Studied by 14 peopleWhat does the Australian Constitution do?
Provides the rules for the governance of Australia.
What does the federal Parliament have control over?
It is given responsibility for areas that affect the whole nation.
The Parliament is made up of…
The monarch (represented by the governor-general), the senate, the house of representatives
Seperation of Powers
The power that is shared between the federal and shared Parliaments
What date did Australia become a federation?
January 1st 1901
High Court of Australia
The High Court is the highest court in the Australian judicial system.
Changing the constitution requires…
A referendum and a majority vote in at least 4 states
How many changes have been made to the constitution?
8 successful ones
Who was the first Prime Minister of Australia and when was he sworn in?
Edmund Barton, 1st January 1901
What are the 3 levels of government?
Local, State/Territory, and Federal
What are the main roles of the federal parliament?
Making and changing federal laws
Representing the people of Australia
Providing a place where government is formed
Keeping a check on the work of the government
Who is the head of state?
The King
Who is the head of state in Australia?
The governor-general, who represents the King
What is the first body of the Parliament of Australia
The king as head of state, represented by the governor-general
What is the second body of the Parliament of Australia
The senate
What is the third body of the Parliament of Australia
The house of representatives
What does the formation of government mean?
In the house of representatives, the MPs (members of Parliament) are aligned with certain parties (Liberal, Labour, Greens, Teals (independents)) and whichever has the majority will form ‘Government’. The government is faced with the opposition,
What colour is the senate?
Red
What colour is the house of representatives?
Green
How does a bill become a law?
It is passed by a majority vote in the House of Representatives and the Senate. The bill must be agreed to in identical form by both chambers, and given Royal Assent by the Governor-General. It is then known as an Act Of Parliament.
What shape is the senate and house of representatives
a horseshoe
The bill goes through how many readings in the House of Representatives
The bill goes through 3 readings in the House of Representatives
The bill goes through how many readings in the Senate
The bill goes through 3 readings in the Senate
The purpose of a jury is…
To sit and listen in order to provide a less biased outcome for the case. They must be fair and impartial and deliver a verdict of guilt or innocence
The role of the judge or magistrate is
To run the courtroom, listen to the arguments presented, and decide on the verdict or punishment, controls order in the court
A prosecutor
Has to convince the jury that the defendant is guilty
Lowest level of government
Local council
The police
Enforce the laws
The courts
Interprets the laws
The House of Representatives
Create the laws
Less serious offences are called
Summary Offences
Civil law deals with
non-criminal disputes between individuals and organisations, punishments will usually be known as “seeking damages” and is monetary compensation
Criminal law deals with
indictable offences and summary offences, punishments vary and can include fines, rehabilitation, and imprisonment
The legislative assembly is…
The lower house of state parliament
Why do we have laws?
Establish boundaries – which actions will / will not be tolerated, determines acceptable behaviour
Protection – from actions and behaviours that society cannot do, restricts individual freedom to provide safety for all in society
Freedom – tells people what they can do
Resolving disputes – to stop taking the law into their own hands, provides police courts and correctional centres to enforce and administer the law
When was voting made compulsory?
1924
When were men granted suffrage?
1901
When were women granted suffrage?
1902
When were Aboriginal Australians granted suffrage?
1962
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