Australia - General Information

Australia is known as “the lucky country”, it is the land of the unexpected. It has amazing natural wealth, has some of the most amazing scenery and boasts a vast plant and animal life.

Australia is the sixth largest country in the world. It is 50% larger than Europe, and about the same size as the 48 mainland states of the USA, yet it has the lowest population density in the world.

Australia boasts over 7,000 beaches – more than any other nation.

Whilst famous for its hot, sunny weather, Australia's size (the country spans 30 degrees of latitude) means that there is a surprising range of weather conditions across the country. These range from a cool, temperate climate in the south-east, Mediterranean conditions in the south-west, arid or semi-arid conditions in much of the interior, through to a tropical climate in the far north of the continent.

During the winter months, mountain ranges in Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania even receive regular snowfalls, yet during the warm and sunny months which span over several seasons, al fresco dining, magical days on the beach or the water, outdoor barbeques, and a huge variety of sports become the typical a way of life here. Who could ask for more!!

Australia offers an amazing choice of lifestyle. Australians like space and this is reflected in the way we live. Each of the capital cities and regional centres have their own unique character. Urban and rural communities are great places to live and raise a family where you can be as active or as relaxed as your choose. With its abundant physical resources Australia has had a high standard of living since the nineteenth century. Australia’s economy has been performing brilliantly, growth is strong, the terms of trade are at record levels, and the Aussie dollar is strong.

As you would expect from a modern nation, Australia offers the full range of cultural and educational facilities. As one of the most multicultural nations in the world, you will also find Australians to be welcoming and inclusive of newcomers from other countries.

Australia offers world class education facilities, exceptional health services, spectacular natural environment and friendly, safe neighbourhoods. Australia has one of the lowest crime rates in the Western World. It has a vibrant heritage, is rich in the arts and is renowned for its sporting achievements.

AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY

Australia is a democratic society. It is a society built on tolerance and a nation built by people from many different backgrounds. Cultural diversity has become a touchstone of its national identity. Australia is home to people from more than 200 countries and has an enviable international reputation for its diversity and tolerance.

Australia is proud of its culturally diverse society, stemming back to its founding. This diverse composition of our population contributes greatly to the dynamic, innovative and comprehensive nature of Australian society.

All Australians enjoy the right of freedom, religion, association, press. Australian laws on human rights are one of the most vast and protective and include some of the following:

GOVERNMENT

Australia is an independent state within the British Commonwealth. It is a peaceful country, and enjoys a stable, three-tier system of democratic government.

The first tier of government is the Commonwealth or Federal Government. This is responsible for national affairs, including the national economy, foreign policy, defense, social services, immigration and the postal service. It is also responsible for collecting the majority of the country's taxation. The Federal government is located in Canberra, in the Australian Capital Territory.

At a second tier, the six States and two Territories each have their own governments. These are mainly responsible for education, health, transport and natural resources of each individual State or Territory.

The third tier is the system of local governments at community level, which controls functions such as building and planning approvals, road works and rubbish disposal.
POPULATION

The Australian population recently passed 19 million, giving Australia one of the lowest population densities in the world (by way of comparison, the Mexico City metropolitan area has a population of over 20 million).

The majority of Australia's inhabitants live on or near the coast, with over 85% of the population being urban dwellers. Australia's two largest cities, Sydney and Melbourne, are together home to more than 40% of the total population (a combined total of around 7 million people), and Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide each have populations in excess of 1 million people.

HEALTH

Australia has two major Health systems, a public and private health sector.

Upon the granting of permanent residency status you are immediately entitled to public healthcare, administered through the Commonwealth government scheme called Medicare. It is financed largely by general taxation revenue, much of which is raised by an income-related levy.

Free public hospital care, help with the cost of out-of-hospital care and subsidised medicines are the services available under Medicare.

Private health insurance also plays an important role in the health care system in Australia, providing about 11% of national health care funding. There are many healthcare funds in the marketplace and each offers a variety of schemes and different levels of cover. Private healthcare is available to you prior to your entitlement to the public health system and can be used in conjunction with the Commonwealth public health system.

People with private health insurance receive benefits such as choice of doctor, choice of hospital and shorter waiting periods for non-urgent procedures. Private health insurance can also help with the cost of services such as dental, optical, physiotherapy and podiatry services and other specialist medical providers.

EDUCATION

Australia's education system is managed by a national body to ensure a consistent standard of quality education. Australia has a vast range of public, Catholic and Private Schools.

There is also a large range of technical colleges (TAFE) and Universities to choose from when considering your further education.

Coeducational government schools provide excellent academic and support services for international students, offering:

• A multicultural education with flexible learning pathways that allow students to structure their study to achieve academic and vocational aims.
• Schools of excellence in areas such as information technology, sport, the arts, and tourism and hospitality.
• A safe environment with high academic standards supported by national and State government laws.
• Excellent teaching in a wide range of subjects
• Small classes of no more than 30 students
• Extensive library resources and modern science laboratories with sufficient equipment to ensure all students gain hands on experience.
• Comprehensive written reports on student progress every semester, with commentary reports every term.
• Access to trained guidance officers who can help with subject selection and tertiary entrance procedures, as well as counseling and advice on personal problems.
• English Second Language (ESL) help and support from trained staff

SOCIAL SECURITY IN AUSTRALIA

When you first migrate to Australia, there is a two year waiting period before you are entitled to receive social security payments including sickness, unemployment and student benefits from Centrelink (Australia’s Social Security Department).

It is therefore essential that you have sufficient funds to support yourself (and your family) for at least your first 2 years in Australia. If you are being sponsored by a relative in Australia, you should ensure they are fully aware of their obligations over this two year period.