Judiciary (судебная власть)

State courts are structured hierarchically. Magistrate's courts have jurisdiction over less serious offenses. District courts are presided over by judges who hear indictable felonies (преступление, преследуемое по обвинительному акту) and civil claims (гражданские иски) of less than 100,000 dollars. The State supreme courts hear the most serious indictable offenses.

The more recently established federal court system includes the Family Court, dating from 1976, and responsible for settling disputes over marriage and offspring (дети); and the Federal Court, dedicated since 1977 to labor law, bankruptcy, and restrictive trade practices.

The final arbiter is the High Court of Australia, which seats a Chief Justice (председатель Верховного суда) and six Justices, now appointed to the age of 70. The High Court of Australia decides constitutional questions. Since its creation in 1903, the High Court of Australia has been responsible for interpreting the constitution. It also serves as the nation's court of final appeals.

Magistrate's courts - less serious offenses

District courts - indictable felonies and civil claims of less than 100,000 dollars

State supreme courts - most serious indictable offenses

Family Court - disputes over marriage and offspring

Federal Court - labor law, bankruptcy

Republicanism in Australia

Republicanism in Australia is the movement to change Australia's status as a constitutional monarchy with a republican form of government.

The main argument made by supporters of an Australian republic is that it is inappropriate for someone in a distant country to be their head of state. They argue that a "foreigner" whose main job is as the head of state of the United Kingdom, and spends his or her life there, cannot represent Australia, not to itself, nor to the rest of the world.

Republicans argue that Australia has changed culturally and demographically, from being "British to our bootstraps (ремешок ботинка)" to being increasingly multicultural. For Australians of Italian or Chinese origin, they argue, the idea of a Monarch of Australia who is also the Monarch of Britain is an anomaly, while even for some of those of British origin, it is an anachronism. Aborigines and Australians of Irish origin, they argue, see it as a symbol of British imperialism.

It has been argued that several characteristics of the monarchy are in conflict with modern Australian values. The hereditary (наследственная) nature of the monarchy is said to conflict with Australian egalitarianism and dislike of inherited privilege. The laws of succession (наследование престола) are regarded by some as sexist. Succession to the British throne is based upon male primogeniture (право старшего сына на наследование). The links between the monarchy and the Church of England (the English Monarch must be an Anglican. The Bill of Rights, 1689, excludes from the throne all Catholics, and those married to Catholics.) are regarded as inconsistent with Australia's secular (светский) character.

A typical proposal for an Australian republic provides for the Queen and Governor General to be replaced by a president.