Australia straddles the equator

[Syphon]

This just jumped into my head.

Lets say tectonic movement was different and over the course of time Australia is moved further north and East so instead of being centered on the Tropic of Capricorn it straddles the equator in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

What effects does this have on Australia's and other nations climate?

Are there other major caused by this?

One major change will be the total lack of human habitation so that when it is discovers it really will be Terra nullis.

Lets discuss

[Seldrin]

(My thoughts aren't really coherent on this so bear with me)
It's unlikely that there will be a total lack of human presence as polynesians made it pretty much all over the pacific. There is also that off chance that it will still be occupied by aboriginals, as there has been mention that some of the first humans in South America were actually aboriginals (from bone/skull structure).
Australia in this scenario would probably have a more tropical and wet climate, especially in the East, legends from Chinese or Japanese ocean farers may tell of a great green land in the Ocean.
Depending on which point Ausralia drifted into the pacific, New Guinea and some of the Indonesian Archipelago may be attached to the land, making it larger. India is another thing, because India and Australia are connected by the Indo-Australian tectonic Plate, India would collide with Eurasia somewhere around where indo-china is today, if not, then it may drift up further to the east and into the pacific, where it could hit Asia, Australia or even bridge them, adding a massive chunk to the continent.

[bastian]

Originally Posted by Syphon

One major change will be the total lack of human habitation so that when it is discovers it really will be Terra nullis.

Lets discuss

Why do you think that? The humans get almost every part of the world, even the most incredible areas to be populated (the humans even get to New Zealand)

[Syphon]

Sorry this should have read further east not west.

My directional dyslexia is showing again.

[Joseph Solis in Australia]

Australia would be a cradle of civilization in Southern Hemisphere if Northern Australia is connected to Asia through Indonesia.