AUSTRALIA

Australia's electoral process is largely fair and transparent, with a compulsory voting system in place. However, recent enrollment restrictions have raised concerns that young and itinerant voters may be partially disenfranchised.

Access to government information is marred somewhat by delays, exemptions, relatively high costs, and long appeal times.

Courts are fully independent of the government.

Though recent economic policies reduced the unemployment rate to a 30 year low, unemployment is still viewed as one of Australia's most pressing economic threats.

Recent reforms have tightened welfare eligibility rules, aimed at diminishing the number of people receiving public assistance.

The central government's tax rates are relatively equitable and raise sufficient revenue, and tax compliance rates are high. Though this has led to a sustainable federal budget, individual states have accumulated net debt.

Australian social policy is focused on families, and in particular those with dependent children.

Tax changes and improved family payments have helped this group, although support for working women sometimes conflicts with a traditional view of family roles.

The pension system is in transition from a flat-rate, tax-funded plan to a new compulsory retirement-saving system introduced in 1992. The government also encourages private savings.

The 9/11 attacks, and the 2002 Bali bombings which killed scores of Australians, focused policymakers' minds on new security threats.

New legislation has strengthened the intelligence service's anti-terrorism powers, and the country has worked closely with other regional nations on this issue.

A dry, but resource-abundant environment has influenced Australia's long-term policy choices.

Recent governments have been slow to act on climate-change initiatives, and drought has complicated already difficult water management issues.

Private R&D investment rates are relatively low. Public education expenditure has been declining, though absolute levels of spending and educational equity are still high.

As in all Westminster democracies, Australia's strong party discipline and intolerance of internal party dissent provides for effective intergovernmental coordination and communication.

The Liberal-National government, serving through 2007, was criticized for having close ties to business while giving little weight to other interest groups.

RIAs are generally restricted to new legislation, and are not systematically applied to existing legislation.

In recent years, governments have had little or no difficulty in implementing a legislative program.

All government-sponsored bills during the review period were adopted in parliament.

In 2004, the governing party won control of the Senate, which traditionally holds a strong veto power.

Australian governments have adapted domestic institutions fruitfully to international standards, treaties and conventions.

The country has implemented most recent major international treaties, with the Kyoto Protocol as a longstanding (but since rectified) exception.

It is an active participant in regional and international organizations.

Australian governments have been open to process-level reviews, generally accepting and implementing recommendations.

However, outcomes of these institutional reforms have been mixed.

With a largely superficial popular media, citizens' understanding of government policies tends to be high only during electoral campaigns.

Legislative oversight and audit powers are strong. Political parties' proposals are well-researched, but public appeals are image-heavy rather than informative.

The main parties are closely tied to interest associations, giving these groups considerable influence.