whose laws I will uphold and obey

minimm of 400 hors of English langage tition nder the Adlt Migrant English

At the ceremony yo will be asked to make the Pledge of Commitment as a Citizen of the Commonwealth of Astralia, sally called the Astralian Citizenship Pledge.

Programme (AMEP), and be assessed *Yo may choose whether or not to se the words ‘nder God’.

by the AMEP provider as not having the reading skills at the competency level sed in the development of the test. Assistance will also be available to people with low levels of compter skills, or with a disability. After the test

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship will tell yo the reslts of yor test. If yo pass, yo will be given information abot how to apply for citizenship. If yo fail the test, yo will be given feedback on yor reslts and information abot how to prepare to take the test again. After passing the test, yo will then be able to lodge yor citizenship a pplication electronically over the Internet www.citizenship.gov.a, by post, or in person at any office of the department.

44


Becoming Australian citizens

eXAMple QuesTions 1.

In what year did Federation take place?

2.

What date is Astralia Day?

3.

Who was the fir st Prime Minister of Astralia?

4.

What is the first line of Astralia’s national anthem?

5.

What is the floral emblem of Astralia?

6.

What is the poplation of Astralia?

7.

In what city is the Parliament Hose of the Commonwealth Parliament located?

8.

Who is the Qeen’s representative in Astralia?

9.

How are Members of parliament chosen?

10. Who do members of parliament represent? 11. After a federal election, who forms the new government? 12. What are the colors on the Astralian flag? 13. Who is the head of the Astralian Government? 14. What are the three levels of government in Astralia? 15. In what year did the Eropean settlement of Astralia star t? 16. Serving on a jry if reqired is a responsibility of Astralian citizenship: tre or false? 17. In Astralia, everyone is free to practise the religion of their choice, or practise no religion: tre or false? 18. To be elected to the Commonwealth Parliament yo mst be an Astralian citizen: tre or false? 19. As an Astralian citizen, I have the right to register my baby born overseas as an Astralian citizen: tre or false? 20. Astralian citizens aged 18 years or over are reqired to enrol on the electoral register: tre or false?

For frther information go to www.citizenship.gov.a 45


Citz Booklet Full Ver

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