1、AustraliaChapter17 Government and Society Speakers:Alice Chloe Daisy.Government.Government Australias system of government reflects both the British and North American models of liberal democracy(民主),but with some unique Australian features.The commonwealth of Australia,formed in 1901,is comprised o
2、f 6 states and 2 mainland territories(领土).Australia follows the federation model of the US,.The federal government has a three-tire system.It is based on a popularity elected Parliament with 2 chambers.The party or group of parties with a majority in the House of Representatives forms the government
3、.The legislature(立法机关）The Parliament(议会)of the Commonwealth is the federal legislature of Australia.The Australia parliament consists of the Queen and 2 Housesthe Upper house and the Lower house.The Senate（参议院）consists of 76 Senators.The Senate has virtually equal power to make laws with the House o
4、f Representatives.The House of Representatives has 150 members,each representing an electoral division.Members are elected for a term of up to 3 years.The central function of the House of Representatives is the consideration and passing of new laws and amendments(修正案)or changes to existing laws.The
5、Executive（政府部门）In Australia,executive authority is vested(赋予权利）in the Governor General,who is appointed by the British monarch(君主)on the advice of the Prime Minister(总理).The king or Queen of British:the royal head of state,no real power,a symbolic role.The Governor General can only act on the advice
6、 of the Federal Executive Council or the Cabinet.Federal policy,in practice,is determined by the Cabinet,which is chaired by the Prime Minister.The Judiciary(司法部)The judiciary is absolutely separate from the executive branch and the legislature(立法部)so as to check the concentration(民主)of government p
7、ower.The Australian judiciary includes the High Court,the Federal Court,the Family Court,the Federal Magistrates(地方)Court and state and territory(领土)courts.Political PartiesThere are three major political parties in Australia:the Australian Labor Party,the Liberal Party and the Nationals.Australia h
8、as a two-party system.The Australian Labor Party,nominally(名义上地)representing the trade unions,is Australias oldest political party.In the past more than 100 years,the Australian Labor Party had governed at the federal level for only 33 years.In the 20th century,the party experienced three traumatic(
9、痛苦的)splits and was kept out of office for many years.The Liberal Party nominally represents urban business-related groups.It is a relatively young party.Since then,it has remained one of Australias major parties and has enjoyed a long period of success.The Nationals is the second oldest political pa
10、rty in Australia.ElectionAustralia is one of the few countries that have compulsory voting.With the three-tier(三层)government,Australian electoral laws,practices and systems vary greatly.Thus,Australian citizens have been faced with not only high frequency,but also complexity and diversity of the ele
11、ctoral systems.The majority of voters depend upon“how-to-vote”cards to guide them.Of all the elections,the general election is the most important,the result of which determines which party leader will rule the country as the Prime Minister.There are three electoral systems which are important in Aus
12、tralia,namely the simple majority system,the preferential voting system and the proportional(成比例的)representation system.People.People PopulationThe population of Australia is about 22.9 million（2013）.The indigenous(本地的)population,the Australian Aborigines（尤指澳大利亚的土著居民),estimated(估计，估算)300,000 at the
13、time of the European arrival,numbered 517,000 in 2006.Though still more rural(乡下的)than the general population,the Aboriginal population has become more urbanized(都市化的),with one-third of them living in major cities.Australia is the most sparsely(稀疏地)populated of the inhabited continents.In terms of l
14、andmass,Australia is the sixth largest nation in the world.However,it ranks 53rd in terms of population,with an overall population density(人口密度)of about 3 people per square kilometer.Multicultural SocietyDiversity of Population人口多样性人口多样性:Three major contributors to Australias diverse population are
15、the indigenous(本地的)peoples,the British colonial(殖民的)past and extensive(广大的)immigration from different countries and cultures.The indigenous(本地的)Australians make up only about 2.5%of the total population.The overwhelming(压倒性的)majority are immigrantsOver half of them are from Europe,predominantly(占主导地
16、位地)Britain.In recent years,there has been a new trend of immigration from New Zealand,China,India and Vietnam.and their descendants(后裔).Diversity of Language语言多样性语言多样性:Whlie English is the dominant(占优势的)language in Australia,many people speak a language other than English within their families and c
17、ommunities.Collectively(总的来说),Australians speak over 200 languages.The most common language other than English are Italian,Greek,Chinese and Arabic.In addition,there are about 50 indigenous(本地的)languages and Australian creoles(克里奥耳语，一种欧洲语言和其他语言的混合语)spoken by the Australians.Diversity of Religion宗教多样
18、性：宗教多样性：The major religion in Australia is Christianity(基督教)and Christians represent 69%of the population.The non-Christian religions include Judaism(犹太教),Hinduism(印度教),Buddhism and Islam(伊斯兰教).Buddhism is the largest non-Christian religion and is practiced by 1.9%of the total population.Islam,the s
19、econd largest non-Christian religion in Australia today,is practiced by 1.5%of the total population.Immigration into AustraliaSince 1945,more than 7.2 million people have come to Australia as new settlers.After World War 2,immigration to Australia mushroomed as a result of a terrible labor shortage(
20、劳动力短缺)and a growing belief that substantial(大量的)population growth was essential(基本的)for the countrys future.Recently,more than 100,000 people immigrated to Australia every year.Today,nearly one-fourth of Australians were born overseas.The current Australian immigration program is global and does not
21、 discriminate on racial or ethnic(种族的)grounds.Australia also accepts immigration on other criteria(准则，标准),such as family reunion(家庭重聚)and humanitarian grounds(人道基础).Economy.Economy AgricultureAustralia is self-sufficient in food;the raising of sheep and cattle and the production of grain have long b
22、een the countrys major occupations.Despite its limited arable(适于耕种的)area,Australia is one of the worlds leading exporters of agricultural products.Today,however,as the Australia economy becomes increasingly diverse,the proportion(比例)has declined despite an increasing agricultural output.IndustryAust
23、ralia is also a highly industrialized country.It is a leading supplier of mineral(矿物)resources to international markets.Manufacturing(制造业)in Australia was developed in the late 19th century.In 1908,the Australian government began to take measures to promote the development of manufacturing,mainly th
24、rough tariffs(关税).By the end of World War,manufacturing contributed more than one-fourth of GDP,peaking at about one-third from 1959 to 1960.Declining sharply from this high point,manufacturing now employs about 10%of the labor force and contributes about 9%of Australias GDP.Foreign tradeForeign tra
25、de has traditionally played an essential role in Australias economic growth,largely dominated(控制)by the countrys rich natural resources and comparatively small population.Today trade continues to be the best-performing industry in Australia.TourismTourism is one of Australias largest and fastest-gro
26、wing industries.It employs 4.5%of the workforce and contributes about 2.6%of Australias GDP.Australia is renowned(享有声誉的)for its unique plant and animal species(物种).It is estimated that there are around 27,700 different plants and animals native to Australia.Emu澳洲鸵鸟Duckmole鸭嘴兽 Tourist attractionsUlur
27、u(艾尔斯巨石)the Great Barrier Reef(大堡礁)the Gold Coast(黄金海岸)the heart-shaped island(心形岛)the Sydney Opera Housethe Sydney Harbor Bridge.Education.EducationWhen children are between 2and 5 years old,they can go to kindergartens,d ay centers and playgroups of schooling.Most boys and girls enter the secondar
28、y school at 12.secondary school usually lasts 6 years.The australia broadcasting corporation also provides a variety of primary and early education programs for childrern living in isolated areas.Australia National University,Canberra University,Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology,Griffith Unive
29、rsity,University of Melbourne,University of Adelaide University of Sydney,UNSW,Monash University,Murdoch University,Macquarie University,New state Institute of TechnologyEstablished in 1853 by Huge Childers,is the second oldest university in Australia.It ranks among the top universities in Australia
30、 and is highly regarded in the fields of arts,humanities and biomedicine.The university aims to consolidate its three core activitiesresearch,learning and teaching and engagement-in order to become one of the worlds finest universities.It is a public university located in Adelaide.Established in 1874,the university is a member I of the Group of Eight.It has a reputation for academic excellence,having produced a large number of Nobel laureates.It is the first university in Australia to admit women to academic courses and to grant degrees in science.Thank you!
