AUSTRALIA

LOCATION
Australia is in the
Southern Hemisphere.

Because it is south of the equator, the seasons

in Australia are the opposite of those in
Europe: its winter in Australia when its summer
in Europe.

- Its the 6th biggest country in the world.

- Its an island, surrounded by water.
- Its the smallest continent in the world.

Australia is composed of 7 territories:

Western Australia, Northern Territory,
Queensland, South Australia, New South Wales,
Victoria + Tasmania, and Papua New Guinea.

Six Colonies
Free settlers and former
prisoners established six
colonies:
1. New South Wales-1786
2. Tasmania-1825
3. Western Australia-1829
4. South Australia-1834
5. Victoria-1851
6. Queensland-1859

HISTORY
James Cook discovered Australia in 1770.

Britain sent prisoners

and criminals to Australia.

Europeans sold the land

of Aborigines and killed
thousands of them.

Native Australians. The Aborigines have lived in Australia

for over 40,000 years. Now they only represent 1% of the
population. The total population of Australia is 22 million.

CITIES

The capital city is

Canberra.

The biggest city is Sydney,

where there is the famous
Sydney Opera House.

OTHER IMPORTANT CITIES

Melbourne

Adelaide

Brisbane

Perth

THE AUSTRALIAN FLAG

Southern cross symbolizes the constellation.

Union Flag
6th British
colony.

The Commonwealth 7 pointed star

represents the 7 territories.

The currency is the Australian dollar.

In Australia it is usually very warm, so Australians love

sport and other outdoor activities. The most popular
are:
scuba-diving
cricket
surfing

swimming

TYPICAL ANIMALS
Koala

Kangaroo

SOME AUSTRALIAN SYMBOLS

Other names for Australia

Oz
Down Under

Attractions/Important
Economic Enterprises
Famous weapon:
Aborigines
boomerang
Gold rushes/mining
Sheep farming
Grain

Stable
Skilled Workforce
Strong & Competetive
High Growth
Low Inflation & Interest Rate

Efficient Government
Flexible Labor Market
Very Competitive Business Sector
Workforce of 10 million highly trained
Almost half of workforce has university,
trade, or diploma qualifications.
Monetary System based on Australian dollar
Weights and measures based on the metric
system

Mining
Food Processing
Chemicals
Steel
Industrial & Transportation Equipment
Wine

Australian Business
Structures

A key Australian characteristic would be

egalitarianism.

It is very important that people do not give the

impression that they 'think they are somebody'.

It is much better to be seen as a 'good fellow' or a

'good mate' than somebody who is overtly proud of
themselves and their achievements.

Australian Business
Structures

Australian organizations to be fairly non-hierarchical

in their structure.

Little attention is paid to titles and rankings within

organizations, with status being ascribed through
achievement rather than organizational position you are only as good as your last decision or action!

Australian Management
Style

Managers are not expected to see themselves as in

any way superior to their colleagues people just
have different jobs.

Therefore an authoritarian style of management will

be received very badly by most Australians and
such an approach may provoke outright hostility

Australian Meetings

Punctuality is considered a virtue in Australia but

having said that meetings often start five or ten
minutes late.

In addition, it is customary to go through a few

minutes small talk before getting down to the key
issues of the meeting (sport is a very common
theme of these discussions.)

Australian Meetings

Australia can be classified as a postplanning culture which means that relatively

little preparation is done for meetings (with
the exception of client-facing meetings).

Meetings are often viewed as the forum for

the open debate of an issue and that, during
that open debate, a route forward will be
found this approach obviously sits well
with the Australian egalitarian approach.

Australian Meetings

When the route forward is agreed upon in the

meeting, then a detailed work schedule will
be implemented for completion after the
meeting.

Being 'over-prepared' for meetings can result

in certain negative feelings towards those
who have prepared in advance as they can
be seen to be trying to dictate and force their
ideas on other people

Australian Team

Being seen to be a good team player is an

extremely important part of the Australian psyche
to be a maverick or a loner will invariably ostracize a
person from their colleagues.

Creating a positive, collegiate feel in a department

or project group would be seen as a key
management function and bonding sessions (often
including food and drink) are actively encouraged.

Australian Team

It goes without saying that anyone who tries to make

themselves out to be better than their colleagues
does not make a good team player nor does
anyone who wishes to be successful at the expense
of a colleague.

A competitive edge should be directed towards the

other team (the competition) rather than being
internally focused.

Australian Communication
Styles

Although Australia is a polyglot nation, with over 100

languages being spoken by those sections of the
population who have emigrated there from all over
the world.

English is the official and by far the most commonly

spoken language.

Australian Communication
Styles

Australians tend to put directness before diplomacy

and therefore can be considered quite blunt on
occasions -especially by people from those cultures
in which the majority are wary of speaking plainly for
fear of creating a negative emotional impact upon
the people they are talking to.

Directness is cherished in Australia and failure to

say what you mean and mean what you say can be
mistaken for evasiveness and even hypocrisy.

Women in Business in
Australia

Women currently make up a large percentage of the

workforce but as in many other countries are often
found in lower paid and part-time jobs.

Whilst progress is being made, statistics will show

that women are still paid comparatively less for
doing the same job as a man.

Foreign business women visiting Australia should

encounter little if any overt gender bias.

Australian Dress Code

In corporate Australia, standard business dress is

still very much the norm.

Dark suits and ties are the standard dress for

management level businessmen with women
wearing business suits with either skirts or trousers.
(More informal attire is often preferred if doing work
outside the major cities.)

Australian Dress Code

Remember that, for much of the year, Australia is a

very hot country so make sure that your clothing is
lightweight and cool during those periods.

Try to avoid excessive jewellery and accessories

which may be viewed as too flashy and therefore
unprofessional.

Successful Entertaining in
Australia

There is no great tradition for business entertaining

in Australia and it certainly shouldn't be viewed as
the quick way to cement relationships with a new
client or contact.

In fact, you are more likely to be asked out for lunch

or dinner once a firm relationship has been
established - in this way the meal can in no way be
seen to have influenced a business decision

Successful Entertaining in
Australia

People will very often 'go Dutch' over a meal - this

means that the bill is split equally amongst those
present at the meal.

If you wish to pay, make sure you make this clear

before the meal to avoid any embarrassing debates
when the bill is presented.

Successful Entertaining in
Australia

If invited to a pub or bar for a drink, it is very

important to make sure you pay your 'shout' - that
means that everybody is expected to pay for a
round of drinks.

It is unadvisable to develop a reputation as

someone who does not pay for his or her fair share
of the drinks!

Tips

Although Australia is relatively geographically remote and has a

small domestic market, it is economically successful and its
citizens have a comparatively high standard of living.

Due to its small domestic market, Australia needs to trade

actively on the international market place and Australians know
this - they are open to new ideas from overseas.

Business attire in Australia tends towards the formal with suits

and ties the norm for men in management positions in major
cities.

Tips

Australians prize their egalitarian approach to lifepeople should not try to make out that they are
better than others.

This egalitarian world view is mirrored in many

aspects of Australian business culture from
corporate structures to management and
communication style.

Tips

On the whole, Australian corporate structures

are matrix oriented, without too many layers
of management. A hierarchical approach
tends to sit uneasily in egalitarian Australia.

Managers try to develop a 'matey'

relationship with their colleagues and would
be viewed negatively if they tried to seem
aloof from subordinates.

Tips

Everybody expects to have an input into the

decision-making process even if, in the final
analysis, the boss still makes the decision. If the
boss makes the decision with no prior consultation,
it unlikely that people will be very keen to ensure
implementation.

Decision-making meetings can be quite animated

and it is expected that people will say exactly what
they think without necessarily having to defer
automatically to the boss' viewpoint.

Tips

Although Australians will say that they value

punctuality as a professional necessity, do
not be surprised if people appear five to ten
minutes late for a meeting.

Some small talk is usually engaged in before

the meeting proper starts. This stage of the
meeting is, however, rarely protracted (five
minutes or less.)

Tips

Australians tend to plan in less detail than certain

other countries (Germany or Japan for example.)

The object of a meeting is often to explore the

various possibilities available at that time, in order to
determine what detailed actions may need to be
taken after the meeting

Tips

Agendas are often produced at meetings but will

not, necessarily, be strictly adhered to. Some
deviation is allowed if it is felt to be constructive
deviation. This is viewed as pragmatic.

Australians like to be viewed as good team players

and will try very hard to play the role.

Tips

Teams are best managed by somebody who wants

to be part of the team, rather than somebody who
wished to be seen as apart from the team.

A team leader should view themselves the 'first

amongst equals'.

Australians like people to say exactly what is on

their mind. Hiding your views behind diplomatic
language can be seen as evasiveness.

Tips

Never try to 'hard sell' things to Australians

who will probably view such an approach as
bragging. Such an approach will invariably
backfire in Australia.

Humor is an oft-used communication device

in Australian business circles. It is difficult to
envisage many situations where the use of
humor would be deemed inappropriate.

Attitudes to Work, Hierarchy

and Leadership

Australians work to live rather than live to work

Workplace is not overly formal but there are clear lines of
authority and decision-making.
Workers talk on an equal basis with their superiors AND
inferiors, often using humour or irreverence.
Promotions tend to be based on merit and seniority.
Being a good team player is highly regarded by
employers.

Ursula Walker 2011

Organisational
Communication
In many countries
a
top-down model of
organisational
communication is
still very common.

Australian organisations
tend use a more interactive
model.

Ursula Walker 2011

Achieving Success in the

Australian Workplace

Australian employers like employees who are:

Appropriately skilled and qualified

Take the initiative and can be assertive when necessary

Are both able to work well independently but are also a

team player

Have excellent planning, problem solving and

organisational skills

Are good communicators

Are enthusiastic and self-motivated

Ursula Walker 2011

Employer Expectations

Employers expect employees to give and receive

feedback and take initiative on projects.

While Australians like communication to be direct,

they still expect manners and politeness.

Good interpersonal skills such as listening and

being able to negotiate differences are highly
regarded.

Personal qualities such as punctuality, enthusiasm

and motivation are highly valued.
Ursula Walker 2011

Top 10 Tips for Skilled

Migrants

Are you becoming

disillusioned or depressed
about the difficulties in finding
appropriate employment or
understanding your new
workplace? Read on

Ursula Walker 2011

Treat others as your equal

Australia has inequality
and Australian
workplaces have
hierarchies, but people
tend to speak with
each other as equals.
Be equally polite to
both the office cleaner
and the boss.
Ursula Walker 2011

Understand Australian
Manners
Different languages have
different ways of expressing
politeness.
In Australia if you dont use
please, thank you and
excuse me a lot, you may
be judged as being impolite.

Ursula Walker 2011

Always be Punctual

Plan to arrive 15 minutes before a job interview and

dont be late for meetings.

Ursula Walker 2011

Know your
Responsibilities
Be aware of employer
expectations.
Being clear about job roles and
responsibilities in your
vocational field will make it
easier for you to excel.

Ursula Walker 2011

Know your Rights

Australian
governments have
laws that protect
employee rights, laws
to ensure a safe
workplace and to
promote equality of
opportunity.

Ursula Walker 2011

Communication is Critical
Continue to improve your
English.
Learn how Australians make
casual conversation in the
workplace, and learn
colloquialisms and jargon.
Be aware of non-verbal
communication, particularly in job
interviews.

Ursula Walker 2011

Build a Bridge
Carefully identify a small
number of well-respected
local training courses that can
deepen your understanding of
Australian standards,
processes and specifications.
But remember that practical
work experience is highly
valued in Australia.

Ursula Walker 2011

Be Realistic
Its unlikely that you will be able to start your new
career at the same level that you were in in your
country of origin.
Sometimes you have to go
backward to go forward be
prepared to start lower so that
you can learn and progress in
your new country.
Ursula Walker 2011

Know that your Contribution is

Valued

Australias prosperity and diverse culture are largely

due to the many migrants who have made Australia
their home. Most Australians recognise this and
appreciate it or are migrants themselves!
Ursula Walker 2011

Be Positive

We have a growing
economy and a falling
unemployment rate. Its
only a matter of time
before the right job
becomes available.
Ursula Walker 2011

Human Resource
management
Human Resource Management is an
important organizational activity that
focuses on issues regarding personnel
such as hiring, compensation,
organization development, performance
management, wellness, safety,
benefits, employee motivation, training,
administration, and communication.

Functions of HRM
1. Staffing
2. Human Resource Development
(HRD)
3. Compensation and Benefits
4. Safety and Health
5. Employee and Labor Relations

Human Resource
Management in
AUSTRALIA

Recruitment and Selection

Diverse labor market
Job analysis
Human resource planning
Succession planning
Advertisemt

Cont
Graduate recruitment
Recruitment in general
Selection
Interview
Test

The Wan Tan Slaughter house in

the Asia Pacific

Staffing
The main trends in recruitment are identified
as:
Use of technology
Newspapers
Online job boards
careers/vacancies websites and search
engine
Ernst & Young (http://www.ey.com/AU/en/Careers)
Deloitte (http://careers.deloitte.com/jobs/eng-AU)
KPMG (
http://www.kpmg.com/au/en/careers/pages/defa
ult.aspx
)

Cont..
Outsourcing
Hays Talent Solutions
(hays.com.au)
HrX (hrx.com.au)
hyphen (hyphen.com.au)

Training & development

Vocational and Industrial training

On the job training

Off the job training

Compensation & Benefits

Competitive base pay
Annual incentive awards when the
company meets its established goals
Death and disability insurance
Programs to help you balance your
work and personal responsibilities
Motor vehicle plans
Educational assistance

Methods of performance
appraisal systems

Forced distribution (FD) forces appraisers to

place a certain proportion of appraised staff in
different performance categories or grades,
normally with the aim of avoiding the
bunching of staff in higher grades.

Multi-rater or 360-degree feedback appraisals

are seen as increasingly prevalent practices in
corporate performance management systems.
Its managerial rationale is to give individual
employees a more rounded and coherent
perspective on their performance by providing
feedback from peers and subordinates as well
as the line manager. It is regarded as a way of
strengthening an individuals skills,
competencies and future performance.

 Centralized reward system

Decentralized reward system
The minimum wage

Health & Safety

STEP 1 HOW TO IDENTIFY

HAZARDS
physical work environment
equipment, materials and
substances used
work tasks and how they are
performed
work design and management

STEP 2 HOW TO ASSESS RISKS

how severe a risk is
whether any existing control measures
are effective
what action you should take to control
the risk
how urgently the action needs to be
taken.

 STEP 3 HOW TO CONTROL RISKS

The hierarchy of risk control
How to develop and implement control
options
How to ensure that controls remain
effective

STEP 4 HOW TO REVIEW CONTROLS

Are the control measures working effectively
in both their design and operation?
Have the control measures introduced new
problems?
Have all hazards been identified?
Have new work methods, new equipment or
chemicals made the job safer?
Are safety procedures being followed?

Employee and Labor

Relations
Employee realtions
Trade union organization,
membership and density
Collective bargaining
Industrial conflicts and strikes

 Settlement of industrial disputes

Employee involvement and
participation

CrossCultural Analysis

Specific Cultural Differences

SAUDI ARABIA

AUSTRALIA

Inequality of gender

Equality of gender

Conservative dress

Informal dress

Relaxed about time

Punctuality expected

Little nightlife

Nightlife important part of culture

Forbidden to eat pork

Meat dishes popular

Alcohol forbidden

Alcohol very common

Small gifts acceptable in business Gift-giving uncommon

Friday holy day (day of rest)

Normal weekend

Ramadan

No significant religious holidays

High and LowContext Cultures

SAUDI ARABIA

AUSTRALIA

High Context Culture:

Low Context Culture:

Responsibility for organisational

error taken by highest level

Responsibility for organisational

error pushed to lowest level

Polychronic culture:
everything in life must be dealt
with in terms of its own time
people able to multi-task

Monochronic culture:
time is money
time is linear
people do one thing at a time

Negotiations are lengthy

Negotiations proceed quickly

Source: Hall and Hall (1990)

Hofstedes Dimensions

Source: Hofstede (1980) - cited in Alexakis (2003)

Power Distance
SAUDI ARABIA

High Power Distance:

- Autocratic management style
- Acceptance of status differences
- Hierarchical structures

AUSTRALIA

Low Power Distance:

- Democratic management style:
- Consultative relationships
- Consensus-building philosophy

Source: Hofstede (1980) - cited in Alexakis (2003)

Individualism / Collectivism
SAUDI ARABIA

Low Individualism:
- Collectivist, group-oriented culture
- Close relationships between
individuals

AUSTRALIA

High Individualism:
- Individualistic society
- Loose relationships between
individuals

Source: Hofstede (1980) - cited in Alexakis (2003)

Masculinity / Femininity

Both countries are quite similar in

respect of masculinity and have
mid-ranking scores
- Evidence of assertiveness,
achievement-orientation, ambition,
competitiveness and aggression, yet
able and willing to compromise when
required
- Combination of people-oriented,
task-oriented and process-oriented
management practices

Source: Hofstede (1980) - cited in Alexakis (2003)

Uncertainty Avoidance
SAUDI ARABIA

High Uncertainty Avoidance:

- Low tolerance of risk and ambiguity
- Rule-oriented society
- People expected to conform

AUSTRALIA

Medium Uncertainty Avoidance:

- Uncertainty and ambiguity tolerated
- Willingness to take some risks
- Non-conformity accepted

Source: Hofstede (1980) - cited in Alexakis (2003)

Hofstedes Dimensions

Source: Hofstede (1980) - cited in Alexakis (2003)

Training Programme

Aims of Culture Training Programme

The training Programme is designed to:

help Mohammed develop and improve his personal and

professional effectiveness;
develop his intercultural sensitivity and help him adapt to
a new and different cultural environment;
minimise the potential for conflict between Mohammed
and his new colleagues;
make Mohammed aware of culture shock and its
consequences;
help Mohammed develop cultural knowledge, awareness
and skills, so as to become culturally fluent.

Cultural Fluency

Cultural
Awareness

Cultural
Knowledge
Cultural
Fluency

Cultural Skills

http://www.cultural-fluency.com/mainpage3.htm

Schedule of Training Programme

Pre-Departure Training

3 months

(including initial assessment)

(12 hrs per week)

Post-Arrival Training

1 month

(including on-going)

Re-Entry Training

3 months

Training Programme Methods

Lectures
Seminars
Reading materials
Video tapes
Cultural assimilators
Role-playing
Case studies
Workshops
Orientation trip

Preliminary Assessment
Objectives of the assessment

To avoid methods that may be too basic or too advanced for

the manager;
To choose the most appropriate training programme to suit his
needs;
To identify his current level of cultural fluency

Contents

Written tests

Interviews

Bennetts International Sensitivity model

Highest

Lowest

Denial

Defence

Minimization
Acceptance
Adaptation
Integration

Bennett M. (1986) A Development Approach to Training for Intercultural Sensitivity, in

International Journal of Intercultural Relations 10, No.2

Pre-Departure Programme
1) General knowledge about Australia
(Area studies, economy, history, literature)

2) Preparation for living in Australia

(Everyday life, banking, medical services etc.)

3) General Language Training

(Advanced Level)

4) Cross-cultural Training

Cross-Cultural Training

Cultural values

Culture in business

Communication styles

Business etiquette and protocol

Tailored training

Culture shock

Post-Arrival Programme

Personal Orientation Programme (off-job / first week)

- Orientation trip
- Meeting with representatives
- Cultural adaptation for daily life

Post-Arrival Programme (cont.)

Professional Orientation Programme (next 3 weeks)

- Visiting company and meeting key people
- Continuing culture in business training
- Practical training in business etiquette and protocol

Personal mentor - monthly interviews

Re-Entry Programme

Objective
- Minimise impact of reverse culture shock

Method
- Meetings with home company representatives 6
months, 3 months and 1 month prior to going back to
Saudi Arabia

Resources: including physical,

technological, human, and energy
Physical Resources:

Australia is considered to be rich in natural resources despite the fact

that 1/3 of the continent is entirely useless and another third is at best
sparcepasture.Thecountryisrichinnaturalresourcessuchasbauxite,
coal,ironore,copper,tin,uranium,nickel,tungsten,mineralsands,lead,
zinc, diamonds, natural gas, and petroleum. Australias agricultural and
mineral exports are sensitive to fluctuations in world market prices
which can restrict or encourage growth. Australia is also a world
exporteroflivestock,wool,andfood.Thecountryisverydependanton
exportswhichhasanoveralleffectofinfluencingitsdevelopmentplan.

Technological Resources:

Australiaisamoderndaycountrywithaccesstoandproductionof
manyinformationagetechnologies.Computersarecommonand
pervasiveinbusinessandeverydaylife.Satellitetechnologyis
availableandwidelyused.Unfortunately,thecountry'sdistancefrom
EuropeandNorthAmericahasanegativeinfluenceontradepolicies
andimposesconsiderabletransportationcostsonimportsand
exports.Thisalsoexplainswhythecountrytrailsinoverall
technologyandwhyitreceiveslessfalloutfromthescientific
advancesthatarerevolutionizingindustryamongtheAtlantic
powers.Withthisinmind,Australiastilllagstheintheindustrialage
withsomeconsiderableprogressintotheinformationage.

Human Resources:

Australiahasahighlyeducatedsocietywithaliteracy
rateof99to99.5%.Theinstitutionalbreakdownisas
follows:33universities,1619secondlevelschools
withanetenrollmentof86%,95thirdlevelschools
withanenrollmentrateof27%,vocationalschools
number234andthepercentageofthepopulationwith
postsecondaryeducationis22.Australiaisintothe
informationagewitharichhumanresources
backround.

Energy Resources:

ThecompositionofAustralia'senergysupplyhaschangedsincetheendofWWII,
firstinfavorofoil,andaftertwooilshocks,infavorofcoal.Coalandlignite
accountfor70%ofthetotalenergysourceswithpetroleumandnaturalgas
accountingfortheother28%.Electricpoweronlyaccountsfor3%.Australiaisone
ofthefivemembersofOECDthatisanetenergyexporter.Oilwasfirstdiscovered
in1961inSoutheasternQueensland.Sincethenmanymoreoilrichlandhavebeen
developed.Theprospectsofotheroilrichareasbeingdiscoveredareconsidered
good.Publicelectricitysupplyrestswiththestategovernmentswhichcontrolboth
productionanddistribution.Hydroelectrficresourcesarepoor,withtheexception
ofTasmania,becauseoflowaveragerainfallandlimitedareasofhighrelief.
Nuclearpowerisnon-existentasofthistime.Australiaisstillconsideredtobein
theIndustrialageofenergyresourceswithashifttowardsmorerenewableenergy
sourcesinthenearfuture.

Economic System
Australia'seconomyisbasicallyfree-enterpriseinstructure,andit'slargest

componentsarefinance,manufacturing,servicesandtrade.Australiahasa
developed,modern,regulatedmarketeconomycharacterizedby
industrialization,hightechnology,urbanization,largescaleproduction,
exploitationofnaturalresources,andadominantprivate-enterprisesector.The
economy'sgreatstrengthsareastablepoliticalsystem;anAnglo-Saxonrespect
forlawandprivateproperty;awellmaintainedandextensiveinfrastructure;
andvastmineralresources,thefullextentofwhichisonlygraduallybeing
revealed.It'sGDPis$374.6billionwithanationalpercapitaof$20,720.The
inflationrateis2.5%andit'sunemploymentrateis8.9%.Australiaismainlyin
theIndustrialageduetoitsmonetaryeconomyyetit'stypeofeconomicsystem
ismovingintotheInformationage

Political System

Australiaisafederalparliamentarystate,consistingofsixfederalstates,the
AustralianCapitalTerritoryaroundCanberra,andtheNorthernTerritory.Each
individualstateenjoysmuchautonomy,althoughnationallawoverridesanystate
lawsthatconflictwithit.ThefederalParliamentconsistsofa76seatSenateanda
147seatHouseofReprsentatives.Allcitizensarerequiredtovoteandthosewho
don'tmaybefined.Thenextelectionsarein1996.Keating'sLaborPartyisthe
governingparty.Withnearequalrepresentationstandsanoppositioncoalition
composedoftheLiberalPartyandtheNationalParty.AlthoughAustraliaisa
sovereignnation,itisstillamemberofBritainsCommonwealthandofficially
recognizesQueenElizabethIIasitsmonarch.Agovernor-generalformally
representsthequeen.PrimeMinisterPaulKeatingandotherssupportconverting
AustraliaintoafullrepublicandwithdrawingfromtheCommonwealth,amovethat
wouldrequireanationalreferendumandconstitutionalchange.Otherpolitical
groupsstronglyopposesuchamove,andthepublichasgenerallyexpressedthe
desiretomaintainthestatusquo.AustraliahasacombinationofIndustrialand
Informationagepoliticalsystem

Employment

Primary Jobs:TheAustralianlaborforceisestimatedat8.63millionwitha60.7%
participationrate.Womenmakeup39.4%ofthelaborforce.Australias
unemploymentrateisclosetotheOECDaverage.However,unemploymentisvery
highfortwogroups:youth,forwhomithashoveredbetween22%and25%;and
forwomen,forwhomithasrisenashighas31.9%.Manyobserversattributethe
highyouthunemploymenttohighpayscalesforthatagegroup.Theworkforce
breakdownincludes:70%intheservices,21%intheminingandmanufacturing
industry,5%inagriculture,and4%inpublicadministration.Thisserviceoriented
countryhasalltheinformationagecharacteristicswithasmallpercentageofleft
overindustrialagesectors.
Labor Union Membership:AlthoughAustralianunionsarestillstrong,their
numbershavebeensteadilydecliningsincethe1970's.It'sexpectedthatasthe
countrymovestowardsamoreservicebasedeconomythatthetrendwillcontinue,
however,duetoitshighlyindustrializedmanufacturingsectorsit'sexpectedto
stabilizeinthenearfuture.ThisplacesAustraliaintheInformationageregarding
laborunions

Three political parties dominate the

center of the Australian political
spectrum: the Liberal Party (LP),
nominally representing urban businessrelated groups; the National Party
(NP), nominally representing rural
interests; and the Australian Labor
Party (ALP), nominally representing the
trade unions and liberal groups.

Government/Immigration

Democracy
British monarch-symbolic executive
power
Culturally diverse society

Indigenous peoples
Since 1945, over 6 million people from 200
countries have come to Australia as new
settlers.
Vietnam, Greece, China, and UK

Immigration policies

Non-discriminatory