ARTICLE · 20 MAY 1998

Australia's Legal Structure

Minter Ellison

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AustraliaFinance and Banking

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP

Australia's legal system is based on the British model but continues to adopt features of the United States system. Australia's highest court is the High Court of Australia which sits in Canberra.

Australia's federal system of government is similar in many respects to the United States and Canada.

Laws which are relevant to doing business in Australia are made by all 3 tiers of government: federal, state (and territory) and local.

The Federal Government's power to make laws is defined by the Constitution. Under the Constitution the Federal Government may legislate in the areas of taxation, foreign investment, defence, the banking and monetary system, interstate and overseas trade and trade mark and patent registration.

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