Year 8 Civics Test

Preferential Voting System

An electoral system used in Australia's lower house that involves voters ranking one or more candidates or parties in order of preference on the ballots, with the winner being the candidate that achieves an absolute majority (50%+1)

House of Representatives

The Lower House (People's House) that is composed of 150 members.

Australian Labor Party

A major political party who tends to be considered as a centre-left party that advocates for bigger government involvement in the system to bring about equality.

Liberal Party of Australia

A major political party, typically in coalition with the National Party, who tends to be considered centre-right party that advocates for smaller government involvement in the system.

Formation of Government

Party or coalition with majority of seats in the House of Representatives.

Prime Minister

Leader of the winning party or coalition of parties, must be a member of the House of Representatives.

Cabinet ministers

MPs or Senators responsible for government departments and policy areas, selected to their role by the Prime Minister.

Legislation

Bills introduced, debated, and voted on by Members of the House of Representatives and the Senate and finally given royal assent by the Governor-General.

Proportional Voting System

A voting system, such as that used in elections for the Senate, in which each party receive the number of members equal to the percentage of the vote they received. It is often used with multi-member electorates, such as in Australia when a whole state votes for 6 people to represent them.

The Senate

The Upper House (State's House) comprised of 76 Senators (12 from each state and 2 from each territory).

Majoritarian electoral system

An electoral system based on single-member electorates that vote for one parliamentary representative to represent a specific electorate.

Functions of parliament

-legislation - make and amend laws

-scrutiny and accountability - scrutinise the executive

-debate - discuss important issues

-representation

Role of the Senate

This house of parliament's role is to initiate and make laws (not money bills), act as a state's house and act as a house of review.

Role of the House of Representatives

This house of parliament's role is to initiate and make laws, act as the people's house and determine the Government (Executive).

Federalism

A system in which power is divided between the national and state governments.

Federation

The process of Australia's colonies joining together to become a nation.

Exclusive powers

The powers that can be exercised by Australia's Commonwealth Parliament.

Section 51 - Concurrent Powers

The legislative powers of the Commonwealth Parliament and State Parliament.

Section 107 - Residual Powers

The law-making powers left with the states at the time of federation.

Section 109

If a law of a State is inconsistent with a law of the Commonwealth, the Commonwealth law shall prevail and the state law shall be invalid.

Levels of Government

Federal

State

Local

Constitution

A document which spells out the principles by which a government runs and the fundamental laws that govern a society.

Referendum

A 3 stage process to change the Australian Constitution.

1. Pass a bill

2. People vote - majority of people and majority of states.

3. Royal Assent

The key reasons Australia decided to federate

Free trade, Defence, Immigration, and national pride.

Social Contract Theory

The belief that the people agree to set up rulers for certain purposes and thus have the right to resist or remove rulers who act against those purposes.

Separation of Powers

The idea that there should be legislative, executive, and judicial branches, with the legislative branch making law, the executive applying and enforcing the law, and the judiciary interpreting the law.

Popular Sovereignty

A belief that ultimate power resides in the people.