Australia
2026
- GOVERNMENT
- federal parliamentary democracy
- CONSTITUTION
- July 9, 1900, in effect from January 1, 1901
- LEGAL SYSTEM
- based on English common law
- LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM
- bicameral, Senate and House of Representatives
- JUDICIAL SYSTEM
- High Court, judges appointed by the Governor-General High Court of Australia, each of the 6 states and 2 territories and Norfolk Island have a Supreme Court. The High Court is the final court of appeal for territorial courts.
RELIGIONS
26% Catholics; 21% Anglicans; 21% other Christians; 1% minorities (including Aboriginals)
From the country
- JUNE 4, 2005AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
INDONESIA. RALLY FOR CORBY DEATH SENTENCE
about 40 people picketed in Jakarta, Indonesia, to demand the death sentence for Australian woman Schapelle Corby, in jail for drug trafficking in Bali.
- MAY 27, 2005AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
INDONESIA. BALI COURT SENTENCES AUSTRALIA'S CORBY FOR 20 YRS
an Indonesian court sentenced Australian beauty therapist Schapelle Corby to 20 years in jail for trying to smuggle 4.1 kg (9 lb) of marijuana into Bali.
- APRIL 28, 2005AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
AUSTRALIA. GOVERNMENT SAID IT WOULD APPEAL CAPITAL PUNISHMENT FOR BALI DRUG SUSPECTS
Australia's prime minister, John Howard, said the government would appeal any death sentence which might be handed down to nine Australians accused of drug trafficking in Indonesia.
- APRIL 22, 2005AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
INDONESIA. PROSECUTORS DEMAND LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR CORBY
a distraught Schapelle Corby screamed and cried after Balinese prosecutors asked an Indonesian court to convict her and jail her for life.
- APRIL 22, 2005AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
VIETNAM. AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL GIVEN DEATH PENALTY FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Nguyen Van Chinh, an Australian man of Vietnamese origin, was sentenced to death in Vietnam for drug trafficking.
- APRIL 20, 2005AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
Australia was a cosponsor and voted in favour of the resolution on the death penalty at the 61st UN Commission on Human Rights.
Australia was a cosponsor and voted in favour of the resolution on the death penalty at the 61st UN Commission on Human Rights.
- APRIL 19, 2005AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
AUSTRALIA. GOVERNMENT ACCUSED OF EXPORTING DEATH PENALTY OVER DRUG ARRESTS IN BALI
the Australian Council for Civil Liberties (ACCL) challenged the Canberra government to say whether it was "exporting the death penalty" after Australian police aided in the arrest of nine young Australian drug suspects in Indonesia, where they could face
- APRIL 13, 2005AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
AUSTRALIA. DEATH THREAT AGAINST INDONESIAN CONSUL STAFF OVER DEATH PENALTY CASE
Australian police were investigating a threat to kill staff at Perth's Indonesian consulate unless Schapelle Corby, an Australian woman on trial for drug trafficking in Bali, was released immediately.
- APRIL 3, 2005AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
AUSTRALIA. PM TO FIGHT EXECUTION IF CORBY FOUND GUILTY
the Australian Federal Government will "go into overdrive" to stop...
- MARCH 4, 2005AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
AUSTRALIA. GOVERNMENT TO INTERVENE FOR CORBY IN BALI DRUG CASE
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said he would personally intervene in the case of Australian woman Schapelle Corby
- MARCH 2, 2005AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
AUSTRALIA. CORBY COULD DIE IN INDONESIAN JAIL, SAYS FRIEND
accused drug smuggler Schapelle Corby was being railroaded through an Indonesian court without a fair trial while the Australian government did nothing to stop it, businessman Ron Bakir said
- FEBRUARY 25, 2005AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
AUSTRALIA. MORE HELP NEEDED FOR CORBY FROM FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, DEMOCRATS
the federal government should be doing more to ensure Schapelle Corby gets a fair trial in Bali, Indonesia, the Australian Democrats said.