to serve six-year terms) and the House of
Representatives (148 seats; members elected by popular vote on the
basis of proportional representation to serve three-year terms; no
state can have fewer than five representatives)

elections: Senate - last held 3 October 1998 (next to be held by
October 2001); House of Representatives - last held 3 October 1998
(next to be held by October 2001)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 35, Australian Labor
Party 29, Australian Democratic Party 9, Green Party 1, One Nation
Party 1, independent 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote
by party - NA%; seats by party - Liberal Party-National Party
coalition 80, Australian Labor Party 67, independent 1

Judicial branch: High Court (the chief justice and six other
justices are appointed by the governor general)

Political parties and leaders: Australian Democratic Party [Meg
LEES]; Australian Labor Party [Kim BEAZLEY]; Green Party [Bob
BROWN]; Liberal Party [John Winston HOWARD]; National Party [John
ANDERSON]; One Nation Party [Pauline HANSON]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Australian Democratic Labor
Party (anti-Communist Labor Party splinter group); Peace and Nuclear
Disarmament Action (Nuclear Disarmament Party splinter group)

International organization participation: ANZUS, APEC, ARF (dialogue
partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C,
CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW,
PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMEE, UNTAET,
UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Michael THAWLEY

chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 797-3000

FAX: [1] (202) 797-3168

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, and
San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Edward W. GNEHM, Jr.

embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital
Territory 2600

mailing address: APO AP 96549

telephone: [61] (02) 6214-5600

FAX: [61] (02) 6214-5970

consulate(s) general: Sydney

consulate(s): Melbourne and Perth

Flag description: blue with the flag of