Chapter 2 Introduction to Unit 1 – Guilt and liability | Legal Studies for VCE Units 1 & 2

Act of Parliament

a law made by parliament; a bill that has passed through parliament and has received royal assent (also known as a statute)

Australian Consitution

a set of rules and principles that guide the way Australia is governed

bicameral parliament

a parliament with two houses (also called chambers)

government

the ruling authority with power to govern, formed by the political party or parties (known as a coalition) that holds the majority in the lower house in each parliament

governor

the Queen’s representative at the state level

Governor-General

the Queen’s representative at the Commonwealth level

House of Representatives

the lower house of the Commonwealth Parliament

laws

legal rules made by a legal authority (i.e. the parliament or courts) that are enforceable by the police and other law enforcement agencies

Legislative Assembly

the lower house of the Victorian Parliament

Legislative council

the upper house of the Victorian Parliament

parliament

a formal assembly of representatives of the people that is elected by the people and gathers together to make laws

political party

an organisation that represents a group of people with shared values and ideas, and which aims to have its members elected to parliament

rule of law

the principle that everyone in society is bound by law and must obey the law, and that laws should be fair and clear, so people are willing and able to obey them

Senate

the upper house of the Commonwealth Parliament

social cohesion

a term used to describe the willingness of members of a society to cooperate with each other in order to survive and prosper