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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, a paradox established since the years that Sir Robert Menzies was prime minister, who moved the party to the right-wing of Australian politics. The party that most Americans would recognize as "liberal" 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, a paradox established since the years that Sir Robert Menzies was prime minister. Menzies helped found the Liberal Party in 1944 and was the Prime Minister from 1949 until 1966. <ref>[http://www.liberals.net/liberalpartyhistory.htm History of the Liberal Party in Australia]</ref>  Unlike in the USA there is no limit on the time a person can lead the country - it is the people's choice. The party that most Americans would recognize as "liberal" is the Labor Party whose leader is Kevin Rudd. The Labor Party are social democrats while the Liberals are liberal conservatives.

== Geography ==

== Geography ==