AUSTRALIAAUSTRALIA

Government & EconomicsGovernment & Economics

GovernmentGovernment

Parliament vs. PresidentParliament vs. President

• Parliamentary– Legislature controls the power

– Parliament

– Prime Minister• Head of government• Chosen by majority party

in the legislature• Stays in office for a

designated period unless their party loses the majority

• Fusion of powers

• Parliamentary– Legislature controls the power

– Parliament

– Prime Minister• Head of government• Chosen by majority party

in the legislature• Stays in office for a

designated period unless their party loses the majority

• Fusion of powers

• Presidential– Executive and Legislative

branches are separate• Separation of powers

– Checks and Balances between 3 branches

– President is elected by the voters after a specific amount of time

• Presidential– Executive and Legislative

branches are separate• Separation of powers

– Checks and Balances between 3 branches

– President is elected by the voters after a specific amount of time

Australian GovernmentAustralian Government• Federal parliamentary democracy modeled after Great Britain’s government

– Federal – Federal government shares power with the states

– Parliamentary – type of legislature (Parliament, Prime Minister) . . . Has a constitution . . . Represents the people

– Democracy – each citizen has the right to vote and personal freedoms• Do not have a specific Bill of Rights but rather “understood freedoms” – speech,

press, vote, equal rights, etc.

– All citizens are required by law to vote in elections at age 18 or they have to pay fines• Need a good excuse . . . Sick, in jail, handicapped• Mandatory (COMPULSORY) voting established in 1924 – over 50% didn’t

vote . . . Over 90% vote – largest percentage in the world.

• Federal parliamentary democracy modeled after Great Britain’s government– Federal – Federal government shares power with the states

– Parliamentary – type of legislature (Parliament, Prime Minister) . . . Has a constitution . . . Represents the people

– Democracy – each citizen has the right to vote and personal freedoms• Do not have a specific Bill of Rights but rather “understood freedoms” – speech,

press, vote, equal rights, etc.

– All citizens are required by law to vote in elections at age 18 or they have to pay fines• Need a good excuse . . . Sick, in jail, handicapped• Mandatory (COMPULSORY) voting established in 1924 – over 50% didn’t

vote . . . Over 90% vote – largest percentage in the world.

Australian GovernmentAustralian Government• 3 Branches:

– Executive:• Head of Government: Prime Minister

– Member/Leader of Parliament from the majority party – enforce the laws

– Current: Prime Minister Tony Abbott» In office since 2013

– Has a cabinet made up of members of Parliament. Each member runs a different part of the government.

• Head of State: Queen Elizabeth II – She has no real political power– Acts as a figurehead

– Appoints a governor-general to represent her in her absence

» Current - Peter Cosgrove - 2014

• 3 Branches:– Executive:

• Head of Government: Prime Minister– Member/Leader of Parliament from the majority party

– enforce the laws– Current: Prime Minister Tony Abbott

» In office since 2013– Has a cabinet made up of members of Parliament.

Each member runs a different part of the government.

• Head of State: Queen Elizabeth II – She has no real political power– Acts as a figurehead

– Appoints a governor-general to represent her in her absence

» Current - Peter Cosgrove - 2014

– Legislative:• Parliament: bicameral (2 houses) –

elected by the people– Senate: 76 members– House of Representatives: 152

members

• Represent the people and make new laws

– Judicial: interprets the law• High Court of Australia: 7 judges named

by governor-general

– What other country is this system similar to?

– Member of Commonwealth of Nations

• Handout: Fact v. Opinion

– Legislative:• Parliament: bicameral (2 houses) –

elected by the people– Senate: 76 members– House of Representatives: 152

members

• Represent the people and make new laws

– Judicial: interprets the law• High Court of Australia: 7 judges named

by governor-general

– What other country is this system similar to?

– Member of Commonwealth of Nations

• Handout: Fact v. Opinion

Who’s in Charge?Who’s in Charge?

Summarizing ActivitySummarizing Activity

EconomicsEconomics

TYPES OF ECONOMIC SYSTEMS

Definition Associated Terms Examples in Practice

1) Market economy An economic system in which individuals own and operate the factors of production.

Free enterpriseCapitalism

2) Command economy An economic system in which the government owns and operates the factors of production.

SocialismCommunism

CubaChina

3) Traditional economy An economic system based upon customs and traditions. Economy is based upon agriculture and hunting.

Non-IndustrializedAgrarian societies

Haiti

Aborigines

4) Mixed economy An economic system that has features of both market and command economies.

United StatesGreat Britain

Japan

Review . . . Types of EconomiesReview . . . Types of Economies

Australian EconomyAustralian Economy• Australia has a mixed economy based on capitalism (like

ours!)– What is a mixed economy?

– What other terms can be used to refer to a MARKET economy?

– Describe Australia’s economy based on the continuum below?

Economic Continuum

• Australia has a mixed economy based on capitalism (like ours!)– What is a mixed economy?

– What other terms can be used to refer to a MARKET economy?

– Describe Australia’s economy based on the continuum below?

Economic Continuum

Cuba Russia Germany

United States

Australia – 83%

Command Economy

Market Economy

Australia’s Factors of ProductionAustralia’s Factors of Production• What to produce?

– Dominated by the service sector– However, agriculture and mining sectors account for the bulk of exports– Limited number of rules to restrict the market

• How to produce?– Export focused– Internationally competitive– Economic Reforms

• Reduce trade barriers• Increasing flexibility in the labor market• Privatizing many government owned monopolies

– Easy to start and own a business

• For whom to produce?– Determined by the producers and consumers– Business owners and consumers can depend on fair laws to protect them.

• What to produce?– Dominated by the service sector– However, agriculture and mining sectors account for the bulk of exports– Limited number of rules to restrict the market

• How to produce?– Export focused– Internationally competitive– Economic Reforms

• Reduce trade barriers• Increasing flexibility in the labor market• Privatizing many government owned monopolies

– Easy to start and own a business

• For whom to produce?– Determined by the producers and consumers– Business owners and consumers can depend on fair laws to protect them.

• Specialization

– Focus on producing one or two goods really well

• Advantages

– Produce goods in less time

– Produce goods for less money

• Example:– Australia exports natural

resources to China– Australia imports finished

products from China in return

• Specialization

– Focus on producing one or two goods really well

• Advantages

– Produce goods in less time

– Produce goods for less money

• Example:– Australia exports natural

resources to China– Australia imports finished

products from China in return

• Division of Labor

– Each individual person has their own responsibilities

– Example:

• If you bake bread . . . .

• You DON’T grow the wheat, harvest the wheat and make the flour

• Division of Labor

– Each individual person has their own responsibilities

– Example:

• If you bake bread . . . .

• You DON’T grow the wheat, harvest the wheat and make the flour

Specialization & Division of LaborSpecialization & Division of Labor

Voluntary Trade & GDPVoluntary Trade & GDP• Currency is used to make trade

easier between countries. – Currency exchange – Exchange rate

• Australian currency– Australian Dollar

• Entrepreneurship– Laws in Australia are favorable

for new businesses– Few rules to restrict business– Provide jobs for workers & pay

taxes

• Currency is used to make trade easier between countries. – Currency exchange – Exchange rate

• Australian currency– Australian Dollar

• Entrepreneurship– Laws in Australia are favorable

for new businesses– Few rules to restrict business– Provide jobs for workers & pay

taxes

• Higher the GDP = Higher standard of living

• Australia’s economy is very strong…Why?– Very good education system – Literacy rate is 99%– Government invests in people by building

colleges and universities– Very good health care system

• What types of investments are these?

• Australia has benefited from the investment in technology, manufacturing and service industries.

• Updated technology keeps a company competitive.

• What type of investments are these?

• Higher the GDP = Higher standard of living

• Australia’s economy is very strong…Why?– Very good education system – Literacy rate is 99%– Government invests in people by building

colleges and universities– Very good health care system

• What types of investments are these?

• Australia has benefited from the investment in technology, manufacturing and service industries.

• Updated technology keeps a company competitive.

• What type of investments are these?

Natural ResourcesNatural Resources• Australia has many natural resources which contribute to their

economic success• Minerals, wool, wheat, meat products, wine, timber (covers

21% of country – eucalyptus and acacia), fish (rock lobster)

• Manufactured goods include cars, clothing, packaged foods, airplanes, steel & iron products, chemicals, and paper products

– There are four industries important to the overall success of the Australian economy.

• Tourism - service• Fishing• Farming• Ranching

• Australia has many natural resources which contribute to their economic success

• Minerals, wool, wheat, meat products, wine, timber (covers 21% of country – eucalyptus and acacia), fish (rock lobster)

• Manufactured goods include cars, clothing, packaged foods, airplanes, steel & iron products, chemicals, and paper products

– There are four industries important to the overall success of the Australian economy.

• Tourism - service• Fishing• Farming• Ranching

• Tourism:– Australia’s main source of income

• Come from all around the world to visit the natural wonders and learn of the aboriginal customs

– Popular tourist attractions include • Great Barrier Reef• Uluru (Ayers Rock)• Sydney Opera House • National Parks in the Outback

• Tourism:– Australia’s main source of income

• Come from all around the world to visit the natural wonders and learn of the aboriginal customs

– Popular tourist attractions include • Great Barrier Reef• Uluru (Ayers Rock)• Sydney Opera House • National Parks in the Outback