HaSS final exams

Roles of the Australian Constitution and the High Court

Interpreting the Constitution

Keeping the Constitution relevant

High court as an umpire

Protecting the rights of the Australian people

Resolving disputes

Interpreting the Constitution (2) + example

HC can hear and resolve disputes over meaning of constitution

only court in Australia with the power to interpret meaning of words and phrases

example: R vs. Brislan, had to interpret whether “postal telegraphic and telephonic” services included power to make laws about radio and broadcasting”

Keeping the constitution relevant (3)

• drafts kept CW’s lawmaking powers in broad/general terms so CW could make laws in areas that were not in existence at the time

• use of broad terms caused disputes, which HC has been asked to resolve

• allow for new technologies to be included in the CW law-making powers

High Court as an “umpire”

• Acts as an independent and impartial umpire to check that the CW does not make any laws that exceed its constitutional law making power

Protecting the rights of the Australian people + example

HC can interpret the Constitution and imply that various rights of the Australian people exist, even if not explicit

Resolving disputes (3)

• Called upon to resolve disputes about whether or not a state or CW law has been made in breach of existing law

• Has also resolved issues around international human right treaties and conventions

• declared contravening laws (laws that breach the constitution) invalid.

United Nations. What is it? Why was it created? How many members? (4)

• international org created in 1945

• formed after WW2 in hopes that it would prevent war and horrors such as holocaust from happening again

• seeks to promote international cooperation

• 193 members

4 Commitments of the UN

• International peace and security in the world

• Creating friendship between nations

• Help nations work together to assist poor, alleviate hunger and disease, promote literacy, promote respect for peoples rights and freedoms

• central points where nations can come together to achieve above mentioned goals

Australia’s role as a member of the UN

• one of the first 51 counties

• membership of UN allows us to have a voice in international affairs, play a role in promoting stability, help protect its own economic and security interests

Australia’s international role and responsibilities (4)

Foreign aid (role)

Peacekeeping (role)

Protecting the environment (responsibility)

Uphold human rights (responsibility)

What is foreign aid? Why is it given? Countries in immediate region who are recipients of foreign aid? (3)

assistance in the form of money, skills or other resources transferred from one country to another, mainly for humanitarian reasons. given to alleviate poverty assist community by developing standard of living. East Timor, Cambodia, Solomon Islands

Millennium Development Goals (4)

Eight UN goals

• wiping out poverty

• universal primary education

• stopping spread of infectious disease

• providing foreign aid equal to 0.7% of a countries income. (AUS needs to double it’s aid in contribution to meet this goal)

Australia’s peacekeeping responsibilities. What is peacekeeping? How does it achieve it’s goal?

• assists countries who have been torn by conflict to achieve lasting peace

does this by

• maintaining peace

• protecting civilians

• overseeing elections

• disarming those involved in fighting

• protecting HR

• restoring rule of law

three basic principles that guide UN peacekeeping. Why?

consent of parties

impartiality

use of force as a last resort

because peacekeepers are told by the UN to use all necessary means to protect civilians, assist authorities and deter use of force that disrupts political process

Australia’s responsibility to protect the environment

most important area of environmental protection is climate change

(inter)national responsibillity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

UN brings countries together to agree on targets to reduce

e.g 2008, Aus became a full member of the Kyoto protocol, where binding emissions- reduction goals were set. Aus then set emission reduction targets for 2020+

Australia’s responsibility to uphold human rights. What are human rights? What are some examples?

entitlements that all human beings possess regardless of gender, ethnicity, nationality or any other status

Universal Dec. of Human Rights created in 1945 and basis of international human rights law.

all people born free and equal

right to life

equal before the law

no one should be subject to torture or slavery

Australia is party to seven international human rights agreements. what are two of the agreements that elaborate on the principles established by the Universal Declaration and are legally enforceable?

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural rights

What is a treaty?

international obligations that are written down in documents that Australia is compelled to or bound to observe

can be called convention, covenant

Bilateral treaties

a treaty between Australia and one other country

Multilateral treaty (2)

a treaty between Australia and two or more countries

• developed and overseen by an international organisation such as UN or ILO

Who has the power to enter into treaties and contribute to international negotiations? Who makes the final decision to ratify? what does signing a treaty mean?

Commonwealth Government.

Minister/Cabinet makes final decision to sign and ratify a multilateral treaty

Signing a multilateral treaty indicates that Australia is bound by the treaty at a later date, but there’s an obligation to refrain from any acts that would defeat the purpose of the treaty

Ratification

process that legally binds Australia to implement the treaty

Parliaments role in treaties (3)

examines treaties that Aus enters, apart from those considered urgent/sensitive

passes legislation to ensure the provisions of treaty become law

not always necessary to pass new laws, because existing legislation may be sufficient

Examples of 2 treaties and the Australian law that reflects the principles of it

Convention on the rights of the child

• children are treated with respect and are not abused

Children and Community Services Act 2004 (WA only)

• a child must be protected or moved to a safe place by an authorised officer if they are in danger of being harmed

Convention for the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage

• protect heritage around the world to have value and to be preserved for future gens

World Heritage Properties Conservation Act 1983

• An attempt to destroy a world heritage site through mining is unlawful

What is policy making? Example where Australia worked closely with other countries and implemented policies with other countries

Involves the government taking action in a certain area to achieve a desired outcome

protecting ozone layer through legal obligations of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.

Failure to live up to international obligations results in what? What role does the UN play in this?

international pressure to change policy. UN monitors how well Australia is performing.

Australia and the UN: REPORT CARD recently gave Australia what scores in climate change and refugee and asylum seekers? What does this do?

CLIMATE CHANGE: D+, rely too heavily on fossil fuels and needs to set stronger targets for reductions

REFUGEES AND ASYLUM SEEERS: F, increased hostility, questioned whether current policy fulfills international legal obligations.

Shining a light on these areas for improvement may influnce policy change

What is GDP?

A measure of the total value of all goods and services produced in Australia over a year

what is economic growth?

An increase in the amount of goods and services produced per person within a specific period of time

Components of GDP

GDP = C + I + G + (X-M)
C= consumption, I = investment G= government spending (X-M) net exports

factors that impact GDP and causes of economic growth

Increased in the components of GDP

decreased savings, taxation and imports indirectly cause growth by allowing more consumption expenditure

target for economic growth

3%

What is the importance of Economic growth? (3)

• increased collection of tax revenue

• more employment and wages

• better living standards

lower unemployment results

higher average incomes

increased consumption of G/s

improved material welfare

decline in poverty

Why is increased collection of tax revenue good? (4)

lower gov debt

improved public G/S

improved economic infrastructure

improved public health

Costs of economic growth (5)

structural and frictional unemployment

inflation

higher interest rates

increased imports

environmental damage

How can governments manage economic growth

Fiscal and Monetary policy

Fiscal policy

government budgets

surplus budgets and causing leakages when economy is gorwing

deficit budget resulting in increased injections when economy is too slow

injections through investment in infrastructure and educations

Monetary policy

Central/Reserve bank and interest rates

growing too slow lowering the cash rate target to stimulate economic growth

raising the cash rate (growing too fast)

What if economic growth falls (3)

• decline in G/S produced

• decline in employment and wages

• decline in standard of living

Real GDP and Real GDP per capita

Real GDP GDP - Inflation

REAL GDP per capita - Real GDP shared between an economy’s population

recession, and what leads to a depression (2)

where economic growth falls for two or more quarters in a row

depression: recession lasting 2+ years

What type of variable is economic growth? What does this mean?

Procyclical - when cycle increases, economic growth also increases

what happens in a depression? (4)

economic growth falls

decrease in available credit

significant increase in unemployemnt

little consumer confidence

Limitations of GDP. what does it not take into consideration (4 things)

does not assess true performance. producing more G/S may have undesirable environmental and social consequences.

• enough leisure time

• spending time with family

• good health

• rewarding job

What is inflation?

an increase in the general level of prices paid for goods and services over a sertain period of time, measured on a yearly basis

rising prices in inflation means that

consumer must pay more for goods and services if they want to continue to consume the same amount to maintain their standard of living

When is inflation thought to be sufficiently low?

If it does not exceed target of 2-3% per year

reasons for inflation (2)

• stronger demand in the economy for goods and services, leading to shortages of goods and services with companies unable to keep up with demand for their products so prices increase

Increased spending might be due to (5)

consumers feel confident about their income and employment

businesses feel confident about the future (expand operations, employ people, invest in better equipment)

trading partners performing well and demanding exports

low interest rates, encouraging businesses to borrow more

lower taxes and increased gov expenditure

why else might inflation occur? What does higher tax and higher interest rates on money borrowed result in?

increasing costs (wages increase, extra cost passed onto consumers through higher prices).

higher tax and higher interest rates on money borrowed result in increased costs businesses must bear

Who are the winners of inflation? (3)

High income earners - jobs whose incomes increase at same rate / faster than inflation

Borrowers - rising prices = better to borrow with fixed interest rate + make purchase now

Importers - price of imported goods cheaper than goods from AU

Inflation losers

Low to middle income earners - people on incomes that do not increase as fast in inflation (unemployed, part-time, pensioners

Bank savers - money sitting in bank may not buy as much as it did before

Exporters - exported goods become more expensive, demand from overseas will fall

How is inflation measured? What does it do?

Consumer Price Index (CPI).

Measures the price change of a typical basket of goods and services purchased by AU households every quarter.

What is unemployment?

A person aged 15 and over who is actively looking for work and has not worked for at least one hour a week

What is unemployment rate? what does the labour force include?

The percentage of people in the labour force who are unemployed. the labour force includes those who are employed and unemployed

What happens when total unemployment rate in Australia is high?

The government collects less revenue in taxes and must pay more to assist the unemployed in social benefits and welfare programs.

What are the social consequences of high unemployment rate

reduced standard of living

loss of skills from the workforce

possible psychological effects of not working (depression)

Causes of unemployment

GDP weak/spending decreased. businesses hire less and cut back on staff to save money

increased competition from overseas

businesses take operations offshore or close down.

labour saving tech introduced, leading to unemployment

What is the unemployment rate formula?

unemployed/labour force x 100

Goals for unemployment

5% - 6% unemployment (frictional, seasonal and structural)

2-3% to help achieve full employment

limitations of unemployment rate (3)

hidden unemployment - people dropping out of the labour force

disguised unemployment - people with jobs but want more hours

blunt instrument - little account of hours worked, income earned, length of time unemployed

Youth unemployment

disproportionately face higher unemployment rates because it is harder to get stable job as graduate vs someone with experience

types of part-time and casual jobs are more vulnerable

types of unemployment

frictional

structural

seasonal

cyclical

frictional unemployment

people are between jobs, usually short term and during expansions (because people feel comfortable finding a new job)

structural unemployment

occurs when worker skills and experience do not match employer requirements (e.g when new technology arrives or when jobs are outsourced)

seasonal unemployment

occurs because demand for certain types of workers changes according to the season (fruit pickers, shearers, ski operators)

Cyclical unemployment

unemployment that arises due to a lack of demand for G + S in the economy because the economy is contracting, can be long term.

Unemployment changes though the economic cycle

Cyclical - recession, counter cyclical

Structural unemployment - expansion (new technology makes jobs redundant)

frictional unemployment - occurs expansion and peak phases

material living standards, and how they’re assessed?

access to goods and services. measured by GDP

assisted by higher employment and better access to goods and services

Non-material living standards and examples

intangible but affect our enjoyment

freedom of speech

free elections

low levels of crime

OECD Better Life Index

Organisation for Economic Co-operation

more holistic picture of living standards of 40 different countries

criteria of jobs, income, health, education, environment.