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
- OCTOBER 31, 2005AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
AUSTRALIA. VIETNAMESE LEADER PLEADS TO STOP HANGING OF NGUYEN TUONG VAN
the state of Victoria’s most senior Vietnamese leader called on Australian Prime Minister John Howard to state unequivocally that Melbourne's Nguyen Tuong Van should not hang in Singapore.
- OCTOBER 31, 2005AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
AUSTRALIA. PARLIAMENT PLEADS FOR LIFE OF NGUYEN TUONG VAN ON DEATH ROW IN SINGAPORE
Australia's parliament passed a motion calling on Singapore not to hang Nguyen Tuong Van, a 25 year old Australian convicted of drug trafficking, but Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said he would not jeopardise relations with the city state over the iss
- OCTOBER 28, 2005AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
AUSTRALIA. NGUYEN CLEMENCY 'A POLITICAL PROBLEM', MINISTER
Australians have to respect Singapore's decision to execute Van Tuong Nguyen, a Melbourne man convicted of heroin trafficking, federal Human Services Minister Joe Hockey said.
- OCTOBER 27, 2005AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
AUSTRALIA. GOVERNMENT BACKBENCHER TUCKEY FIRM ON DRUG-SMUGGLER
government backbencher Wilson Tuckey said an Australian drug-smuggler on death row should not be spared execution for his crime.
- OCTOBER 26, 2005AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
AUSTRALIA. POLICE DEFEND TIP-OFF THAT LEFT 'BALI NINE' FACING EXECUTION
Australian Federal Police commissioner Mick Keelty defended a tip-off to Indonesian authorities that left nine young Australians, the so-called "Bali Nine", facing the death penalty on drugs charges.
- OCTOBER 26, 2005AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
AUSTRALIA. WORLDWIDE CAMPAIGN TO SAVE DRUG MULE ON DEATH ROW ON SINGAPORE
Amnesty International launched a worldwide campaign to save Nguyen Tuong Van, an Australian heroin smuggler condemned to hang in Singapore.
- OCTOBER 26, 2005AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
AUSTRALIA. ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION URGES SINGAPORE TO HALT NGUYEN'S EXECUTION
the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) urged the Singapore government not to execute Nguyen Tuong Van, a 25-year-old convicted Australian drug runner sentenced to hang for heroin smuggling.
- OCTOBER 24, 2005AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
AUSTRALIA. CANBERRA STEPS UP LAST-MINUTE APPEALS TO SINGAPORE OVER NATIONAL ON DEATH ROW
Canberra issued a forceful last-minute appeal to Singapore to spare the life of Nguyen Tyong Van, a condemned Australian drug smuggler, after the island state ignored repeated pleas for clemency from Australia's top leaders.
- OCTOBER 23, 2005AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
AUSTRALIA. NO HOPE FOR AUSTRALIAN FACING EXECUTION IN SINGAPORE: PM
Australian Prime Minister John Howard said there was no realistic hope that Nguyen Tuong Van, a 25-year-old Australian drug-runner, could be saved from execution in Singapore.
- OCTOBER 21, 2005AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
SINGAPORE. HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP CALLS FOR MORATORIUM ON DEATH PENALTY
Think Centre, a Singapore civil rights group, called for a moratorium on executions after Australian national Nguyen Tuong Van lost his final clemency appeal.
- OCTOBER 21, 2005AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
AUSTRALIA. PM SUPPORTS DEATH PENALTY OF SADDAM HUSSEIN
Australian Prime Minister John Howard said he believed former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein should be executed if the Iraqi law authorises death penalty on him. Asked if Saddam should be executed if found guilty of murdering on Australia's Southern Cross
- OCTOBER 21, 2005AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
SINGAPORE. AUSTRALIAN TO BE EXECUTED FOR HEROIN SMUGGLING
Nguyen Tuong Van, an Australian man convicted of drugs charges in Singapore lost his final appeal for clemency and was due for execution, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said.