[jacques_chester]

Australia's political structure is actually subtly and importantly different from a lot of others. From the British we have a fused legislative/executive Westminster system. From the Americans we borrowed various features of our constitution.

But what is particularly unique in the Australian context is our party discipline. It is probably the most rigid in the world. There's a lot less horse-trading. Our current Parliament is only the second in history where it has been at all necessary for the major parties to negotiate with independents to obtain "confidence and supply" -- ie to form a government.