1. AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT INFORMATION RESOURCES
Professor Bert Chapman Government Information, Political Science, and Economics Librarian
Purdue University Libraries
INDIGO Conference
May 1, 2017
Graphic design contributions by Ashley Butler, Purdue University Libraries

2. Australia Basic Facts: Parliamentary democracy and island continent
World’s smallest continent, but 6th largest country
7,741,220 sq. km.
25,760 km. of coastline
Population 22,992,654 (July 2016 est.)
Administrative Divisions: 6 states and 2 territories
Australian Capital Territory
New South Wales
Northern Territory
Queensland
South Australia
Tasmania
Victoria
Western Australia
Various offshore dependencies

3. Australia Basic Facts:
Gross Domestic Product: $1.189 trillion (2016 est.)
20th globally per capita GDP Purchasing Power Parity: $48,800 (2016 est.)
GDP Sectoral Composition: Agriculture 3.6%; Industry 21.1%; Services 75.3% (2009 est.)
Natural resources extraction is a major factor in Australian economics
Transnational problems: drug smuggling, illegal seaborne immigration
Photo: Michael Coghlan

4. Australia.gov.au
Government Information and Services

5. Australia.gov.au
Department of Environment and Energy Webpage

6. Australia.gov.au
Department of Environment and Energy Webpage

7. Australia.gov.au
Department of Defense Webpage

8. Australia.gov.au
Department of Defense Webpage

9. Australia.gov.au
Department of Defense Webpage

10. Australia.gov.au
Australian National Maritime Museum

11. Australia.gov.au
Australian National Maritime Museum

12. Australia.gov.au ANZAC Memorial Sydney
Commemorates 1915 Gallipoli Campaign against Ottoman Empire.
Similar memorials are located across Australia & New Zealand.

13. Australia.gov.au
Department of Immigration and Border Protection

14. Australia.gov.au
Australian Border Force

15. Australia.gov.au
Australian Bureau of Statistics

16. Australia.gov.au
Australian Transport Safety Bureau Search for Malaysian Airlines Flight 370

17. Australia.gov.au
Australian Department of Agriculture and Water Resources

18. Australia.gov.au
Australian Department of Agriculture and Water Resources

19. Australia.gov.au
The Treasury

20. Australia.gov.au
The Treasury

21. Australia.gov.au Australian Parliament Consists of:
House of Representatives
Senate
Elections every 3 years
Key government officials are members of either the House of Representatives or Senate

22. Australia.gov.au Australian Parliamentary Political Parties
Current Governing Parties:
Liberal & National Parties Coalition
Center-right coalition that is roughly similar to the Republican Party
Currently has a slim parliamentary majority
House of Representatives elected by district/constituency and Senators by state (e.g. Queensland)
Australian Labor Party:
Main opposition party
Center-left in orientation with heavy influence by labor unions
Australian Green Party:
Environmentally focused
Recent Years:
Increasing public disenchantment with established parties
Rise of many factions that may have the ability to influence government policy in selected areas.
Examples of these factions with Members of Parliament MP’s or Senators include:
Katter’s Australian Party
Nick’s Xenophon Team
Independents
Australian Conservatives
Jacqui Lambie Network
Pauline Hanson’s One Nation
Derryn Hinch’s Justice Party

23. Australia.gov.au Julie Bishop (LIB)
Australian Parliamentarian Sample – Julie Bishop
Julie Bishop (LIB)
MP House of Representatives for Curtin-Western Australia
Currently Foreign Minister
Elected to the House of Representatives this seat:
1998
2001
2004
2007
2010
2013
2016

24. Australia.gov.au
Australian Parliamentarian Sample – Julie Bishop

25. Australia.gov.au
Australian Parliament Proceedings

26. Australia.gov.au Australian Parliament Debates
Australian Parliamentary Debates (e.g. Prime Ministers Question Time) can be particularly boisterous and nasty.
Watch these comments from February 8, 2017 debate remarks by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull toward Labor Party Leader Bill Shorten:

27. Australia.gov.au
Australian Parliamentary Committee Reports

28. Australia.gov.au
Australian Parliamentary Library Reports

29. Australia.gov.au
Australian Parliamentary Library Reports

30. Australian Government Information Resources
Benefits
Provides detailed information on how an important U.S. Ally and democracy handles or mishandles various public policy issues
Provides a wide variety of information on agriculture, economic, environmental, foreign affairs, health, science, security, etc. in analytical, visual, multimedia, and data formats.
Shows how Australia seeks to balance its relations between the U.S. and Asia-Pacific countries including China
Provides illuminating information on Australian political culture and debate
Enables users to gain enhanced understanding of how a parliamentary democracy and critical U.S. ally addresses public policy issues

31. ANY QUESTIONS?