LEARNING ABOUT AUSTRALIA

The world sees Australia in an ever more positive light as a desirable place to live or visit. It offers a wealth of travel experiences, from the vastness and drama of the outback, to the spectacle of the Great Barrier Reef and its islands, the cosmopolitanism of Sydney and arguably some of the best beaches in the world. It is the country vastness, and the friction between the ancient land steeped in Aboriginal lore and the New World cultures being heaped upon it, that gives Australia much of its character.

Australia, the world's smallest continent but largest island is made up of six states and two territories and has a landmass of approximately 7,682,300 square kilometers - about the size of USA. Including Tasmania it's at 30 degrees of latitude resulting in a vast contrast in climates from temperate to tropical. Vast areas of the continent consist of deserts, so people tend to live on the coast. More than quarter of the coastline is in the tropics. The temperate zones where Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide are located, experience heavy rainfalls. To the north is the tropical rainforests and in the west is an enormous plateau that ends abruptly in the Indian Ocean.

ECONOMY

Swimming with the tide of international prosperity Australia remains very sound compared to so many of its trade partners and competitors. Government forecasts put economic growth at 4 per cent. The World Bank estimates that Australia's vast natural resources make it one of the wealthiest nations on the earth. The services and high tech sectors have done especially well. Encouraged by the state and the federal governments Australians are also cashing in on the tourist boom.

POLITICAL SYSTEM

At first glance, Australia's political system may seem complicated but a closer look reveals that the nation has adapted some of the best features of systems for law, order and democracy. The various states and territories combined in federation on the first day of the twentieth century. The Monarch of Great Britain or Ireland is also the King or Queen of Australia. The Monarch's representative at national level is the Governor-General and each state has its own Governor with ceremonial duties as the monarch's representative.

CLIMATE

Australia is blessed with a fascinating mix of native flora and fauna. Some common plants are wattle, banksia, waratahs, bottlebrushes, paperbarks and tea trees. Endemic animals include the iconic kangaroo, koala and emu, and the platypus, echidna, possum, wombat and dingo. There are also a number of interesting birds, such as parrots, cockatoos and kookaburras, and countless indigenous reptile and insect species.

Australian seasons are the antithesis of those in Europe and North America: summer starts in December, autumn in March, winter in June and spring in September. Seasonal variations in temperature are not extreme except in the deserts. As you head north, the seasonal variations become even less distinct except that summer is much wetter and more humid. Darwin, in the far north, is in the monsoon belt, where there are just two seasons: hot and wet (when floods can occur) and hot and dry.

The southern states are popular during the summer months, but the best time to visit is probably the shoulder seasons of spring or autumn when the weather in the south is mild. Spring in the outback can be spectacular if rains encourage wildflowers.

HOUSING

Australia has the highest home ownership rate in the world of 75 per cent. There are a multitude of architectural styles adapted to Australian conditions from the aboriginal 'humpy' or 'lean to', very practical timber or corrugated iron constructions, to constructions of glass, marble and concrete. The greatest proportion of Australians live in detached bungalows. Prices of houses vary considerably depending on factors such as locality, distance from the city and availability of services. Rental accommodation is made available through advertisements and special publications. Renting a house through real estate agents is also available and is usually for a fixed period of time.

EDUCATION

Australians are required to go to school from the time they are six until they finish junior high school at about the age of 15. There are government-funded schools or Public schools that are mostly co-educational and free and Non-government schools usually known as private schools and have to be paid for by the parents of the child.

Higher education universities in Australia offer three to four year Bachelor Degree courses, two year postgraduate Master courses and three to five year Doctoral degree courses.

HEALTH AND WELFARE

Compared to many Western countries, social security provisions are generous for low income earners, people who lose their jobs, single parents, widows, the aged, the retired and anyone - poor or rich needing urgent medical attention. Australia's public health and welfare system is paid for by federal and state governments, financed in turn by taxpayers. Medicare is the national healthcare system and is funded through progressive income tax. Migrants are eligible for Medicare benefits from the day of arrival and should enroll with Medicare and obtain a Medicare card immediately upon arrival in Australia. There are other levels of private insurances for medical services that are not covered by Medicare like dentistry, glasses or contact lenses, physiotherapy and chiropractic treatment.

TAXATION

Taxpayers in Australia pay at three levels, corresponding to the tiers of government: federal (national), state and local government taxes. Companies and individuals who pay tax can also apply for rebates or exemptions under certain circumstances.
After arrival in Australia newly landed immigrants must lodge an application with the Taxation Office to obtain a unique personal tax file number (TFN). This has to be disclosed to employers, banks, and building societies etc. the tax file number system also applies to

• Unemployment and sickness benefits.
• Bank account holders and investments.
  
• Students attending higher education
  
• Share acquisition.

TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS

Wide open spaces can make Australia a fine place to drive. Greater distances have led to a significant role for transport and communications. Long distances are to be expected in remote areas as well as the cities and towns. Roadways are Australia's dominant mode of transport. There are rail links within the major cities with the exception of Darwin. Air transport is a major factor because of the long distances.
There are about 400 radio stations in Australia and a number of television channels. Australia has 12 metropolitan newspapers, 38 regional dailies and 138 suburban papers.

IMPORTING PERSONAL ITEMS

Household and other personal goods can be imported and owned for your personal use. They are not subject to duty or other charges upon arrival. But the cost of moving can be very high and the replacement value vary greatly in different countries. In case of electrical and electronic goods, it is advisable to purchase new ones to make it more worthwhile.

IMPORTING PETS

Australia has very strict rules and regulations regarding the importing of animals in order to protect against the introduction of diseases. Dogs and cats can only be brought to Australia from approved countries. Application for an Import Permit must be made to the Principle Veterinarian Office (Quarantine) in the relevant state or territory. The permit must be obtained before bringing the animal into Australia. Without this permit the animal will be destroyed on arrival.