Humanities-Civics and citizenship

In a democracy, constituents can contact their political representatives ___________________ about concerns and issues their representatives should address.

(through email, social media, meetings in person and on phone)

Australian Constitution

A written set of rules and principles that guide the way Australia is governed.

government

the elected members of parliament who make decisions for a nation or state.

laws

formal rules that govern the way people behave.

electorate

A geographical area containing a specified number of people who can vote in election.

bill

a proposed law that has not been passed by both houses of parliament.

parliament

the organisation that makes the laws in a country.

prime minister

the leader of the party that forms the governement.

the______can approve bills proposed by the ____ with or without changes and can eve reject them.

Senate, lower house

The first 3 chapters of the Australian Constitution are _.

Legislature, executive, Judiciary

Legislature

Has the power to make and change the law.

executive

The executive who puts the law into action.

Judiciary

Has the power to apply/interpret the law. Makes judgements about the law.

All the three first branches of the Constitution are ___.

independent and cannot influence eachother.

The constitution can only be changed through a _.

referendum.

The constitution is divided into _.

128 sections and 8 chapters.

For a new law to be created it must be _ and then must pass with a majority of votes .

debated, through both the senate and house of representatives.

representative democracy

A system of government in which the people elect the members of parliament to make laws and manage the country on their behalf.

A ____ is a national vote to change the Australian constitution.

referendum

electoral roll

An official list of people in a district who are entitled to vote in an election

double majority

The majority of states and citizens; must be reached to change the constitution.

republic

A form of government in which citizens choose their leaders by voting instead of relying on a monarch.

constitutional monarchy

A system of government in which a country is ruled by a king or queen but their power is limited by a constitution.

constituent

A person living in an area who has elected someone to act as a political representative.

Direct action

Forms of public interest that seek to raise awareness about issues.

lobbying

Making requests to politicians or public groups to attempt to influence the government to change the law.

5 steps of holding a referendum

Step 1-A bill is proposed to make changes to the constitution. Step 2-The bill is debated in the house of representative and senate. Step 3-A formal written order, known as a writ, is issued by the governor general to set dates for the referendum. Step 4-The case committees prepare a case for voting Yes or no. Step 5-On polling day, voters must vote and if double majority is achieved the changes to the constitution will be made.

_ changes have been to the constitution __.

8, since 1901

The five fundamental freedom of speech are .

Freedom of Speech, association, assembly, religion, movement.

Australian citizens' freedom and rights must be exercised properly. This means that they can't _ in order to express their freedom of ___.

break the law, speech, association, assembly, religion and movement.

Example of Freedom of Speech being exercised wrongfully.

Australian citizens are allowed to assemble and protest (under Freedom of Assembly) in Australia, but if that protest becomes violent and people are harmed then it's no longer a legal activity.

The voting fine reflects the idea that .

voting isn't only a right but also a responsibility of Australian citizens.

Direct action is also known as __.

non violent resistance

Direct action could be _.

protests, strikes, and boycotts of product and services

Australia's compulsory voting means that everyone on the electoral role must vote and if they do otherwise they will be __.

fined.

Insider Lobby groups work _ while outsider groups .

achieve change by working with politicians directly, harness community support to pressure the governments on certain issues.

Petitions

A petition is a collection of signatures that identify people who share a stance on a particular issue. A petition can be started by anyone.

The magna carter highlights the idea of ____.

no-one including the leader being above the law

Examples of Each branch in Separation of power

Legislature; Both houses of parliament, Executive; Prime minster, head of government of a state in Australia (premier), Judiciary; High court, Judges, Law

Australian Power Ranked

1.King/Monarch, 2. Governor-General, 3. PM, 4. Premiers, 5. Mayors/Local M.P

Importance of Active participation

-Ensures representatives understand constituents' concerns. -Prevents political decisions against citizens' interests. -Maintains proper functioning of representative democracy. -Available to both voting and non-voting age citizens.

Political party

A political party is an organisation that represents a political group of people or set of ideas. There can be minor parties (like the Greens) or major parties (like labour and liberal parties).

The Australian constitution came into effect ___.

on 1st of January 1901

In 1901, the 6 _ of Australia united, federated to form _.

British colonies, one nation and became Australia's states.

The Australian constitution is known as the ___ of Australia.

birth certificate

The Australian government established the democratic government of the and outlined its power to make laws.

Commonwealth of Australia

Magna Carta was issued in and was the first document to put into writing the principle__________________________.

1215, that the king and his government was not above the law

What is the benefit of weekend voting?

Weekend voting makes it easier for more people to participate in elections because most individuals are not working or studying on weekends. This increases voter turnout and helps ensure that more citizens have a fair opportunity to have their say.

What is the benefit of fines?

Fines act as a financial punishment that discourages individuals from reoffending. They also carry the negative connotation of being labelled a lawbreaker, which can damage a person’s reputation and reinforce the seriousness of following legal rules.

Difference between civil and criminal law.

Criminal law deals with offences against society and is enforced by the state, often resulting in punishment like jail. Civil law deals with disputes between individuals or groups and usually involves compensation, not punishment.

Example of criminal law

A person is charged with robbery and faces prison time.

Example of civil law

One person sues another for damaging their car in a crash.

Methods of being an active citizen

1. Voting in elections to influence government decisions 2.Protesting or petitioning to raise awareness about issues 3. Volunteering in community or charity projects to support others

Define the term rule of law and explain why it is important in democracy?

The rule of law means that everyone, including governments, must follow the law. It’s important because it protects people’s rights, ensures fairness, and prevents the abuse of power.

What is the role of Royal Commissions in Australia?

Royal Commissions investigate serious national issues and can recommend changes to the law or government policies.

What is Indigenous Customary Law?

• A system of law passed through generations by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, based on traditions, kinship and community responsibilities.