1. 16
   17
2. 18
   21

Did you know that voting in Australia is compulsory? If you're 18, you're voting in local, state, and federal elections. It is a requirement once you've turned 18 to participate. This doesn't stop until either a) you become incapable of voting in which case a doctor must provide evidence of such disability, or b) you turn 70. Once you hit 70, you may no longer be required to vote in local elections.

1. Sydney
   Canberra
2. Queensland
   Tasmania

Most people assume that the famous Sydney MUST be the capital city, but indeed it is NOT! Canberra is an inland city that is located southwest of Sydney. It is inside of the Australian Capital Territory which borders Victoria and New South Wales. Originally the capital city was Melbourne, but eventually was moved to Canberra a few years later.

1. The United States
   China
2. Britain
   Spain

Despite Australia gaining its independence in 1901, a great deal of its culture comes from Great Britain and their ties are undeniable. Australia still technically serves under the Queen of England, Elizabeth II. She is represented by the governor-general within the country, making her presence rather rare. The Australian accent is also primarily influenced by Great Britain, with its own twang of course.

1. Blue, green, yellow
   Red, white, blue
2. White, blue, black
   Yellow, red, white

Did you know that this color combination is one of the most frequent in national flags? After gaining independence in 1901, the nation-state had a country-wide competition to see who could design the best flag. The winner was announced that September and is still in use to this day. It combines the original design of the British flag with Australia's own significant signs and features.

1. Yellow rose
   White lily
2. Violets
   Golden wattle

Did you know that September 1st is Wattle Day in Australia? It is the designated day of celebration for the nation-state's flower of choice. Similar to buttercups, these yellow balls of beauty serve as the official national flower. It begins blooming in September, hence the day of celebration being at the beginning of the month.

1. "Advance Australia Fair"
   "Fight Song"
2. "To The Territories, ho!"
   "The Queen's Call"

Did you know that the actual anthem of Australia was composed way before it gained its independence? The composer, Peter Dodds McCormick (aka Amicus), had created the tune back in 1878. It wasn't adopted officially by the nation until 1984. It was originally performed in Sydney to great critical acclaim.

1. Australian Military
   Australian Defense Force
2. The Queen's Guard
   The Militia

The branches of this military include Navy, Army, Air Force and several other smaller branches. There are about 80,000 full-time employees of the Defense Force. In 1976, these various branches came together under one unit of the ADF, but had originally operated under separate units. It is the largest military group in Oceania.

1. Everyone should be hired based on skills, not gender.
   Everyone should receive a free college education.
2. Everyone should have universal healthcare.
   Everyone should no longer associate with a specific race to reduce racism.

This philosophy is mainly targeting the working world, as Australia has done its best to make positive strides toward equality for women and men. The Equal Opportunity Act was passed in 1984, targeting South Australian equality, but soon was adopted nationally. This has significantly propelled Australia into being one of the strongest economies in the world.

1. Adelaide
   Sydney
2. Kangaroo Island
   Brisbane

While Brisbane may be the most populated city in Queensland, it is the third-largest city in all of Australia. Established in May of 1825, Brisbane has grown to be a major metropolis of the state. There are over 2,000,000 people living there. The beautiful city is also located on the coast of Australia, overlooking the shore of the South Pacific Ocean.

1. Whig Party
   Labor Party
2. Liberal Party
   National Party

There are about 10 official political parties in the Australian government system. The most popular and represented would be Liberal and Labor, with National coming in third and often aligning with the Liberals. In the Senate, the control is equally split between these two major parties but every single party except for KAP has some kind of representation.

1. July 4
   Jan. 26
2. Feb. 25
   Oct. 14

This holiday marks the arrival of the First Fleet of British ships in New South Wales. This day has been a bit wonky historically as far as how, why, and when it is celebrated. It used to be referred to as "Anniversary Day" or "Foundation Day" by some.

1. Darwin
   Adelaide
2. Botany Bay
   Albany

This coastal city is located at the very northern top of Australia, with a population of about 148,000 people. Overlooking the Timor Sea, this capital serves as a connecting port and route for those traveling to Indonesia and northward. The city itself is very small compared to its southern sister cities, but this is primarily due to the tropical weather found up there and "wet seasons".

1. Water
   Navigation
2. Peace
   Land

The Torres Strait people of Australia gained recognition for their flag in 1995, bringing great pride to the otherwise marginalized group (like the aborigines). The green is simply an allusion to land, with the blue in the middle being water and the star in the middle symbolizing the five island groups. The flag was designed by Bernard Namok.

1. 100,000,000+
   76,000,000+
2. 25,000,000+
   15,000,000+

As of Aug. 2, 2019, there are 25,114,201, making up .33% of the world's entire population. While the environment of Australia is incredibly diverse, the population of human beings is not. 90.1% of residents of Australia are living in urban areas as of 2019, giving the rest of the country a small 9.9% of the populous.

1. Jury duty is optional for those over the age of 35.
   A selected Juror is paid for their time in court.
2. Jurors must wear neutral colors to their summons.
   Aborigines are the only people allowed to participate.

You can be paid between $50 to $140 depending on how long you're in trial for and how long your commute is. The more days in jury duty you have, the larger your pay is. It's compulsory to attend when you receive a summons, so at least there's a bright side knowing you'll be compensated for the days taken from work.

1. 1812
   1776
2. 1684
   1788

A fleet of British settlers arrived in Botany Bay, and shortly after established their colony in Sydney Cove. It was officially proclaimed a settlement on Feb. 7, 1788. However, this was not the first time that people had come to explore Australia. The earliest recorded explorer was by a Dutchman named Willem Janszoon. He came to the country in as early as 1606.

1. Red, white, blue
   Green, black
2. Black, yellow, red
   Red, green, yellow

The aboriginal community's flag was designed in 1971 by Harold Thomas, who himself was an aboriginal. The black represents the aboriginals of Australia, the red for the earth and the Aboriginal connection to it, and the yellow is for the sun. A sun can mean a lot of things, but for this community it is a sign of protection and life.

1. Sydney
   Kakadu
2. Botany Bay
   The Kimberley

Back in the early days of settlement, criminals from Great Britain would be banished to the best equivalent of hell; Down Under. Originally only 736 convicts were sent to the newly claimed land, but over the course of 60 years, that number would increase to about 50,000. The voyage itself was about 6 months long, and would claim many lives.

1. Papua New Guinea
   Taiwan
2. New Zealand
   Indonesia

Australia is neighbors with a few other places, such as East TImor and the Solomon Islands. This country has historically striven to be peaceful with its neighbors, despite world wars among other international disputes. Australia even shares a portion of its military with the country of New Zealand!

1. Queensland
   Victoria
2. Southern Australia
   Tasmania

Tasmania is not actually located on mainland Australia, but off the coast. Aussies refer to this state as "Tassie" or abbreviate it as TAS for official purposes. It is the 26th largest island in the world. Most of this state is protected land, as it is home to several national parks and environmental services.

1. Boris Johnson
   Malcolm Turnbull
2. Scott Morrison
   Susan Kiefel

Hailing from New South Wales, the prime minister has been in office since late August of 2018. Prior to assuming office, Morrison served as treasurer of Australia from 2013 to 2018. He is also a leader of the Liberal Party, which often finds itself at odds with the Labor Party. Morrison is also known for being a child actor during his youth in several commercials.

1. Mouse & cat
   Emu & kangaroo
2. Lion & lamb
   Kangaroo & jaguar

The coat of arms holds the emu and kangaroo, as well as the six other symbols designed for each of the states. These animals find their primary significance in that they're only native to Australia, and the kangaroo has become an international staple of the culture and community. They both symbolize moving forward, as their leg structure makes it difficult to walk backward.

1. Incredible biodiversity
   Plentiful corn farms
2. Large oil deposits
   A recorded 50 shark attacks a day

Considering Australia is one of the oldest and most diverse continents in the world, it's no wonder that its most recognized for its biodiversity. You can find coastal paradises, mountainous plains and the nearly uninhabitable Outback all within one country! However, the majority of residents tend to live on the coast.

1. Sir Drake Lewis
   Sir Arthur Sydney
2. Captain James Cook
   Captain Arthur Phillip

In 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip became the very first governor of New South Wales. This was also the first-ever British settlement in Australia, marking a major change in leadership of the colonies. It is considered the oldest political office in Australian history, and as of 2019, the seat is held by Margaret Beazley.

1. 2
   6
2. 4
   7

Australia consists of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia. Each of these territories is considered a state, similar to the United States but MUCH larger in size. However, there are also two additional territories within the country, Australian Capital Territory and Northern Territory. For the most part, they serve similarly as states, with a few parliamentary restrictions.

1. George Winters
   Susan Kiefel
2. James Patterson
   D'elia Vicks

In January of 2017, Susan Kiefel made history by becoming the first woman to ever serve as the chief justice of Australia. Before assuming her current position, she was a judge on the Supreme Court of Queensland and the Federal Court. She was nominated for the position by the previous prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull.

1. Country of Australia Government
   Community of Auspicious Geography
2. Coalition of Australian Generals
   Council of Australian Governments

This coalition of governments was formed in order to align the various territories and states towards a common goal, as well as provide a medium of communication between these groups. This community also includes representatives from the federal government and the Australian Local Government Association.

1. Citizenship Ceremony
   Paying a $150 deposit to the Cabinet Treasurer
2. Signing your ID card
   Taking the citizenship test

When someone hears about their approval of citizenship, the final step is to attend a Citizenship Ceremony. In this spectacle, the applicant for citizenship will take the Pledge of Australia and receive their status as a citizen of the country. Failure to attend could result in cancellation of your citizenship, and you have to go within a year of notice.

1. Protestantism
   Catholicism
2. Buddhism
   None

While there are many religious households in the Commonwealth of Australia, there is no official religion. In fact, the state demands that the government may not form any kind of church that could interfere with the freedom of religion. The largest practiced religion in Australia is Catholicism, with 22.6% identifying as such. 30% (the largest group) do not identify with any religious organization.

1. Elizabeth II
   Theresa May
2. Stewart Jenkins
   David Hurley

Born David John Hurley, the governor-general serves as one of the highest offices in the Australian government. Originally a senior officer in the Army, Hurley became the 24th governor-general in July of 2019. Prior to that, he had served as the governor of New South Wales beginning in 2014.

1. Nothing, it's not required.
   Failure to vote is considered a Class 4 felony.
2. A $20 fine
   3 days in jail

While voting in Australia may be compulsory, failing to do so really isn't that terrible should you find yourself in such circumstances. To be a citizen of Australia, you agree to vote in the local, state and federal elections should they be presented to you. Failure to vote incurs a $20 fine, or $50 for repeated offenses.

1. 13%
   1%
2. 28%
   68%

Australia has a large pool of people immigrating into the country as opposed to leaving, resulting in over a quarter of Australians being born overseas. This is both a combination of families with special circumstances, military and those who are later defined as immigrants. There is also a high likelihood of only one parent being Australian-born and the other being foreign.

1. Remembrance Day
   Memorial Day
2. Veterans Day
   Anzac Day

Anzac stands for "Australian and New Zealand Army Corps." This day of remembrance is recognized in both Australia and New Zealand and is celebrated annually on April 25. This day originally began to remember those who served in World War I, but has since branched out to honor all veterans of the state.

1. Crown, Senate, House
   House, Senate, Judicial
2. Judicial, Comical, Crown
   Executive, Judicial, Legislative

While Parliament is singularly a part of the Legislative Branch of Government, within it are three elements of power that affect how decisions are made. The Crown is typically represented by the governor-general in place of the queen. Then there is the Senate, with 76 different senators who take office. Finally, there is the House of Representatives with 151 different elected officials holding seats.

1. You must be 16 years and 6 months old to apply.
   You must be 17 to join with a parent's written permission.
2. You must be male unless you are over the age of 21.
   You must have passed Year 10 Math & English

Australia does not have any gender restrictions on who may join the military, regardless of age. Australia is also one of the few worldwide countries to allow trans individuals to not only serve in the military but also go through transition with their support. This took effect in 2010, with LGBTQ+ individuals being allowed to serve as early as 1992!

1. Not a citizen until their parents submit an application for them
   Citizens by proxy
2. Foreign nationals under special visa
   Aliens

While your parents may be considered citizens, being born within Australia is a major factor to citizenship. However, parents may apply to have their children become citizens so long as they have resided in Australia for two consecutive years. If the child is over 18 and wishes to apply for citizenship, the government website states that applicants must "be of good character."

1. New South Wales
   The Outback
2. Tasmania
   The Capital City

Did you know that there are more than 600,00 aborigines in Australia? That's not counting those who were missed in the 2016 census, which is in dispute. Though they only make up 3.3% of the total population in the country, the Aborigines have a lot of historical significance with Australia.

1. Citizens may associate with any and all gender identities.
   Citizens may associate with terrorist groups and remain within the country.
2. Citizens may only protest if the Queen or King allows it.
   Citizens may lawfully protest or join unions for a common goal.

The articles that contain these laws can be found in The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), as well as in the Fair Work Act of 2009. While citizens may protest and join unions, they may not act unlawfully in the process. This means partaking in activities that would otherwise harm or damage the public physically. An example of unlawful protesting would be looting a store where workers are striking.

1. Free speech is protected in the Bill of Rights.
   Political freedom of speech is the only thing explicitly protected.
2. Artistic performance is specially protected.
   Australia is obligated internationally to provide freedom of speech by being in the UN.

Australia may be on top of things in most areas, but freedom of speech is not one of them. Many will claim implicit freedoms of speech, but ultimately it will not hold up in court. The only speech truly protected is political speech, as to provide a safer environment for democracy to thrive. Citizens are subject to several laws of speech, including defamation laws and hate speech laws.

1. Indonesian
   English
2. Australian
   None

While aboriginal communities have other languages and alphabets to offer, most of Australia does not. Since the British (a primarily English-speaking country) were the first to colonize Australia, they brought their culture and language with them. This accent has since developed over time into what we now know as an Australian accent. However, while English is the most widely spoken, there is no official language.