Whitlamia
From Xinda
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| National motto: When faced with an impasse, you've got to crash through or crash. | |||
| National anthem: Advance Whitlamia Fair | |||
| Region | New Liberalia | ||
| Capital | Whitlamis | ||
| Largest Cities | Chifley, Melbourne, Scullin, Brisvegas, Avali, Port Dunstan | ||
| Spoken Languages Official Unofficial | Whitlamian English Traviokon Panseran Caropsyne | ||
| Government • President
• Prime Minister | Federal Republic Maximillian Deane Paul Robbins | ||
| Founded • Federal Republic | January 1st, 1901 January 1st, 2007 | ||
| Population • 2007 census | 605,000,000 | ||
| Currency | Whitlamian Liber(R) = 100 Cents (ç) | ||
| Constitution | Constitution of the Commonwealth of Liberalia | ||
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The Commonwealth
Whitlamia is an island Federal Republic in the north-west of Liberalia, however it is a Federation of multiple states which is formed together as the Commonwealth of Liberalia. Whitlamia is made up of 8 states: Victoria, Middaland, South Whitlamia, Tasman, West Travioko, East Travioko, Panseria, Mengshu and three Territorries: Whitlamia Capital Territory, Port Dunstan Territory, West Mengshu.
Government
Whitlamia is a Federal Parliamentary Republic with a healthy Westminster Parliamenty tradition. There are three tiers of government in Whitlamia: Federal, State/Territory, Local.
The Federal Parliament is the nation's bicameral legislature, which is composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The House of Representatives is made up of 400 Members of Parliament representing electorates of roughly 1,000,000 voters, where as the Senate is composed of 102 Senators, 12 representing each State and 2 representing each Territory. Both houses of Parliament have fixed terms of four years and are elected simultaniously. State and Federal Parliament's are elected by Universal Sufferage. It is compulsory to vote for all citizens 18 years old and over, however optional voting is allowed between the ages of 16-18. The Prime Minister is the leader of the party or coalition with the majority in the House of Representatives and his/her party is invited by the President after an election to form a Government. The next largest political party becomes the Opposition.
The current makeup of the Federal Parliament after the 2007 Federal Election:
Prime Minister: Hon. Paul Robbins MP (Labor Party)
Leader of the Opposition: Hon. Clive Strabome MP (Liberal Party)
House of Representatives
Liberal Party: 158 seats
Country Party: 35 seats
L/C Coalition Combined: 193 seats
Labor Party: 190 seats
Green Democrats: 11 seats
Indipendents: 6 seats
Senate
Liberal Party: 35 seats
Country Party: 7 seats
L/C Coalition Combined: 42 seats
Labor Party: 37 seats
Green Democrats: 15 seats
One Nation: 3 seats
Travioko First: 3 seats
Christian Democrats: 1 seats
Note: In late 2007, the Strabome Liberal/Country Coalition Government was defeated in a Vote of No Confidence in the House of Representatives, as a result of a coalition between the Labor Party and the Green Democrats. In the House of Reps, the Labor/GD make up 201 plus the support of two indipendents out of 400. In the Senate, their combined numbers of 52 plus the support of the 3 Travioko First Senators give them a strong majority.
The Prime Minister is the Head of the Government and is the highest political office in the nation. The Head of the State is the President which is a ceremonial bipartisan figurehead. The President is selected by the Prime Minister from a list of nominees and negotiates with the Leader of the Opposition to ensure that the candidate is universally acceptable, then a special joint sitting of both houses of Parliament convenes to accept the candidate who requires a two-thirds majority to be appointed. The President has a term of five years, and may be asked by the Prime Minister to serve a final second term if Parliament ratifies the appointment again.
Each State and territory has a similar practice, with a Premier commanding a majority in State Parliaments and a Governor as Head of State. In Territories it is a Chief Minister and an Administrator.
Recent Prime Minister's of Whitlamia
Maurice Candelno (Liberal) 1981-1999
Anthony Whiting (Labor) 1999-2006
Paul Robbins (Labor) 2006-2007
Clive Strabome (Liberal) 2007
Paul Robbins (Labor) 2007-
Political Parties
Because of a stable Coalition between the Liberal and Country Party, Whitlamia has developed a two party state between the Coalition and the Labor Party. However with the proportional voting in the Senate many minor parties gain representation there. Prime Ministers tend to only come from the Liberal and Labor Parties. Political parties in the Whitlamian Parliament have strong disipline.
The Liberal party is the dominant centre right, business orientated and social conservative party. It exists in Coalition with the Country Party, which is a conservative rural party. Its main rival is the centre left Whitlamian Labor Party, which is a trade union orientated democratic socialist/social democrat party. The greatest third party are the Green Democrats who are a left wing, environment orientated party.
