Commonwealth of Australia

The Commonwealth of Australia, also known commonly as just Australia, was a major nation which was located primarily in Oceania. Its territory extended over the Australian mainland, Tasmania, the Lesser Sunda Islands, Singapore, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Fiji, and New Zealand. Australia also controlled the Kergeulens in the Indian Ocean as a special territory used for scientific research. The citizens of Australia were known as Australians. It was one of the longest lasting nations in history, continuously existing for over three centuries. It was a federal republic and had three major political parties. The nation peacefully dissolved in 589AD, over 300 years after its original founding. It was played by Noch. 
== History ==
=== History before South Africa ===
Before the arrival of South Africans, the Australian lands were being divided up by the Socialist Republic of New Zealand (SRNZ) and the Finnish Empire. A series of agreements were made which allowed for the South Africans to commence colonization. Before all of these, some of the notable former owners of some or all of Australia were the Sultanate of the Nicolides, Byzantines, Scotland, New Portugal, and Terra. To this day, descendants of those who lived under these countries continue to live in Australia, with some going on to become presidential candidates. One of the presidents of Australia, Allan al-Kantara, was a Nicolidean. 
=== Colonization of South Africa ===
The South African colonizers first landed on the shores of present-day Tasmania in 263 AD. Its colonization was relatively easy, with minimal resistance from the Aboriginals. Tasmania was named after Abel Janszoon Tasman, one of the crew members onboard the first South African Expedition ship. 
South Africa sought to increase their control and access to the Pacific Ocean by solidifying control of the Bass Strait by means of setting up possessions along the southern coast of the Australian island. The colonies of Victoria and Western Australia were established, along with the cities of Melbourne and Perth respectively. 
The strategic location of Melbourne, protected from the Bass Strait by Port Phillip Bay, led to Melbourne becoming the capital city and the most important city. 
=== Independence & Formation ===
The Commonwealth of Australia was officially formed in 273 AD, after the colonies of Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, and Tasmania broke away from the South African Federation as a result of disagreements with "Noch" and "Bleedz", co-rulers of the federation. The Australian subjects, seeing the instability the "Bleedz" leadership brought to the federation, banded together behind "Noch" and declared independence, which Cape Town permitted for unknown reasons. 
The colonies agreed that survival will only be possible if all four cooperated and the day after they declared independence, they signed the Commonwealth Act (273 AD), agreeing that the Commonwealth should be a federation. With most of the Australian Outback uncontrolled, the northwards expansion began. 
=== Expansion (273AD-293AD) ===
Australia's expansion was met with minimal to no resistance hence, unhindered for nearly two decades between 273 AD and 293 AD. This allowed Australia to control land between the Great Australian Bight and the Timor Sea. In 290 AD, prominent Liberal leader, Alfred Deakin, proposed for the unification of the Australian island. In parliament, he made the remark: "An island for a nation, a nation for an island." Australian politicians were intrigued by this idea and between 290 AD and 293 AD, referendums were held in the neighboring states of the Sultanate of Kimberley, Eastern Australia, and the Socialist Republic of Australia. Voters in these states voted in favor of union resulting in all of these states being incorporated into the Commonwealth in 293 AD as Nicolidesland and New South Wales respectively. That same year, the Colony of Darwinsland was handed over to the State of Nicolidesland, in exchange of the Madagascar Colony going into the possession of Molossia.
This was followed by a long era of peace, with the nation steadily improving itself through a series of bills that tackled the issues of education, defense, economy, and infrastructure. 
=== Cold War (323AD-363AD) ===
In 323 AD, the Dai Nippon Teikoku (Empire of Japan) officially declared a hostile relationship with the Commonwealth of Australia. With Australia's long peace, the nation was steadily solidifying its position in Oceania which clashed against Japan's intention of controlling the Pacific. During a bilateral meeting in Tokyo, the Japanese delegation made their stance clear; they will enter into a Cold War with Australia to quell the presence of Western Imperialism in the Eastern Hemisphere. An embargo of mechanical goods were imposed on Australia although, embargo on the sale of Mitsubishi cars were lifted in 335 AD.
The use of trade embargoes to force Australia to its knees forced a kickstart on strong emphasis on improving the nation's industrial capacity under the leadership of Neville Bonner. Meant to reduce Australia's reliance on foreign trade to secure its survival, the underlying reason was to show Australian rebellion to Japan's underestimation of the Commonwealth's capabilities. 
Australia's strong desire to ensure its survival led to the country looking to the Anarchist State of New Zealand. In a bid to strengthen Australian soft-power in Oceania, they offered New Zealand to join the commonwealth. Given their anarchist state, this proved to be a relentless procedure but, residents of the North Island agreed to become a state in a referendum which led to the Treaty of Waitangi (325 AD).
==== Australian-Bharati Conflict (340AD-342AD) ====
===== Bay of Bengal Incident (340 AD) =====
In 340, with the establishment of formal diplomatic ties between Australia and the Kingdom of Bharat through the opening of embassies in Canberra and Pataliputra respectively, the Commonwealth of Australia sent a naval ship transporting emus to be presented as gifts. 
However, this ship was sunk in the Bay of Bengal by Bharati Forces, which led to it becoming an incident. The worsening of the situation was averted as Bharat agreed to help search for and rescue the survivors. Nonetheless, this led to a rise in Anti-Bharat demonstrations throughout Australia and trading between the two nations to halt.
===== Collapse of Diplomatic Ties (341AD) =====
Diplomatic ties between Australia and Bharat turned for the worse in 341. The Royal Intelligence Agency of Bharat began entering the grounds of foreign embassies, including the Australian Embassy. The Bharat Government cited information leakage as justification and labelled all foreign diplomats are persona non-grata, stripping them of their diplomatic immunity on top of being forbidden to be recalled back. 
The threatening of Australian citizens ended diplomatic ties in 341. With the relationship becoming openly hostile, the Bharati Navy sent 10 ships to the outskirts of the Australian Marine Zone, citing freedom of exploration.
===== The Australian-Bharati War (342AD) =====
The Commonwealth of Australia officially declared war on the Second Empire of Bharat after the latter declared war on Dai Nippon Teikoku. Seeing their aggressive nature, Australia saw this as the perfect time to finally quell the volatile, aggressive Bharat Empire. 
Due to the presence of a common cause, Australia and Dai Nippon Teikoku went into a state of Détente, agreeing to put aside all differences to focus on a common enemy. 
A naval encounter was reported in the Indian Ocean between the Australian Navy and the Bharati Navy, but the lack of good communication lines caused the event to go unnoticed although, all ships did make it back. The pressure on the Bharati forced them to accept becoming a puppet state of the Dai Nippon Teikoku, leading to the signing of the Treaty of Calcutta (342). However, the unwillingness of the Bharat puppet-state to accept the terms of the treaty ultimately led to their annexation.
==== William Johnson Affair (349AD-360AD) ====
The aftermath of the Bharati War saw Australia and Dai Nippon Teikoku being left without a common enemy again. On the insist of the Japanese, they proclaimed a Cold War and continued their hostile stance against Australia.
They sent and paid spies for espionage purposes to have information on the military status of the country. During the Australian evacuation from New Guinea, William Johnson (former Australian PM and CEO of the Johnson&Brothers) were one of those paid, being promised large sums of money to fund their giant corporation.
Being an employer of many Australians, he quickly rose up the political arena and became Deputy Prime Minister under Joseph Lyons. Given his popularity, he was ultimately chosen as the successor to lead the Labour Party. 
During his rule, authoritarianism became evident and he started holding a very hostile and militaristic stance towards the Free Territory of New Zealand. Elections during his tenure were suspended due to the Emergency Powers Act (352). Ironically though, it was under his leadership that Australia signed the Eleven Laws of War which eventually became the ADF Statutory and Limitations Act (359). His failure to force New Zealand to concede and join the Commonwealth through ultimatums led to his demise after a unanimous vote of no-confidence in him, being replaced quickly by Liberal MP, John Latham.
=== Oceania Expansion (363-369) ===
During the tenure of John Latham, Dai Nippon Teikoku collapsed which led to the power vacuum in their former territories. Fearing a rise of unrest, John Latham commenced the expansion of Australia into these regions to restore order and maintain peace and status quo. During the expansion into New Guinea, the Commonwealth of Australia signed a series of treaties with the Second Libyan Empire to finalize their sea borders in the Celebes Sea. 
Over the course of six years, New Guinea, New Caledonia, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Fiji were added to the Commonwealth. 
=== Reawakening War (390) ===
The Reawakening War happened in 390. While the Commonwealth of Australia played no role in the war, Altay attempted to coerce Australia into joining their cause to fight a war against Bharat with promises of all Pacific Islands and parts of South East Asia. However, the Australian government had no interests in their promises and decided to sit back. Australia took a neutral stance in the war, showing no support for any of the camps.
=== Era of Peace (391AD-589AD) ===
After the expansion into the power vacuum states, the Commonwealth of Australia enjoyed relative peace, with the nation focusing more on domestic issues to improve the standard of living of all Australians across the Commonwealth.
In 391, the Australians landed in the Kerguelen Islands, which they turned into a territory for strategic and scientific research purposes. They attempted to create a self-sufficient food supply there by bringing sheep but, both attempts failed; the first failed due to a cyclone, the second failed because the sheep died from scrapie.
During the devastating war between the United Altay and the Empire of Bharat, the Commonwealth of Australia chose to be neutral in the war.
==== Australian-New Zealand Relations (395-406) ====
In 395, William Fox spearheaded the improvement of ties between Australia and New Zealand, with the end goal being favourably the addition of the South Island into the Commonwealth. The talks were successful, with the younger generations being more keen in accepting Australian culture in their country. The works of William Fox were continued by his successor, Julius Vogel. However, due to the defeat of the Labour Party in the Elections of 398, it was immediately taken over by the Liberal Party under Albert Namatjirra.
To keep the momentum however, Julius Vogel was made the Special Envoy to South Island by Namatjirra. Further negotiations went smoothly and by 406, the South Island officially joined the commonwealth, reuniting New Zealand into one entity again. 
==== Incorporation of Timor and the Lesser Sunda Islands ====
The collapse of the Second Libyan Empire led to a power vacuum in the Malay archipelago. The oil rich Timor Sea proved to be appealing, which prompted Australian attempts to invite Timor into the commonwealth. The talks were smooth, mostly aided by the presence of a rivaling Filipino threat in the Sunda Islands. The promise of increased output and higher efficiency levels led to Timor ultimately joining the commonwealth.
The subsequent fall of the Philippine Kingdom led to the Lesser Sunda Islands being invited to the Commonwealth as well.
==== Establishment of Singapore ====
Singapore was added to the commonwealth in 436. The strategic importance of Singapore in the global trade network prompted Australia to take control and develop the island to its fullest potential. The deep harbour was turned into a port which can accommodate even the largest trading vessels. An airport and an air hub are also built on the island to promote air travel and the air industry.
==== The Outback Famine (445-446) ====
The Outback of Australia, known for its harsh environment, became affected by a terrible heatwave which led to the destruction of crops and the death of livestocks for food. Cohesiveness within the Australian populace was strong but the sudden occurrence of such a disaster led to difficulties in establishing plans to combat it. The government funded the various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) a total of $20 million which were more knowledgeable of the communities affected. During the early days, the NGOs played an integral role while the government formulated frameworks to facilitate the efforts and remove any potential bureaucracy.
During the debates, the Ministry of the Interior and the Civil Defence Force were formed through an unanimous vote in parliament; all political parties setting aside their differences. All government fundings were channeled through the Ministry of the Interior to facilitate transparency and accountability. The quick government responses led to a quick recovery and mitigation of a worsening disaster.
In light of the disaster that struck the rural parts of the Outback, an ingenious doctor, John Flynn, established the Flying Doctor Service of Australia using smaller decommissioned planes from CANDAS to provide quick medical care to those living in the Outback through the use of aerial technology. In 448, further attempts in government were made, including an attempt to create a new ministry, which failed twice in parliament, citing high saturation of the government which may make the government less efficient.
==== Mary Grigg (468-493) ====
The rise of Mary Grigg as the first female Prime Minister of Australia was a monumental event, resulting from the fall of Henry Norman, instigated by the very parliamentary procedures he had introduced which led to his removal. Mary Grigg was a strong believer of decentralisation as she believed Australia was a "mosaic plurality" after all. However, her attempts to decentralise failed.
Her governance was characterised as lacklustre, with minimal things done by her administration. Her fame was officially tarnished when she proclaimed the Dissolution Act, which would see Australia break up on its bicentenary. Her announcement came as a shock to Australians and the whole world. Many attempts were made to challenge the government's decision, and the final Referendum of 492 saw the majority voting for the cancellation of the Dissolution altogether. The anti-dissolution camp led to the creation of the Unionist Party under Harold Williams, who went on to win the Snap Elections of 493 and ensure the continued union of Australia. 
In 494, Mary Grigg and her conspirators were put before trial but, the Supreme Court ruled that their actions were not unconstitutional and that they had acted on what they felt would lead to the best interests for Australia. 
==== 6th Century (500) ====
As Australia believed in the existence of 'timezones', the Australian government and people were proud to announce that Australia was the first country to welcome the new century, with the first few cities like Suva in Fiji and Auckland in New Zealand welcoming the New Year at midnight.
==== Rapprochement With South Africa (519-521) ====
Under the leadership of Alexandra Kaap, who was of Afrikaner descent, she pushed for the normalisation of ties with South Africa. A special envoy was appointed to facilitate talks between the two nations and the dialogues between both nations were decent and cordial. 
However, these plans were halted in 521 as the English took over the governance of South Africa. In a bid to respect the new legitimate government, the Australian government decided to liaise with the English instead.
==== Looking to the Past (541- Present) ====
Recently, the government decided to start looking to the past and to embrace all cultures and traditions in the country. The city of Nikalidian became of interest due to its significance being an important city of the Terra and the Sultanate of the Nicolides. The Australians embarked on this project with the help of the International Economic Union (IEU) and through the past experience of Joint Armenian-Australian efforts on the construction of the City of Kars in Armenia, the same framework was utilised in this Joint Effort to rebuild Nikalidian, which had been mostly neglected over the past centuries.
In 550, the final project within the boundaries of Nikalidian was completed. Through the project, a new and improved port, a better public transport system, new office buildings, and more basic amenities were built. These have led to many people wanting to move into the city and currently, Nikalidian is slowly going up the list to become one of Australia's biggest and most popular cities.
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== Politics ==
=== Governance ===
The Commonwealth of Australia is a federation of eleven states and one Special Administrative Region; Swania, Centralia, Nicolidesland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, New Zealand, New Guinea, Fiji, Sunda, New Caledonia, and Singapore (S.A.R).
A Constitution Amendment in 294 AD saw the government agree on a procedure in selecting the Prime Minister. As a democracy, the states are divided into three voting blocs. Bloc 1 (Swania & Centralia), Bloc 2 (Nicolidesland & New South Wales), and Bloc 3 (Victoria & Tasmania). After the incorporation of North Island in 325 AD, they have been added under Bloc 3 for subsequent elections. Each bloc votes and the votes from each bloc are consolidated for the national tally. The ruling party must secure anywhere between 0-50, while the Opposition must secure 51-100. 
During the elections of 433, a new system had been finalised. The opinion poll held before the elections now determines the range of score both parties must meet to either retain or snatch the government. 
A term limit of four years was adopted into the Constitution. As per procedure, a Vote of Confidence is held at the final year. If won, the ruling party gets to stay in power for the next four years. If lost, a General Election is held. However, another constitutional amendment now made each term eight years long, to enable governments to enact successful laws with minimal obstacles. However, one person can only serve 12 years long, or 1.5 terms. 
In 459, the Norman Government passed a legislation which amended the Constitution regarding term limits, making each term last six years. In 463, further changes to parliamentary proceedings were made, allowing for the use of Confidence Votes and Leadership Spills, depending on how badly the current administration pushes for a bill. This procedural changes ultimately led to the removal of Henry Norman, who failed to push his Introduction of Arts-Oriented Institutions three times and refused to step down after being advised by his own party. The opposition outweighed the government which led to a snap election, leading to the appointment of Mary Grigg as the first female Prime Minister of Australia in 468. 
==== Voting Blocs ====
The federation is split into the following voting blocs; 
Bloc 1: Swania, Centralia, Tasmania 
Bloc 2: Nicolidesland, NSW, Victoria 
Bloc 3: Sunda, New Guinea, Singapore 
Bloc 4: New Zealand, New Caledonia, Fiji 
==== List of Prime Ministers ====
The Commonwealth of Australia had been led by numerous Prime Ministers over the course of its history. The following is a list of the individuals who have held the position. As of 550, there have been 15 Labour PMs, 13 Liberal MPs, and 2 Unionist PMs.
Labour - (LA), Liberal (LB), Unionist (U)
# John Curtin (273-285) (LA)
# Stanley Bruce (285-293) (LB)
# Ben Chifley (293-294, 295-297) (LA)
# Alfred Deakin (294-295, 297-301) (LB)
# Frank Forde (301-305) (LA)
# Edmund Barton (305-317) (LB)
# George Turner (317-321) (LB)
# Ted Theodore (321-325) (LA)
# Neville Bonner (325-339) (LB)
# Thomas Wilford (339-341) (LB)
# William MacDonald (341-345) (LB)
# Joseph Lyons (345-349) (LA)
# William Johnson (349-360) (LA)
# John Latham (360-372) (LA)
# Joseph Cook (372-381) (LB)
# William Fox (381-397) (LA)
# Julius Vogel (397-398, 408-421) (LA)
# Albert Namatjirra (398-408) (LB)
# John Monash (421-433) (LB)
# William MacGregor (433- 441) (LB)
# Hamilton Goold-Adams (441-449) (LA)
# Henry Norman (449-468) (LA)
# Mary Grigg (468-493) (LB)
# Harold Williams (493-499) (U)
# Andrew Te Kanawa (499-505) (LA)
# Miles Cook (505-511) (U)
# Jeremy Brown (511-518) (LA)
# Alexandra Van de Kaap (518-523) (LB)
# Curt Baldwin (523-539) (LA)
# Layla Johnston (539-?) (LA)
==== List of Presidents ====
Since 502, the Office of the President was established as a result of the push for greater Separation of Power by Harold Williams in 494. The President is the Head of State of Australia and some of their roles include the Opening and Closing of Parliament, the Appointment of the Prime Minister (through the election), Head Ambassador of Australia, and other Ceremonial Functions. 
# Harold Williams (503-515)
# Kucha Minjarra (515-527)
# Peter Dawson (527-539)
# Josefa Lalabalavu (539-545)
# Allan al-Kantara (545-?)
(UNDER CONSTRUCTION)
== Economy ==
=== Domestic Economy ===
The Australian economy is robust. The long era of peace and gradual expansion have led to the economic system of Australia being stable and continuously improved on. Australia is a capitalist economy, where free market forces dictate the growth of the economy.
Australia mostly relies on its coal and mining industries, having been the main industry of Australia since independence. Improvements to the Australian industrial capabilities have also developed other industries, ranging from consumer goods to war machineries. Some of Australia's well-known inventions include the DC-7 - which permits mid-to-long range commercial flights - and tanks like the AC1 Sentinel and the Centurion Mark 3.
Australia also focuses on tourism-related industries. CANDAS (Centralia and Nicolidesland Aerial Services) serves as the flag-carrier international airline of Australia, which currently offers a route between Perth and Quelimane, Mozambique. The idyllic beaches of Bali are also envisioned to be transformed into holiday getaways for future tourists.
=== International Economy ===
== "Advance Australia Fair" ==
(Verse 1)Australians all let us rejoice,
For we are one and free,
We've golden soil and wealth for toil,
Our home is girt by sea.
Our land abounds in nature's gifts,
Of beauty rich and rare,
In history's page let every stage,
Advance Australia Fair!
In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia Fair!(Verse 2)For all of this land's history,
First peoples of this land,
Sustained by country, dreaming told,
By song and artists' hands,
Unite our culture from afar,
In peace with those first here,
To walk together on this soil,
Respect for all grows here!
From everywhere on Earth we sing,
Advance Australia Fair!(Verse 3)In times of drought and flood and fires,
When all but hope is gone,
Australians join with helping hands,
And wattles bloom again,
Tomorrow may this timeless land,
Live for our young to share,
From red-rock heart to sun-filled shores,
Our country free and fair!
Beneath the Southern Cross we sing,
Advance Australia Fair!
Category:Nations
Category:Former Nations