- Liberal Party and National Party

Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Parliament consists of the Senate
(76 seats - 12 from each of the six states and two from each of the two
mainland territories; one-half of the members elected every three years
by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives
(150 seats - this is up from 148 seats in 2001 election; members elected
by popular vote on the basis of preferential representation to serve
three-year terms; no state can have fewer than five representatives)
elections: Senate - last held 10 November 2001 (next to be held by
November 2004); House of Representatives - last held 10 November 2001
(next to be held by November 2004) election results: Senate - percent
of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Liberal Party-National Party
coalition 35, Australian Labor Party 28, Australian Democrats 8, Green
Party 2, One Nation Party 1, Country Labor Party 1, independent 1; House
of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
Liberal Party-National Party coalition 82, Australian Labor Party 65,
independent and other 3

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

Political parties and leaders: Australian Democrats [Natasha
STOTT-DESPOJA]; Australian Labor Party [Simon CREAN]; Country Labor Party
[leader NA]; Green Party [Bob BROWN]; Liberal Party [John Winston HOWARD];
National Party [John ANDERSON]; One Nation Party [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Australian Democratic Labor Party
(anti-Communist Labor Party splinter group); Australian Monarchist League
[leader NA]; Australian Republican Movement [leader NA]

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, 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: Ambassador Michael J. THAWLEY
consulate(s) general: FAX: [1] (202) 797-3168 telephone: [1] (202)
797-3000 chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
J. Thomas SCHIEFFER embassy: Moonah Pl