Great info whitelaughter, but no conclusion?! You obviously know a lot about the politics of your country. If you come up with what you think are good characteristics for Kevin Rudd, let those of us working on The World 2008 mod know.
[sigh] Given how many genocidal dictators have previously been Time Magazine's Man of the Year I hope you'll take this as guesswork:
Mark Latham - Australia
Favoured Civic: Emancipation (Apology to Stolen Generation, Pro-Israel, etc).
Philosophical: (nerd, pouring resources into school system, training specialists, encouraging immigration of specialists).
Protective: (Although opposed to
new overseas adventures, has always supported remaining in combat theatres; favours building up infrastructure and local units).
Australia should either start as a Vassal of the USA or have a Barbarian city serving as a Vassal. Australian foreign policy flips between "Our Powerful Friends" (Vassal of either Britain or USA) and "Fortress Australia" (building up the island nations as buffer states...err
of course what I really mean is as friendly democracies). So if controlled by the AI, Australia should always be in a Vassal relationship of some form or another. (Australia has never actually declared war, we are always drawn into wars by our treaty obligations. No matter how much we have to warp the treaty to ensure this. Protective doesn't mean nice).
UU - tricky. Australian infantry are incredibly deadly, but that is largely covered by the Protective Trait. Maybe a UB that builds up Gunpowder units? Our riflemen were just as deadly in the Maori Wars, and our mechanised Infantry are still superb. (The Rum Corps[musketmen] wasn't, though, so the benefit shouldn't show up until Rifling).
Our
conscript units are also deadly, another reason to make this a UB rather than a UU. Also, we don't have specific elite units; not even the 1st can really claim that.
The core of Australian units are often the volunteer fire fighter units and other emergency personnel, so maybe: UB Emergency Volunteers - gives Drill II to any Gunpowder unit build/upgraded in the city; requires Rifling.
Alternately - Australian troops were known, especially during WWI, for being much
healthier than European troops, so maybe a UB that gives bonus xp dependant on excess health in the city?
Of course, there's always the SAS! Given Britain, OZ and NZ all have SAS units, maybe they should be a 'joint' UU.
Another very important UB: Aerial Medical Service (replaces hospital) - Australian hospitals are set up for long distance work - the Flying Doctor Service was set up after WWI, and specialist units routinely look after patients from 1,500 miles kilometres away. So this UB should grant Medic II to all units built there. (If this is too powerful, make "Royal North Shore Hospital" a replacement for the Red Cross, as that is our most famous teaching hospital; or only have this trigger in the same city as the Red Cross).
Airefuego's comments on Australia have also been on the mark, btw.