Changes

Strangley enough the Liberal Party, who have ruled in Australia since 1996 are actually conservative.  They take on the name Liberal to indicate their belief in free trade and lack of government interference in business and day to day life.  The more liberal (in terms of USA speak) party is the Labor Party whose leader is Kevin Rudd.

Strangley enough the Liberal Party, who have ruled in Australia since 1996 are actually conservative.  They take on the name Liberal to indicate their belief in free trade and lack of government interference in business and day to day life.  The more liberal (in terms of USA speak) party is the Labor Party whose leader is Kevin Rudd.

Australia relies a great deal on small industry, agriculture and tourism to foster its economny.  It has a thriving film industry and very advanced technology. Most tourists visit places such as Sydney Harbour, Ayers Rock (Ularu) in Central Australia and the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland.  Other favourite destinations are the wine making areas of South Australia and northern Victoria, the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, the natural wonders of Tasmania and the huge outback expanses of Western Australia and the Northern Territory.  Some cattle stations in Australia rival Texas in size and the distance between towns in some areas is enormous.

Australia relies a great deal on small industry, agriculture and tourism to foster its economny.  It has a thriving film industry and very advanced technology. Most tourists visit places such as Sydney Harbour, Ayers Rock (Uluru) in Central Australia and the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland.  Other favourite destinations are the wine making areas of South Australia and northern Victoria, the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, the natural wonders of Tasmania and the huge outback expanses of Western Australia and the Northern Territory.  Some cattle stations in Australia rival Texas in size and the distance between towns in some areas is enormous.

80% of Australia's population, of just over 20,000,000 people, live on the coast line.  It is one of the world's least densely populated countries.  Despite the low population water is scarce and most cities have some form of water restrictions in place to allow for basics such as washing and drinking.  Weather extremes are common in Australia with temperatures sometimes measured into the high 40s (Celcius scale is used in the rest of the world) which is about 120 F.  The city of Darwin was destoyed by a hurricane in 1974 and bushfires often ravage the southern states - one of the worst occuring on Ash Wednesday in 1983 when over 2000 homes were destoyed and over 70 people lost their lives in Victoria and South Australia.

80% of Australia's population, of just over 20,000,000 people, live on the coast line.  It is one of the world's least densely populated countries.  Despite the low population water is scarce and most cities have some form of water restrictions in place to allow for basics such as washing and drinking.  Weather extremes are common in Australia with temperatures sometimes measured into the high 40s (Celcius scale is used in the rest of the world) which is about 120 F.  The city of Darwin was destoyed by a hurricane in 1974 and bushfires often ravage the southern states - one of the worst occuring on Ash Wednesday in 1983 when over 2000 homes were destoyed and over 70 people lost their lives in Victoria and South Australia.