Page 26 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Australia

24  INTRODUCING A USTR ALIA

Originally hailing almost entirely from
the British Isles, today one in three
Australians comes from elsewhere.
Australia’s liberal postwar immigration
policies led to an influx of survivors from
war-torn Europe, most notably Greeks,
Italians, Poles and Germans.
The emphasis shifted towards the end
of the 20th century and today the majority
of new immigrants hail from Southeast
Asia, China and India. Although some Indonesian satay stall at Parap Market in Darwin in the
racism does exist, this blend of nations Northern Territory
has, on the whole, been a successful
experiment and Australia is justifiably proud monarch as its titular head of state.
to have one of the most harmonious At present, the national representative
multicultural communities in the world. of the monarch is the Governor-General,
but the nation is involved in an ongoing
Politics debate about its future as a republic. There
Since 1901, Australia has been a federation, is opposition from those who argue that
with its central government based the system currently in place has led to
in the purpose-built national capital, one of the most stable societies in the
Canberra. Each state also has its own world, while others believe that swearing
government. The nation inherited the allegiance to a British monarch has little
central parliamentary system from meaning for the current population, many
England, and there is a two-party system of whom are immigrants from other parts
consisting of the left (Labor) and the right of the world. A referendum in November
(a coalition of Liberal and National Parties). 1999 saw the monarchy retained with
The prime minister is the head of federal some 55 per cent of the votes.
government, while the heads of state The nation’s character has always been
governments are premiers. Australia is a shaped by its sparsely populated island
self-governing member of the British location, far distant from its European roots
Commonwealth and retains the British and geographically closer to Southeast Asia.

The Parliamentary area next to Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra