Times have changed quite significantly and Australia’s current immigration policies have become much more stringent. This has been driven purely by the fact that Australia has become an incredibly desirable place to live. The government now has much more discretion on who can enter, and so is now able to pick and choose from the applicants. This has come a long way from compulsory immigration during the early 1800s.

A STABLE DEMOCRACY

Australia has created a robust and pioneering democracy. The government structure reflects the British and North American models of liberal democracy, but at the same time has uniquely Australian features. The Commonwealth of Australia is a federation of six states and two self-governing territories. There are three tiers of government; all are democratically elected to office and are titled:

• Federal
• State
• Local.

The Federal Parliament, which sits in the national capital Canberra, consists of an Upper House called the Senate and a Lower House called the House of Representatives. The party (or parties) with the largest number of members in the House of Representatives forms the government. The Senate acts mainly as a house of review.

Although Australia is an independent nation the British Head of State (currently Queen Elizabeth II) is still formally the Queen or King of Australia. The monarch appoints the Governor General, on the advice of the elected Australian government, to represent them. The Governor General appoints ministers on the advice of the Prime Minister and by convention acts on all matters of Parliament following the advice of the ministers. The power these governors exert is mainly ceremonial and there has been a lot of debate over whether Australia should become a republic.

Unlike Britain but similar to the United States of America, Australia has a written Constitution. This document sets out the functions of the Federal Government: mainly looking after the national economy, foreign policy and defence, social services and immigration. State and Territory Governments are run on similar lines to the Federal Government, but the leader of the Government is known as the Premier. They deal with all matters that are not assigned to the Federal Government: mainly education, health, transport and natural resources. In practice the two levels of government co-operate in many areas. The third tier is Local Government, which has responsibilities within the communities dealing with issues like urban and rural roads, rubbish removal and building codes.

Australia has full adult suffrage and voting is compulsory for all tiers of government. Although the fine for failing to vote is small, more than 90% of voters cast a ballot. In recent times, Australia has effectively had a two-party system at both State and Federal level, with the Australian Labour Party and a coalition of the Liberal and National Parties competing for power.

Australia’s wealth, outward-looking policies and stability have made this country important in world events. It is a part of the Commonwealth of Nations, was a founding member of the United Nations and was instrumental in the founding of APEC.

THE ISLAND CONTINENT

Australia has often been referred to as the largest island in the world and the smallest continent on earth, with an area of 7.69 million square kilometres – to put this land mass into perspective, you could fit the United Kingdom into Australia just over 31 times. With such a vast land area its geographical and climatic regions vary considerably – from the tropics, rain forests and stunning coastlines in the far north, to Australia’s interior desert, to the cooler more temperate mediterranean appearance of the south coast, to the Alps in the east offering skiers snow conditions to rival the best slopes in Europe.

Although Australia is the sixth largest nation after Russia, Canada, China, the United States of America and Brazil, it has a relatively small population, currently estimated at 19 million. Much of Australia is a plateau, bounded by four seas and three oceans. It has an average elevation of 330 metres, which is the lowest of all the continents, with its highest point being Mount Kosciuszko. However, what Australia’s landmasses lack in height they make up for in variety. Visitors come from all around the world to see the giant monolith Uluru (more commonly known as Ayers Rock), the vast Australian outback, the Great Barrier Reef and the stunning untouched coastlines.

STATES AND TERRITORIES

Australia’s Federal Government, the six states and the two self-governing territories all share in the responsibility of governing the vast land area.

The Northern Territory

The Northern Territory has a lot to offer – a healthy lifestyle, modern infrastructure, a youthful and multicultural population and a dynamic economy. This territory has twice as much land area as France but a population of only 200,000. The Territory consists of a huge wilderness dotted with outposts of civilisation – mines, Aboriginal settlements, cattle stations and great national parks. The capital is Darwin, which was first established in 1869. Visitors come through this region to get to Alice Springs, Ayers Rock and the Kakadu national park. The region enjoys a very tropical climate but like most tropical destinations has been affected by the natural elements, most famously cyclone Tracey in 1974.

The Northern Territory exudes confidence. Significant industry sectors include tourism, mining, construction, agriculture, pastoral and horticulture. Darwin is the closest capital city to link with major Asian centres because of its geographical location, and the Northern Territory is forging ahead with business links as a result.

South Australia

South Australia was the first Australian state to be founded by the free settlers. It is a region famous for its vineyards, award-winning wines and brandy. This state offers an exceptional lifestyle and a modern economy. The capital is Adelaide, which was designed by a British Army engineer called Colonel William in 1836. Most of South Australia’s population lives in or near to Adelaide so travelling anywhere else gives the impression that you are in the real outback. South Australia has a strong case as a competitive, productive and creative location for business migrants. Adelaide is home to world class education and research facilities and backs innovation and technology. The South Australian government is working with potential investors to identify growth markets and potential partners. They have committed to fast track approval for new projects and businesses and are providing financial incentives and tailored support.

Australian Capital Territory

Canberra was established in 1911 as the site for the country’s national capital. It is home to a number of institutes including the National Library, the National Gallery, the Australian War Memorial, the High Court and the Federal Parliament. Being the centre of the Australian government, administration and international affairs it has also become an extremely important centre for business. Canberra is home to 300,000 politicians, diplomats, public servants and academics amongst its growing population. As a completely planned city the national capital has few international rivals. It has been strategically placed in the southeast region between the busy markets of Melbourne and Sydney with a view to major growth and expansion. Originally designed by Walter Burley Griffin – an architect from Chicago – it has taken decades to complete. However, through the careful planning Canberra has a very safe community environment and a cosmopolitan lifestyle; it has been able to combine modern city living with a clean environment.

Queensland

Better known as the Sunshine State, Queensland stretches from the tropical rain forests in the north, through the deserts to the Pacific coastline and is fringed by the Great Barrier Reef to the northeast. A state of extremes means that you can find everything from cosmopolitan cities to a slower pace of life in small towns and settlements. Brisbane is the capital, rising from penal beginnings to become Australia’s third largest city. Queensland’s population currently stands at 3.5 million, of which just over 1.5 million live in Brisbane. There is a huge pull towards this city purely because of the quality of life. The attractions include beaches, islands, beautiful weather, fresh yet cheap food, easy to use transport and business opportunities.

In Australia’s fastest growing state the economic activity and growth is in tourism, manufacturing, technology, primary industry and services.

Tasmania

Tasmania is an island found 300km off the south eastern tip of Australia. It is separated from the continent by the Bass Strait and is a beautiful, temperate, green island that has remained largely unspoilt and unpolluted. The island has an enormous amount of forests, mountains and fertile farmlands that have been protected as reserves and national parks. Hobart is Tasmania’s capital and is Australia’s second oldest city after Sydney. It is located at the bottom of the island and has been made famous in recent years by the Sydney to Hobart yacht race that takes place every year on New Year’s Day. Tasmania produces some of the world’s finest wool and food products, and sells advanced technology products to more than 40 niche markets.

Victoria

Victoria is the smallest of the mainland states. Of its population of close to 4.5 million people, 3 million live in the capital city of Melbourne. The colony of Victoria was originally settled by gold miners around the Ballarat and Bendigo region, farmers and herders in the Murray and Goulburn valleys and whalers and sealers at Apollo Bay and Port Fairy. Melbourne is Australia’s second largest city and was established in 1835. It is an incredibly popular city to live in. Geographically it sits at the bottom of Australia on the coast. It experiences a mixture of temperature extremes and definitely sees each of the four seasons – sometimes in one day! The city is a wonderful place to live, with a medley of gardens, culture, beautiful architecture, arts, fashion and a growing business economy.

Western Australia

Western Australia is a huge and empty state. It is about the size of Western Europe, with almost three quarters of the state’s population of 2 million people living in its capital Perth. Perth is separated from the rest of Australia by the barren expanse of the Nullarbor Plain and is therefore geographically the most remote city in the world. Much of Western Australia’s wealth is based in large mining and mineral companies, while other flourishing industries include manufacturing, tourism and primary industries. Migrants moving to Perth enjoy a near perfect climate, alongside a mediterranean lifestyle, clean air and a very low cost of living. The city is close to beautiful beaches and rivers so you don’t have far to go to get out of the cosmopolitan world.

New South Wales

With almost 6 million people, New South Wales is Australia’s most popular state. Sydney is where it all started in 1788 when the first British fleet landed on its shores. It has since become the international gateway for millions of tourists each year to start their travels before moving on to experience the rest of Australia. Sydney is home to more than 4 million people and is definitely Australia’s best known city. It is renowned not only for its great beauty but also for its world famous buildings such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. Sydney has all the benefits of a large city: it is exciting, busy, beautiful and cultural yet this is crossed with the laid back attitude of the locals.

In September 2000 the eyes of the world were focused on Sydney as it played host to the games of the XXVII Olympiad. The games were a tremendous success for Australia as 3.5 billion people from around the world watched one of the most celebrated games to date. The total economic benefit to Australia was estimated at over 6 billion dollars, with over 15,000 media representatives covering the event. These games cemented the view that Sydney is one of the most beautiful and modern cities in the world today.

The city is open and spacious and is surrounded on three sides by national parks, the fourth side being lined with a spectacular 60km coastline. The ‘Sydneysiders’, it is said, live magnificently by world standards. They inhabit the areas from the harbour out to the beaches and far flung suburbs, choosing between the faster city lights and the quieter and more relaxed suburban lifestyles.

On top of the social and lifestyle aspect, Sydney is also known to be home to Australia’s most influential central business district, as most national and international offices choose to have their major Australian companies in the city. As a result Sydney has become an attractive place to live with opportunities and lifestyle choices for a broad spectrum of people.