How does
Australia
actually work?
Explore the institutions, relationships and flows that structure everyday life in Australia.
AUTHORITY · MONEY · OWNERSHIP · REGULATION · INFORMATION · INFLUENCE
FIND YOUR WAY IN ↓Australia isn’t governed by a single chain of command. It consists of overlapping systems of government, law, markets, ownership, finance, employment, information and civil society.
Six ways into the system
Start with a question.
Follow a connection.
From your pay packet to Parliament. Choose a perspective, then see where it leads.
Follow a person
See how one hypothetical life connects to institutions, from birth to estate.
Power map
Separate legal authority from economic power, regulation and influence.
Follow the money
Trace wages, spending, credit and retirement savings through the system.
Ownership map
Examine who holds assets, who owes debt and who has an economic interest.
Government map
Navigate Parliament, executive government, courts and the federal structure.
Information map
Follow the connections between information, audiences and advocacy.
A map, not a verdict
No single diagram can tell you who “runs” society. This one lets you examine the relationships for yourself.
Every connection has a type. Every documented relationship has a source. Interpretations are labelled.
Follow the evidence
Nothing here asks for your trust.
Inspect official guidance, read the limits of a claim and see when a source was checked. The evidence travels with the map.