Political system of Australia
Australia is a constitutional monarchy, with the Queen of Great Britain at its head.
It consists of six states and two territories.
The queen is represented by the Governor General, who is appointed by the Australian government. The Governor General appoints members of the Executive Council, his advisory cabinet.
The main legislative body in the country is Federal Parliament. It consists of the Queen, the Senate and the House of Representatives. The members of the Senate are elected for a six-year term. There are ten senators from each state and two from each territory in the Senate. The House of Representatives is elected by general direct vote for a three-year term.
The executive power belongs to the queen and the government. It is headed by the Prime Minister. The ministers are chosen from members of Parliament and the Executive Council.
There are two major political parties in Australia: the Australian Labour party and a coalition of the Liberal and the Agrarian parties.
Till the 1930s Australia mostly depended upon Great Britain in its political affairs. But in 1931 Australia became fully independent from Great Britain.
The Australian Constitution took effect on January 1st 1901. There are six state-governments (Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania), two self-governing territories (the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory), and a national government (also called Commonwealth government).
The Commonwealth parliament can make laws about external affairs, interstate and international trade, defense and immigration. The state parliaments cannot make laws that are inconsistent with Commonwealth laws.
The national legislative power is divided between two chambers, or “Houses”: the House of Representatives and the Senate, both directly elected by the Australian people. The Australian government is formed by the party or coalition of parties that has the majority in the House of Representatives. Currently, Malcolm Turnbull is a Prime Minister.
1)Answer for the questions.
1.Who is the Head of Australia?
2. Who is appointed by the Australian government?
3. When did Australia become fully independent from Great Britain?
4. What is the main legislative body in the country?
5. What are two main political forces in Australia?
2)Complete the sentence according to the information from the text:
1. Australia is a constitutional monarchy…
2. The Governor General appoints members of the Executive Council...
3. Federal Parliament consists of …
4. There are ten senators from each state and …
5. The ministers are chosen from members of …
6. Till the 1930s Australia mostly depended upon …
7. The Australian Constitution took effect on
8. The Commonwealth parliament can make laws …
9. The national legislative power is divided between two chambers, or …
10. State parliaments and governments are responsible for: …
1. He works as a priest, he can conduct wedding ceremonies from time to time.
2. Are you married?
3. The plane to Miami takes off at 6 p.m. on Sundays and at 8 a.m. on Wednesdays.
4. What do you usually do when you suffer from jet lag?
5. Every day they go to the clothing store at the same time.
6. It constantly rains in autumn and it always snows in winter in my country.
7. The train arrives at 7 o’clock sharp but today the train is due at 8 o’clock.
8. Why does she never make breakfast for her family? She’s so lazy!
9. One of the soccer players kicks the ball but he misses the target.
10. What is the song you sing every day in the morning?
Hollo.My summer vacations this year were interesting and memorable. Every day was filled with events.
In June, together with classmates, we went to a camp. I liked the camp very much. We played sports games, competed in various sports, took part in various competitions. In the evenings, we went to the disco. I enjoyed discos as I like music and dancing. I made a lot of new friends and got to know my classmates better than at school.
When I returned home after the camp, together with my parents we went to the Crimea to have a rest by the sea. We stayed in a nice hotel in Feodosia. I really liked the stony beaches, blue sea, and numerous excursions. Mom and Dad allowed me to scuba dive and I saw the life of the seabed. I also visited the water park, made trips on a motor ship, and rode horses. My rest by the sea was unforgettable.
In August, I went to the country to visit my grandparents. I have many friends in the village where my grandparents live and we spent time together. We went swimming and fishing.
My summer holidays fly surprisingly fast. Now the school year has just begun, but i’m already waiting for new vacations, new impressions and new friends