Canberra

Canberra is the capital of the Commonwealth of Australia and, with a population of just over 323,000, is also Australia's largest inland city. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory, 300 km southwest of Sydney, and 650 km northeast of Melbourne. Unique in Australia as an entirely purpose-built, planned city, Canberra was selected as the location of the National Capital in 1908. Following an international contest for the city's design, a design by Chicago architect Walter Burley Griffin was selected and construction commenced in 1913. The city's design was heavily influenced by the garden city movement and incorporates significant areas of natural vegetation that have earned Canberra the title "bush capital". Although the growth and development of Canberra was hindered by the World Wars and the Great Depression, it emerged as a thriving city post-World War II.

Governance

Outside Canberra, the Australian Capital Territory has no settlements larger than a village. The Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly performs the roles of both a city council and territory government. The Assembly consists of 17 members, elected from three districts using proportional representation. The three districts are Molongolo, Gininderra and Brindabella, which elect seven, five and five members, respectively. The Chief Minister is elected by the members of the Assembly and selects four MLAs to serve as Ministers to form an Executive, or cabinet. At the 2004 election the Australian Labor Party, headed by Chief Minister Jon Stanhope, won nine of the 17 seats and formed the ACT's first majority government. The Commonwealth Government retains some influence over the ACT government; the Commonwealth can overrule the laws of the territories, although this rarely happens, and its National Capital Authority is responsible for many aspects of the planning of Canberra's urban development and growth.

Related Topics:
Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly - City council - Cabinet - Jon Stanhope - National Capital Authority

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The Australian Federal Police (AFP) provides all of the police services of a state police force under a contractual agreement with the Australian Capital Territory Government. People who have been charged with offences are tried either in the ACT Magistrate's Court or, depending on the severity of the offence, the ACT Supreme Court. Prisoners can be held in remand at the Belconnen Remand Centre in the ACT but there are no prisons in the ACT so people who have been sentenced to imprisonment serve their sentence in NSW. Courts such as a Small Claims Tribunal and a Family Court exist for civil law actions and other non-criminal legal matters.

Related Topics:
Australian Federal Police - ACT Magistrate's Court - ACT Supreme Court - Remand - Belconnen Remand Centre - NSW - Family Court

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