I'd like to be completely fair on here.
What makes the United States any different?
In CIv V, they have a plane, and a variation of a musket man.
Japan has a plane variation, and France has a musket man variation, but the different thing is, both of these civilisations actually had an empire. Japan in WWII, and France in the 1800's, unlike the United States, who never had an empire.
Australia currently has the 13th highest GDP, the second highest HDI (Higher than the US), the highest minimum wage, the 14th highest GDP per capita (Higher than the US), the fourth quality of living (Higher than the US), the 8th most powerful passport and the ninth longest life expectancy (Once again, higher than the US). Australia has had 4 of the most liveable cities in the world, Melbourne, which ranked 1 for five years in a row. No American cities made the list.
Sydney is one of the most economically powerful cities in the world, and it's not even a mega-city.
Australia has the 8th best intelligence agency, the 15th most powerful military in the world, is one of the most technologically advanced militaries, and they are currently building the most sophisticated submarines in the world (Contract with the French).
Australia has the third largest mining industry, supplying around 30% of the worlds bauxite production and 15% of the nickel production.
Australia has had major scientific advancements. Wi-Fi, the black box flight recorder, the pacemaker, spray on skin, the medical application for penicillin, the bionic ear, the ultra sound, the plane escape slide and raft. They also invented the tank.
All of Australia's capital cities (Except Canberra) are coastal, so maybe an advantage for coastal cities would be nice, or have a coastal bias? Because of a large amount of resources, maybe a resource bonus?
Or Western Sahara? Or Lichtenstein?
Nation-state =/= civilization. Brazil is at least culturally distinctive. What makes Australia different enough from England to be worth including?
Now, I'd like to know what makes America different enough from England. What makes Brazil different enough from Spain? Unlike Western Sahara and Liechtenstein, Australia is a significant nation...
+1
agreed
even today Australia considers queen of England to be its leader
Umm... No... They don't...
Now, I'm not for or against Australia, but I would like to see some different Civs in the game, unlike the constantly repeated ones. And I do agree that colonial and pre-colonial do fit Civ's theme the best, but I think it would be nice to see Australia, or even Canada, etc.