Changes

Its Head of Government is called the [[Prime Minister]]; at the moment he is the leader of the Liberal Party, John Howard. The Head of State is [[Queen Elizabeth II]], the Queen of Australia (who is the same person, but a different title, as the Queen of Great Britain), who acts through the [[Governor-General]].

Its Head of Government is called the [[Prime Minister]]; at the moment he is the leader of the Liberal Party, John Howard. The Head of State is [[Queen Elizabeth II]], the Queen of Australia (who is the same person, but a different title, as the Queen of Great Britain), who acts through the [[Governor-General]].

Strangely 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. The Labor Party are social democrats while the Liberals are liberal conservatives.

Strangely enough the Liberal Party, who have ruled in Australia since 1996 are actually conservative.  Some say 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.  Others say that the use of "liberal" is a consequence of Australia's location in the Southern Hemisphere, where summer is in January and water flows down a drain in the opposite direction that it flows in the Northern Hemisphere.  The more liberal (in terms of USA speak) party is the Labor Party whose leader is Kevin Rudd. The Labor Party are social democrats while the Liberals are liberal conservatives.

== Geography ==

== Geography ==