Text 6: The Commonwealth of Australia

The Commonwealth of Australia is a country in the southern hemisphere. It consists of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania and other islands in the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. The neighbouring countries are Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand. The largest part of Australia is desert or semi-desert. Australia has the oldest and least fertile soils. It is the driest inhabited continent. The greatest rivers are the Murray and the Darling. Mount Kosciusko is the highest mountain.

The capitalcity is Canberra. The population is 21 ml. English is the national language.

Australia has a prosperous, Western-style mixed economy. The service sector of the economy comprises about 70% of GDP. It includes tourism, education, and financial services. The most important branches of industry are metal works, machine-building, clothing, and food industries. Australia is mainly a producer of wool, wheat, and gold. Besides, it exports meat, leather, butter, fresh and dried fruits.

The Commonwealth of Australia is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government. Queen Elizabeth II is the Queen of Australia. The Queen is represented by the Governor-General and by the Governors. The Constitution gives extensive executive power to the Governor-General, but it is normally exercised only on the advice of the Prime Minister.

Australia consists of six states, two major mainland territories, and other minor territories. Each state and territory has its own state parliament.

There are three branches of government; each of them has its own peculiarities.

The legislature is represented by the Commonwealth Parliament. It consists of the Queen, the Senate (the upper house), and the House of Representatives (the lower house). Elections for both chambers are held every three years. The party with major support in the House of Representatives forms the government. Its leader becomes the Prime Minister.

There are two major political parties: the Australian Labour Party, and the Coalition of the Liberal Party and the National Party.

The executivebranch of power consists of the Federal Executive Council. The councillors are the Prime Minister and Ministers of State.

The judiciaryincludes the High Court of Australia and other federal courts.

Australia is a founding member of the United Nations, a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, APEC, the WTO, etc.

Questions for discussion:

Where is Australia situated? What is its area?
What is the population of Australia?
What is the capital of Australia?
What type of economy does Australia have?
What are the main industries of Australia’s economy?
Who is the head of the country?
Who is the legislative power represented by?
What are the peculiarities of the executive branch of power?
What does the judicial system include?
What international organisations is Australia a member of?

Text 7: New Zealand

New Zealand is a country in the south-western Pacific Ocean. It comprises two large islands (the North and the South Islands) and numerous smaller islands. New Zealand is separated from Australia by the Tasman Sea. The total land areais 268,680 km². The country has extensive marine resources. The islands are mountainous and are also marked by volcanoes. The highest peak is Mount Cook.

The capitalcity is Wellington. The population is about 4.2 mln. New Zealand has three official languages: New Zealand English, the Maori language, and New Zealand Sign Language. In practice only English is widely used.

New Zealand has a developed economy and a high standard of living. Principal export industries are agriculture, gardening, fishing, and forestry. Tourism plays a significant role in New Zealand's economy. It contributes almost 9% to New Zealand’s total GDP. The most developed industries are machinery, textile, furniture, and food industry.

New Zealand is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy. Queen Elizabeth II is the Queen of New Zealand. The Queen’s position is largely symbolic. She is represented by the Governor-General. Political power is held by the Parliament of New Zealand and the Prime Minister.

The legislature is represented by Parliament, which has only one chamber, the House of Representatives. Parliamentary general elections are held every three years. The leading political parties of the country are the Labour Party, New Zealand First, etc.

The Prime Minister is leader of Parliament as well as Head of Government. The Cabinet is the most senior policy-making body and is led by the Prime Minister.

The Governor-General has the power to appoint and dismiss the Prime Ministers and to dissolve Parliament. The Governor-General also chairs the Executive Council. The Executive Council is a formal committee of all the Crown ministers.

New Zealand's judiciary includes the Supreme Court of New Zealand (the highest court); the High Court; the Court of Appeal; and subordinate courts.

New Zealand is a member of the following geopolitical organisations: APEC, East Asia Summit, the Commonwealth of Nations, and the United Nations.

Questions for discussion: