Australia

Vocabulary:

to deal with – мати справу з / иметь дело с

law-making – законотворчий / законодательный

bankruptcy cases - справи про банкрутство, неспроможність / дела о банкротстве

family law- сімейне право / семейное право

violation- порушення / нарушение

- Where is Australia situated?

- Australia, the island continent between the Indian and the Pacific Oceans, lies south-east of Asia. It is the only state in the world occupying the territory of a whole continent.

- What is the official name of Australia?

- The official name is the Commonwealth of Australia. It includes, apart from the continent itself, the island of Tasmania and a number of small islands situated round the coast of the continent.

- What city is the capital of Australia?

- Canberra is.

- What form of government has Australia?

- It is a constitutional monarchy. The Queen of the United Kingdom is also Queen of Australia and the country’s head of the state. However, the Queen has little or no power in the Australian government. She serves mainly as a symbol of the historical tie between the two countries. Australia is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the association formed by Britain and a number of its former colonies that are now independent states.

- What is the highest law-making body?

- The federal Parliament is the highest legislative organ. It consists of the upper house called the Senate and the lower house – the House of Representatives.

- Whom is the federal government headed by?

- It is officially headed by a Governor General, who represents the Queen. The actual head of the government is the Prime Minister.

- How is the executive branch of power formed?

- The Prime Minister appoints members of Parliament to head the government departments. The department heads, called ministers, and the Prime Minister make up the Cabinet. The Cabinet establishes major government policies.

- What is the composition of the judicial branch of power?

- The High Court of Australia decides constitutional questions. It also serves as the nation’s court of final appeals. Other federal courts deal with bankruptcy cases, family law, industrial disputes and violations of federal law.

- What are the main political parties of Australia?

- Australia has three political parties – the Australian Labour Party, the Liberal Party of Australia and the National Party of Australia.

New Zealand

Vocabulary:

the Privy Council – Таємна Рада / Тайный Совет

to run the government – керувати урядом / руководить правительством

- Where is New Zealand situated?

- New Zealand is an island country in the Southwest Pacific Ocean. It belongs to a large island group called Polynesia.

- What islands does the country consist of?

- It consists of two main islands – the North Island and the South Island – and several dozen much smaller islands.

- What is the capital of New Zealand?

- Wellington is.

- What form of government has New Zealand?

- New Zealand is a constitutional monarchy. The British monarch is the monarch of New Zealand. She appoints a Governor General to represent her, but he has little power. The legislature, the Prime Minister and the Cabinet run the national government.

- What body makes laws in New Zealand?

- New Zealand has a 97-member House of Representatives, also called Parliament. It is the law-making body.

- What does the executive branch of power consist of?

- It consists of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet.

- Who becomes the Prime Minister?

- The leader of the political party that wins the most seats in a parliamentary election becomes the Prime Minister. He appoints a Cabinet to run the various government departments.

- What is the Opposition?

- The party that wins the second most seats in the election is called the Opposition.

- What courts are there in New Zealand?

- The Privy Council in Britain is New Zealand’s highest court, followed by the Court of Appeal in New Zealand. Both these courts hear only cases that have been appealed from a lower court. The High Court is the next highest court. It handles cases involving serious offences and most appeals from district courts. District courts, the lowest courts, hear most minor cases.

- What are the main political parties in New Zealand?

- They are the Labour Party and the National Party.