OP/ED: ATSNN Fact File - Australia

This Fact File was completed by Sanctum and I. We hope it brings about a better understanding of how our country runs. There is many things that we would have liked to include here and we could easily have filled pages and pages but we have tried to keep it all concise. There are plenty of links in each section for the reader to study further in areas that interest them. Dmoz has most links to information categorized for easy access. DMOZ Australia

I would like to thank Sanctum for his work and effort on the piece we have created.


Welcome to Australia. - Fact File



Opening of the First Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia by H.R.H. The Duke of Cornwall and York (Later King George V), 9 May, 1901 (1903)
Tom Roberts (1856-1931) oil on canvas, 304.5 x 509.2 cm.
On permanent loan to the Parliament of Australia from the British Royal Collection. Courtesy of Parliament House Art Collection, Joint House Department, Canberra ACT. Photo credit: Bruce Moore

About Australia
CIA Australia Factsheet
National Archives of Australia - Factsheet
Official Government Website
Australia is situated in the South Pacific, Oceania area of SOuth East Aisa. it is the largest Island in the world and is completely surround by water. It was discovered by British White man and explorer James Cook aboard the Endevour in 1770, although there is history pointing to the dutch being the first white people to adventure to theWest Coast of the Island in the 1600's. Australia was then formed into a penal colony for the British with the first fleet arriving in Sydney 1778 under Captain Philips. A stolen handkerchief earned 7 years to the colony and a stolen loaf of bread often resulted in 14 years of penal servitude in the colony.
Australia is proud of it's convict heritage and Australians are deeply patriotic of their grassroots. The Australian National Colours are green and Gold, which signifies the Earth and Sun. (I personally think they should add the Blue Water). Australia consists of Six States and two territories plus smaller holdings (offshore islands and Antarctic territory)

Australia is part of the Commonwealth of Nations and a Federation under the Queen Of England as Head Of State. Her direct representative in Australia is the Governor General who has the power to dismiss Australia's Prime Minister of their position and duties forthwith. The event has actually happened in Australia's history with the now famous Whitlam sacking in 1975 and the quote made famous by Whitlam at the time. "Well may he (Sir John Kerr) say 'God Save the Queen' - because nothing will save the Governor-General".
Australia is an independent constitutional monarchy. The Prime Minister can ask the Governor General to dissolve the House and call new elections at any time. Every citizen over the age of 18 years must enrol to vote and must vote at each election. If a registered voter fails to vote, they will incur a monetary fine unless a valid reason is provided.
Australian Politics is based on the Westminster system, although Australia has an upper House - The Senate, unlike the British House Of Lords and more like the USA system, often bringing about the term Washminster. The constitution of Australia became effective in 1901.

Federal Government is divided into State and/or Territorial Governments and Local Councils within those States or Territories.
Hansard
Constitution Of Australia Summary
Constitution Of Australia
www.aph.gov.au...


The Australian Coat of Arms
The Commonwealth Coat of Arms site
The coats of arms of Australia focuses on two native animals, the Kangaroo and the Emu. The reason these two animals were chosen is that they cannot walk backwards.

The Commonwealth Coat of Arms.

The Flag of Australia.
Wikipedia Link
The Australian flag contain the British Union Jack Signifying Australia's allegiance to the Queen and Commonwealth. The 6 stars on the flag are of Australia's constellation "The Southern Cross" and they signify the six states of Australia.

The Australian Flag

Australian Aboriginal Flag.
The Aboriginal Flag
The aboriginal flag is commonly seen flying alongside the australian flag. This is out of respect to the native forebears and custodians of the land. The flag signifys the earth sun and the colour of the aboriginal's skin

The aboriginal flag

The Boxing Kangaroo.
The Boxing Kangaroo Flag
Story of Boxing Kangaroo and Includes Kangaroo Facts Info
The boxing kangaroo flag was first seen on aircraft in world war 2, sometimes along with a tally score of planes that particular plane had shot down or bombs targetted successfully. It was adopted by the military as a mascot in subsequent wars and came to worldwide fame and attention in 1983 when Australia and the crew of Australia One took the Amercia's Cup Sailing challenge home for the first time ever outside the USA. Since that time it flys high at the olympics and other international sporting events and there is a push from some quarters to have it replace the standard flag officially.

The Boxing Kangaroo - Sometimes Named Matilda

national Song
Link To Music File
Prime Ministers Anthem Page - He is not singing himself thank god.
Wikipedia - Advance Australia Fair Lyrics and Information
Waltzing Matilda - National Library Of Australia
Advance Australia Fair replaced God Save the Queen as Australia's national anthem in the 1970's but Australia's heart is still with the "National Song" - Waltzing Matilda.

Federal Politics and History
Federal Government website
The seat of Australian Federal Politics is Capital Hill, Canberra.
The word Canberra is said to be derived from the word 'Canberry', or 'meeting place' in the Ngunnawal language.
Canberra came about when it was decided for the country to become a federation and both of the main cities at the time, Sydney and Melbourne argued over who should be the seat of power. It was then decided to build a new national capital, roughly halfway between the two cities. Hence the Australian Capital Territory was created. Walter Burley Griffin designed Canberra city and the city has been laid out to perfection for a political city.
The Commonwealth Avenue Bridge was build in 1963. Along with the Kings Avenue Bridge, and the Constitution Avenue, they form the parliamentary equilateral triangle, the heart of Canberra, according to the towns' architect Burley Griffin. The design is masonic in origin. The triangle corners are :
*"The City Hill Surrounded by the Vernon Circle (Centre of the city).
*The Australian-American Memorial (the true corner of the triangle is the aligned roundabout nearby).
*The hearth of the Australia Capital : the Capital Hill, under which the Australian Parliament House was built."
Eventually, the angle bisector of that triangle brings you from the Parliament House to the Australian War Memorial.
QTVR panorama link

Parliament House


Australia's First Parliament House
Old parliament House Website

Governor General
Governor General's Official Website
The full title for Major General Jeffery is:
His Excellency Major General Michael Jeffery AC CVO MC Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia.
The Governor-General has many important constitutional, official and ceremonial duties to perform. For example, the Governor-General:
* dissolves the Parliament and issues writs for new elections;
* commissions the Prime Minister and appoints other Ministers after elections;
* gives assent to laws when they have been passed by the two Houses of Parliament - the Senate and the House of Representatives;
* acts on the advice of Ministers through the Executive Council to issue Regulations and proclamations under existing laws; appoint Federal judges; Ambassadors and High Commissioners to overseas countries. Other senior government officials; issue Royal Commissions of enquiry; exercise the prerogative of mercy; and authorise many other executive decisions by Ministers such as raising government loans or approving treaties with foreign governments.
The Governor-General is the Commander-in-Chief of the Australian Defence Force, although in practice he or she acts only on the advice of Ministers, Cabinet and, subject to Cabinet, the Minister for Defence, is responsible for Australia's defence policy.

His Excellency Major General Michael Jeffery, AC, CVO, MC (Retd)

Prime Minister of Australia
Prime Minister's official Website
John Howard is satirically referred to as "Little Johnny" or "Jack Boots Johnny". He is the leader of the Liberal Party. John Howard became the Prime Minister of Australia in 1996 when the Liberal party swept to power after Labour had been in charge since 1983. He was first elected to parliament in 1974 and served as Minister for Finance and Minister for Business Affairs under Liberal Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser in the late 70's early 80's. He has long advocated economic deregulation and other market place reforms. He advocates privatisation and is behind the current push to sell off Telstra, the primary Australian communications network to private interests.

The Hon. John Winston Howard.

Deputy Prime Minister
Mark Vaile's WebPage
The Current Deputy Prime Minister is Mark Vaile who recently replaced long standing deputy John Anderson, who was retired as leader but still represents his electorate. John Anderson's Webpage
The deputy Prime Minister is usually taken from the National Party when the coalition is in power.

Mark Vaile

Treasurer
The Current Treasurers website
The Treasurer is Peter Costello, He is touted as John Howard's replacement when he retires as Prime Minister. He is often referred to as the Prime Minister in Waiting.
Although the two men present a united public mainstream media image, it is rumoured that they are often at loggerheads, with opposing thoughts and ideas.

Peter Costello

Minister For Foreign Affairs
Alexander Downer's Page
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade - Australian Fact Sheet
The Minister for Foreign Affairs is Alexander Downer.

Alexander Downer

Defence Minister
Robert Hill's Page
The current Defence Minister is Senator Robert Hill.

Robert Hill

Opposition leader
Kim Beazley's Webpage
The Head of the opposition (ALP) is Kim Beazley. He replaced Mark Latham as leader of the party. Latham had in turn replaced Mr Beazley himself in a political coup prior to the last elections. Kim Beazley is popular with the people and speaks out confidently on labour matters. Mark Latham was retired from politics after the elections, excusing himself due to health matters. He performed bumbingly in the lead up to elections and many believe he cost the labour party the win at the elections due to many slip ups and poor campaigning.

Kim Beazley - Labour Opposition Leader.


Houses and Elections
Parliamentary Library Election Information

The House of Representatives = Lower House
House of Representatives

The lower house is the House of Representatives and is distinctive due to the Blue Teal colour scheme. Whichever party holds the greater number of seats in this lower house, forms government and elects the Prime Minister from their party. Elections are held every four years.
The House of Representatives seats 150 members of Parliament. There are enough empty seats for future increases in the number of MPs. The press gallery is at the far end of the chamber above the Speaker’s chair. The public galleries are above the Government on the left and the Opposition on the right.
The House of Representatives should have about twice as many members as the Senate. The number of members from a state is proportional to its population, but must be at least five for any original state. The Northern Territory is represented by one member and the Australian Capital Territory by two.
The House of Representatives is moderated by The Speaker.

The Senate = Upper House
The Senate

The Senate consists of 76 members (12 from each state and, since 1974 2 from each territory), popularly elected to 6-year terms under the single transferable vote form of proportional representation.
The Senate seats 76 Senators, though there are empty seats for future increases in the number of Senators. The Government Senators sit to the right of the President of Senate. The Opposition sits to the President’s left. Senators in minor parties such as the Australian Democrats and the Greens as well as Independents sit on the cross benches closest to the camera.

Voting System
Compulsory voting was introduced in 1924. It was felt that since 60,000 Australians (about 1.3% of the national population) had died in World War I defending freedom, Australians had a duty to use the freedoms so dearly bought. The immediate impetus for compulsory voting at federal level was the low voter turnout (59.38%) in the federal elections of 1922. Voting is compulsory both at Federal elections and at elections for the State and Territory legislatures. In some states voting at municipal elections is also compulsory. Although about 5% of enrolled voters fail to vote at most elections, prosecutions for failure to vote are rare and the fine is nominal.

Australia uses various forms of preferential voting for almost all elections. Under this system, voters number the candidates on the ballot paper in the order of their preference. The preferential system was introduced in 1918, in response to the rise of the Country Party, a party representing small farmers. The Country Party split the anti-Labor vote in conservative country areas, allowing Labor candidates to win on a minority vote. The conservative government of Billy Hughes introduced preferential voting as a means of allowing competition between the two conservative parties without putting seats at risk. It was first used at the Corangamite by-election of December 1918. It had previously introduced as a result of the work of Thomas Hare and Andrew Inglis Clark in the Tasmanian House of Assembly.
Preferential voting has gradually extended to both upper and lower houses, in the Federal, State and Territory legislatures, and is also used in Municipal elections, and the majority of other elections, such as internal political party elections, trade union elections, church elections, elections to company boards and elections in voluntary bodies such as football clubs.


Cabinet and Ministers
After an election, the Party forming Government with the most number of seats in the House Of Representatives then divides into a front bench and the back bench. The front bench are the Ministers for all Federal Departments as listed below. Ministers are taken from both the Senate and the House Of Representatives from the party in power. The opposition appoints "Shadow Ministers" in the same areas

Attorney-General's Department (AG's)
www.ag.gov.au...
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF)
www.daff.gov.au...
Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts (DCITA)
www.dcita.gov.au...
Department of Defence
www.defence.gov.au...
Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST)
www.dest.gov.au...
Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR)
www.dewr.gov.au...
Department of Family and Community Services (FACS)
www.facs.gov.au...
Department of Finance and Administration
www.finance.gov.au...
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)
www.dfat.gov.au...
Department of Health and Ageing
www.health.gov.au...
Department of Human Services
www.humanservices.gov.au...
Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA)
www.immi.gov.au...
Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources (DITR)
www.industry.gov.au...
Department of the Environment and Heritage (DEH)
www.deh.gov.au...
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC)
www.dpmc.gov.au...
Department of the Treasury
www.treasury.gov.au...
Department of Transport and Regional Services (DOTARS)
www.dotars.gov.au...
Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA)
www.dva.gov.au...

Party Politics
Australia uses a two party preferred system with the two main players being Liberal Coalition and Labour Party.

Liberal Coalition- White Collar
The Liberal party Website
Official National Party Website
The Liberal Party is aligned with the National Party, formerly called the Country Party, which represents rural interests.

Labour - Blue Collar.
Australian Labour Party Website
The Labour party is traditionally aligned with Australia's Grassroots. The party is popular with the union movement and Bob Hawke a previous leader of the ACTU, later became Prime Minister. Bob Hawke was President of the Australian Capital Territory Union for many years before running for Parliament. Many Australians believe he had greater power as leader of Australian unions than he did as Prime Minister.
Kim Beazley = "John Howard's Government is becoming more extreme. Control of the Senate means nothing can stop them unleashing extreme policies that hurt Australian families.
Labor is taking up the fight for all Australians. We're taking up the fight for the millions of working Australians whose wages and conditions are under threat from John Howard.
We're taking up the fight to tell the Government to "back off" and leave overtime, penalty rates, holiday pay and meal breaks alone.
After nine long years the Howard Government is ignoring the warning signs in the economy - record foreign debt, declining productivity, inadequate infrastructure and a shortage of skilled Australian workers.
They're so out of touch they think there's only one solution - ripping apart workers' conditions and pay. Labor stands for a strong economy, creating wealth and security for all Australians.
We achieve this by investing in Australia - in our people and in our infrastructure."
www.alp.org.au...

Other Parties
Smaller minor parties make up the balance along with a sprinkling of Independants.

The Democrats - Middle Class Centrists
www.democrats.org.au...
In 1977, Don Chipp, a Liberal Member of the House of Representatives and former Minister, was approached by the people of the Australia Party, the New Liberal Movement and by other concerned individuals to hold a series of meetings across Australia with a view to forming a new party ...

The Greens - Left Wing Environmentalists
www.greens.org.au...
Bit by bit the Government is revealing the real reasons behind its radical Industrial Relations agenda, and recent comments on radio 2GB by Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane show that workers will be treated as collateral damage. In revealing the Government's intention to drive wage cuts of around 20% to bring Australian workers in line with New Zealand, the Minister foreshadows a race to the bottom in which Australians are forced to compete with the low-wage countries of south and east Asia

One Nation - anti Immigration
www.onenation.com.au...
One Nation Secures it's Party Registration
The party now has restructured it's Federal AEC registration with two registrations, one based in NSW and another in QLD. Both separately supported by membership numbers, not relying on parliamentarians.

Family First Party
www.familyfirst.org.au...
Most legislation affects the family in some way. Consider issues such as aged care, education, hospitals and the environment. Political parties generally have a constituency they predominantly represent, like business, unions or rural voters. Family First Party Australia, as the name indicates, represents families.
Healthy and stable family life is the key to the prosperity of our communities and society. Family First will work towards change in law and policies that creates the best possible environment for strong and happy family life.

Christian Democratic Party
www.christiandemocratic.org.au...
* Marriage between a man and woman only – no same-sex adoptions
* Respite help for stay-at-home mothers provided through home-help services
* Financial incentives for mothers who choose to stay at home with their children.
Strong, functional and traditional families are the key to the ongoing stability of Australian society, as well as everywhere. They are a major contributor to economic prosperity, the elimination of poverty, and many other social and costly problems. Families with young children are at a vulnerable stage and should be supported in bonding and holding together. Some young mothers need respite from stress in order to cope.

State Politics
www.absoluteastronomy.com... .htm
In the States and Territories, elections are held at least every four years (except in Queensland, which has three-year terms). The State premiers and Territory Chief Ministers have the same discretion in calling elections as the Prime Minister has at the national level. The State control areas including public health and hospitals, agriculture and fisheries, education, disability services, mines and natural resources, roads and transport and prisons, although for many years there have been persistent lobbies to have Education and Health taken from the States and put back into Federal control, allowing national uniformity to these areas. The States and Territories are allocated a budget yearly by the Federal Government.

Local Government
Local Government
Local councils are made up from elected representatives from wards. Each local area has a number of wards and depending on numbers, each ward elects a number of representatives. Local councils meet monthly and are in charge of issues such as building and development, roads and tourism. Councils collect rates from landowners and parking fees.

Official Residences
Official Residences
The Prime Ministers official Canberra residence is called The Lodge. It was built in 1926 as a temporary residence until a much grander mansion could be built.
The origin of the name 'The Lodge' is unknown, but it was in use before the first occupants, Prime Minister and Mrs Bruce moved in on 4 May 1927. Records of the Federal Capital Commission in the early 1920s refer to the residence as ‘The Lodge’ but who suggested it remains a mystery.

The Lodge

The Prime Minister also has a residence in Sydney called Kirribilli House for use by himself and his family. Originally it was bought by the government for use by the Governor General.

Kirribilli House

The Governor General's official residence is Government House, which is named Yarralumla. It was bought by the government in 1916 when plans were put in place for Canberra.
Terence Aubrey Murray, who already owned properties at the north end of Lake George, bought Yarralumla in 1837 and in 1843 married Mary Gibbes, daughter of Colonel Gibbes, the New South Wales Collector of Customs.

It was a time of pastoral depression and Murray made over Yarralumla to his wife in a marriage settlement, lest it be lost to the family through bankruptcy. She died in 1858 and control of Yarralumla passed from Murray, then President of the NSW Legislative Council, to his father-in-law, Colonel Gibbes. By curious coincidence, it was the same Colonel Gibbes who had bought 5 acres on Kirribilli Point from Robert Campbell in 1842 and there had built a house now Admiralty House, the Sydney residence of the Governor-General. To complete the coincidence, Colonel Gibbes, in 1881, sold the Yarralumla property to Frederick Campbell, a descendant of Robert Campbell. www.gg.gov.au...

In Sydney the Governor General has usage of Admiralty House, a stunning mansion on the foreshores of Sydney Harbour.

Admiralty House

Court System
Wikipedia - Australian Court Hierachy
Wikipedia - Australian Law
Wikipedia - Australian Courts

High Court
The High Court Website
The High Court of Australia is the court of last resort for the jurisdiction of Australia. It is mandated by Section 71 of the Australian Constitution. Although the Constitution came into effect in 1901 upon the federation of the former British colonies of Australia, the High Court was not in fact established until 1903. It finally became the court of last resort in 1986 upon passage of the Australia Act; this legislation abolished recourse to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, except with the consent of the High Court, which has said it will never give (though this is not binding). (For more detail on these developments, see Constitutional history of Australia.)
Australia does not have a Bill of Rights, like that in the Constitutions of the United States, Canada and other countries. As a general rule, the protection of rights is left to the federal and State Parliaments and, in the application of the common law (i.e. judge-made law), to the courts. The High Court, Australia's final court of appeal, therefore has a central role in the safeguarding of individual rights. Rights
* Chief Justice Anthony Murray Gleeson
* Justice Michael McHugh
* Justice William Gummow
* Justice Michael Kirby
* Justice Kenneth Hayne
* Justice Ian Callinan
* Justice Dyson Heydon

Police and Defence
Australian Federal Police Website
Australian Defence Forces Website
Australia has a Federal Police Force situated in Canberra as well as state police forces in each state and territory.
Australian Defence Forces consist of Army Navy and Air Force. Australia also has a large Coast Guard contingent for border security. There is a large customs service and Federal police Man the Airports along with Federal Security.

Australian Intelligence Agencies
ASIO
ASIO Website
AUSTRALIAN SECURITY INTELLIGENCE ORGANISATION ACT 1979
ASIO’s main role is to gather information and produce intelligence that will enable it to warn the government about activities or situations that might endanger Australia’s national security. The ASIO Act defines ‘security’ as the protection of Australia and its people from espionage, sabotage, politically motivated violence, the promotion of communal violence, attacks on Australia’s defence system, and acts of foreign interference. Some of these terms are further defined in the ASIO Act.
ASIO focuses on terrorists, people who may act violently for political reasons, and people who may clandestinely obtain sensitive government information (spies) or otherwise harm Australia’s interests in order to further their own causes or the interests of foreign governments.
ASIO does not investigate lawful protest activity, nor does it investigate purely criminal activities.
Other ASIO functions include providing security assessments, protective security advice and collecting foreign intelligence in Australia. In conducting security assessments, ASIO assesses candidates general suitability for access to classified information. In the case of security assessments for visa applicants, ASIO adopts a risk-management approach to identify people wanting to travel to Australia who may pose a security risk. Protective security advice is given by ASIO to government agencies seeking cost-effective ways to protect their assets. ASIO only collects foreign intelligence - information on the capabilities, intentions and activities of foreign powers - at the request of the Minister for Foreign Affairs or the Minister for Defence.
Wikipedia - Australian Intelligence Agencies
ASIO is Australia's equivalent to the CIA. ASIO spies are active in the Asian arena as well as counteracting the Terror Threat from within. ASIO has had some public slip ups over the past few years.


Defence Intelligence Organisation
Defence Intelligence Organisation (DIO) provides all-source intelligence assessment at the national level to support Defence and Government decision-making and the planning and conduct of Australian Defence Force operations. Located in Canberra, DIO is one of three organisations that make up the Defence Intelligence Group under the Deputy Secretary for Intelligence and Security.
DIO's assessments focus on the Asia-Pacific region and cover strategic, political, defence, military, economic, scientific and technical areas. DIO's intelligence products help inform decisions about Australia's military activities at home and abroad, Defence acquisition processes, force readiness decisions, strategic policy, international relations and defence scientific developments. www.defence.gov.au...


Political Links
Australian Government Site
Australian Electoral Commission - Electoral Information.
National Archives of Australia
Australian Parliamentary Library
Australian National Library
Australian National University Library
Australian Politics
Australian Politics.com
Chronology Of Australian Events
Website On Australian Elections
Wkipedia - Politics Of Australia
Wikipedia - Australian Referendums
Wikipedia - Australian Royal Commissions


[edit on 24-8-2005 by Mayet]

[edit on 24-8-2005 by Mayet]

[edit on 24-8-2005 by Mayet]

This is a very impressive post and a fine addition to ATS and its growing list of factfiles!

Kudos to the both of you

1492, 1770, 1776, 1788...


Nice work indeed.

But we can't let you jump from Federation to the 21st century without passing through the ANZAC digger tradition and the contribution of Australia to two World War efforts, or the arch-conservative Menzies era, or the explosion of diverse multiculturalism in the three great waves of migration, or how it was that ANZUS came up and what it means today without that little three-island nation down south east somewhere.

Or just why it is that the greatest Bush brown noser in the world is none other than the weasel John Howard. What's that all about?

Congratulations on your great research efforts. Errrr... bonza, cobbers. You beaut.

niiice post...

great work...

Originally posted by MaskedAvatar
But we can't let you jump from Federation to the 21st century without passing through the ANZAC digger tradition and the contribution of Australia to two World War efforts, or the arch-conservative Menzies era, or the explosion of diverse multiculturalism in the three great waves of migration, or how it was that ANZUS came up and what it means today without that little three-island nation down south east somewhere.

Or just why it is that the greatest Bush brown noser in the world is none other than the weasel John Howard. What's that all about?

Congratulations on your great research efforts. Errrr... bonza, cobbers. You beaut.

That's Sheila to you

and seriously everytime we finished one section we thought of another. I could have gone for days more. Sanc even PM'ed me this morning about Norfolk Island and that took me off onto another tangent.

Masked Avatar, how about you add the areas you mentioned to the thread. I am fried for a week at least .

Australia has a very masonic past with the formation of Canberra, I had fun doing this one.

Its a pity you forgot to mention the overly inherent racism most Australians have towards the Aboriginal people of Australia...

Wow, excellent posting. It must have taken you an extremely long time. Well done indeed.



Just to correct one tiny issue: ASIO is more like the U.S. FBI in that its agents are not allowed to conduct operations overseas. The Australian foreign spy agency is ASIS (Australian Secret Intelligence Service) and its agents are similarly not allowed to conduct operations within Australia, only within regions of "strategic importance" to government.

Everybody makes this mistake. Once again, nice job.

Originally posted by ghostsoldier
Its a pity you forgot to mention the overly inherent racism most Australians have towards the Aboriginal people of Australia...

I didn't forget to mention that at all. My Fact Sheet was really politics based. If I had included every bit of knowledge Sanc and I have on Australia, it would have taken up hundreds of pages, even for such a short history.

I actually find its the overseas tourists that display racism towards them.

Some of my bestest friends are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders..They are wonderful family orientated people that would do anything for you.

I also find often cases of reverse racism towards the 'white gubba" a term of derision used by the aboriginals directed at white man.

Its an issue that I believe strongly in. The aboriginal people did not invite us here. White man decimated their tribes and took their children away. They did not ask to live like white man and because they are forced to live the white mans ways they are deemed socially unacceptable because of their walkabout mentality. Two of my children are part black (its the cheeky part) and it was that much of a sin to their fathers family that it was almost a state secret that there was 'black blood' in their family. My son is recognised by other aboriginal children as one of them instinctively and he picks up a crew of children to play with where ever he goes. About half of his class at school is black and they get picked on and left behind by the white mans education system which was not desigined with them in mind.

Give my kid a creek to follow or a tree to climb any day over schoolwork. He gets detention daily for leaving the schoolgrounds to go walkabout. Its him though, something inside of him that is hard for white people to understand.

Its lack of education on white mans behalf, to another race and their differences. fear of something different which breeds the word racism.

Australia is a multi cultural society, we can only trace white roots here back to 1779. So people in Australia should look at their own past before judging.

[edit on 24-8-2005 by Mayet]

Great Fact File!



You and Sanctum did an Amazing Job.

A truly stunning Factfile Mayet and Sanctum!

My Factfile is looking pretty skimpy after all these latest Factfiles

I'll add it to the repository straight away.

Very, very well done. And thank you for providing the numerous links so that we can go explore Australia on our own, even if it is just through our computer.

Great fact file, lots of good info for people.

But as Jeremiah25 said, ASIS is more CIA-like but there's also the DSD (Defence Signals Directorate) which is a NSA-like orginisation.

Very good factfile!

It is indeed a wonderful country. Whilst I consider myself a citizen of the world I am most certainly fortunate enough to call Australia my home.