Australie Gouvernement Profil 2008

Capitale

nom: Canberra
coordonnées géographiques: 35 17 S, 149 13 E
différence de temps: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in October; ends last Sunday in March
note: Australia is divided into three time zones

Fête de l'Indépendance

1 Janvier 1901 (federation of UK colonies)

Fête nationale

Australia Day, 26 Janvier (1788); ANZAC Day (commemorated as the anniversary of the landing of troops of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps during World War I at Gallipoli, Turkey), 25 Avril (1915)

Constitution

9 Juillet 1900, effective 1 Janvier 1901

Suffrage - Age minimum de l'électeur

18 ans; universal et forcé

Pouvoir exécutif

chef d'état (Président): Queen of Australia ELIZABETH II (depuis 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Michael JEFFERY (depuis 11 August 2003)
chef de gouvernement (1er ministre): Prime Minister Kevin RUDD (depuis 3 December 2007); Deputy Prime Minister Julia GILLARD (depuis 3 December 2007)
cabinet: prime minister nominates, from among members of Parliament, candidates who are subsequently sworn in by the governor general to serve as government ministers
elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is sworn in as prime minister by the governor general