Hass Civics and Citizenship Test

Parliamentary democracy

A democracy where elected representatives meet in parliament to create or amend laws that impact the nation

Levels of Government

Different forms of leadership that regulate and manage various aspects of governance at local, state, and federal levels.

Federal Government

Handles national issues like defence, immigration, and trade. It’s located in Canberra and is also known as the Commonwealth Parliament.

State and Territory Parliaments

Each of the six states and two territories has its own parliament for state matters like education, health, and transport.

Local Councils

Though not called parliaments, these councils deal with local issues such as rubbish collection and pet control. There are over 560 local councils across Australia.

The Political System

The system in place outlines who holds power and responsibility for making decisions. It’s based on the Australian Constitution

The Australian Constitution

Made in 1901, it sets up a federal parliamentary system where law-making is shared between federal and state governments.

House of Representatives

a part of parliament where elected members make and vote on laws to represent the people.

Senate

the part of parliament that reviews, debates, and votes on laws, often acting as a check on the House of Representatives.

How many seats in House of Representatives?

151 seats

How many seats does a party need to win majority?

at least 76 seats

Opposition Party

The party that gets the next highest number of seats in the House of Representatives. They oppose the leading party

Hung Parliament

If no party achieves a majority, no party is fully in charge. They have to negotiate if they want to change or propose laws.

How many seats are in the senate?

76 senators

How many senators does each state get?

12 senators

How many senators does each territory get?

2 senators

Parliament

Refers to both houses (House of Representatives and Senate) and the Governor General

Government

Refers to the specific ruling party or coalition in the House of Representatives.

Political parties

Groups of people who share similar views about how the country or state should be governed.

Independent Parties

members of parliament who do not belong to any political party. They often have unique views and can hold significant influence, especially when the major party needs their vote to pass legislation.

Influences on Government Policy

Public opinion, the media, and international pressure

Government Policy

A policy is a plan or set of principles to guide future action. Political parties create policies as part of their party platform to attract voters during elections. Once elected, the winning party is said to have a mandate to carry out these policies.

Influences on policy making

Opinion polls, interest groups, and global relationships and pressures from other nations.

Factors that Influence Voter Behaviour

Public debate, media, opinion polls, advertising, interest groups, interest groups, important issues, party loyalty, and political cartoons

Campaign Strategies

Political parties and independents use different methods to appeal to voters.

Compulsory Voting

All australians aged 18 or over must vote in national and state elections. Not voting results in a fine

Secret Ballot

Nobody gets to see who you vote for, your vote, your business.

Process for voting in House of Representatives

You rank the candidates from most to least preferred using numbers (1 for your top pick, 2 for second, etc.).

Preferential Voting

When you rank your preferences to vote

How does preferential voting work?

• If no one gets more than half of the votes as first preference, the least popular candidate is eliminated.

• Their votes are redistributed based on second preferences.

• This continues until someone gets a majority.

How long can a party lead in the House of Representatives?

3 years at max

Process for voting in the Senate

• You have two ways to vote:

  • Above the line: number at least 6 boxes for parties or groups.

  • Below the line: number at least 12 individual candidates.

Proportional Representation

A voting system where parties win seats based on the percentage of votes they receive.

How long can senators serve?

6 years terms max

How much of the senate is up for election time?

Only half.

Social media platforms used for politics?

Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram

Who mostly gets political news from social media?

Young people

One big problem with political info on social media?

Misinformation

Reasons politicians use social media?

Talk to lots of people quickly, and control their own message

How is social media cheaper for campaigns?

Less money than TV ads

What should voters do online?

Think critically

What is the legislature?

The branch of government that makes laws; also known as parliament.

executive branch of government

The branch that enforces laws; includes the prime minister, ministers, police, and government departments.

What is the judiciary?

The branch that interprets and applies the law; made up of judges, magistrates, and courts.