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Parliament nominates and selects, from among its members, a

       list of candidates to serve as government ministers; from this list,

       the governor general swears in the final selections for the Cabinet

       elections: none; 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

       note: government coalition - Liberal Party and National Party

      Legislative branch:

       bicameral Federal Parliament consists of the Senate (76 seats - 12

       from each of the six states and two from each of the two mainland

       territories; one-half of the members elected every three years by

       popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of

       Representatives (150 seats - this is up from 148 seats in 2001

       election; members elected by popular vote on the basis of

       preferential representation to serve three-year terms; no state can

       have fewer than five representatives)

       elections: Senate - last held 9 October 2004 (next to be held not

       later than June 2008); House of Representatives - last held 9

       October 2004 (next to be held not later than November 2007)

       election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by

       party (as of 1 July 2003) - Liberal Party-National Party coalition

       34, Australian Labor Party 28, Australian Democrats 7, Green Party

       2, One Nation Party 1, Country Liberal Party 1, Australian

       Progressive Alliance 1, independent 2; House of Representatives -

       percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Liberal

       Party-National Party coalition 86, Australian Labor Party 60,

       Country Liberal Party 1, independent and other 3

      Judicial branch:

       High Court (the chief justice and six other justices are appointed

       by the governor general)

      Political parties and leaders:

       Australian Democrats [Andrew BARTLETT]; Australian Labor Party

       [Mark LATHAM]; Australian Progressive Alliance [Meg LEES]; Country

       Liberal Party [Terry MILLS]; Australian Greens [Bob BROWN]; Liberal

       Party [John Winston HOWARD]; The Nationals [John ANDERSON]; One

       Nation Party [Len HARRIS]

      Political pressure groups and leaders:

       Australian Monarchist League [leader NA]; Australian Republican

       Movement [leader NA]

      International organization participation:

       ANZUS, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group,

       BIS, C, CP, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,

       IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,

       ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, Paris Club, PCA,

       PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMEE, UNMISET, UNTSO,

       UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, WToO, ZC

      Diplomatic representation in the US:

       chief of mission: Ambassador Michael J. THAWLEY

       consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New

       York, and San Francisco

       FAX: [1] (202) 797–3168

       telephone: [1] (202) 797–3000

       chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

      Diplomatic representation from the US:

       chief of mission: Ambassador J. Thomas SCHIEFFER

       embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital

       Territory 2600

       mailing address: APO AP 96549

       telephone: [61] (02) 6214–5600

       FAX: [61] (02) 6214–5970

       consulate(s) general: Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

      Flag description:

       blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a

       large seven-pointed star in the lower hoist-side quadrant known as

       the Commonwealth Star, representing the federation of the colonies

       of Australia in 1901; the star depicts one point for each of the six

       original states and one representing all of Australia's internal and

       external territories; the remaining half is a representation of the

       Southern Cross constellation in white with one small five-pointed

       star and four larger, seven-pointed stars

      Economy Australia

      Economy - overview:

       Australia has an enviable Western-style capitalist economy, with a

       per capita GDP on par with the four dominant West European

       economies. Rising output in the domestic economy has been offsetting

       the global slump, and business and consumer confidence remains

       robust. Australia's emphasis on reforms, low inflation, and growing

       ties with China are other key factors behind the economy's strength.

       The impact of drought, weak foreign demand, and strong import demand

       pushed the trade deficit up to $18 billion in 2003 and to $20

       billion in 2004 from $8 billion in 2002. One other concern is the

       domestic housing bubble.

      GDP:

       purchasing power parity - $571.4 billion (2003 est.)

      GDP - real growth rate:

       3% (2003 est.)

      GDP - per capita:

       purchasing power parity - $29,000 (2003 est.)

      GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.5% industry: 26.3% services: 70.2% (2003 est.)

      Investment (gross fixed):

       24.8% of GDP (2003)

      Population below poverty line:

       NA

      Household income or consumption by percentage share:

       lowest 10%: 2%

       highest 10%: 25.4% (1994)

      Distribution of family income - Gini index:

       35.2 (1994)

      Inflation rate (consumer prices):

       2.8% (2003 est.)

      Labor force:

       10.19 million (37256)

      Labor force - by occupation:

       agriculture 5%, industry 22%, services 73% (1997 est.)

      Unemployment rate:

       6% (2003)

      Budget:

       revenues: $185 billion

      

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