Australian Federal Parliament, Constitution, and International Law Overview

According to Section 28 of the Australian Constitution, how often must an election for the House of Representatives be held?

At least every 3 years

According to Section 7 of the Constitution, how often must an election for the Senate be held?

Half the Senate faces election every 3 years

How many senators are there in Australian Federal Parliament?

76 senators

How many members are there in the House of Representatives in Australian Federal Parliament?

151 members

What type of parliamentarian is not affiliated with any political party?

Independent

What is the name for the area of parliament where the minor parties and independents sit?

Crossbench

What is a shadow minister?

A member of the opposition who scrutinises and offers alternative policies to a specific government minister

Which house of parliament is known as the 'House of Government'?

House of Representatives

Who is the 'Executive' and what is their function?

The Prime Minister and Ministers who implement and administer laws

According to the division of powers doctrine, what are the areas of federal law-making responsibility?

Defence, immigration, foreign affairs, and trade

According to the division of powers doctrine, what are the areas of state law-making responsibility?

Education, health, transport, and police

What is a hung parliament?

When no party achieves a majority in the House of Representatives

What is 'royal assent'?

The Governor-General's formal approval of a bill passed by both houses, making it law

Distinguish between voting 'above the line' and voting 'below the line' in Senate elections.

Above the line means voting for a party; below the line means numbering individual candidates.

Describe how a by-election and a causal vacancy differ.

A by-election fills a vacancy in the House; a casual vacancy fills one in the Senate.

Explain what preferential voting is and how it improves democracy.

Voters rank candidates; preferences ensure majority support for the winner.

Explain what a coalition is. Provide one example from recent political history.

An alliance between parties to form government, e.g., Liberal-National Coalition.

Describe what the division of powers doctrine is, using examples to support your response.

It divides legislative powers between federal and state governments, e.g., defence (federal) vs education (state).

Explain, in detail, the process for passing legislation through federal parliament.

Bill introduced → debated in both houses → voted on → royal assent → becomes law.

Distinguish between a private member's bill and a private senator's bill.

A private member's bill is introduced by a non-minister in the House; a private senator's bill is introduced by a non-minister in the Senate.

How many states are there in the UN?

193 member states

What Intergovernmental Organisation was proposed by the Atlantic Charter in 1941?

The United Nations

What is the founding document of the United Nations called and how many original member states were there?

The UN Charter; 51 original members

What are the six principal organs of the United Nations?

General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council, Trusteeship Council, International Court of Justice, Secretariat

What special power do the permanent five members have?

Veto power in the Security Council

What are the four main crimes prosecuted by the International Criminal Court?

Genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, aggression

Define Genocide.

The deliberate destruction of a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group

Describe the role and powers of the United Nations General Assembly.

It debates issues, passes non-binding resolutions, and represents all member states equally.

Describe the role and powers of the United Nations Security Council.

It maintains international peace and security, can impose sanctions, and authorise military action.

Describe the nature and purpose of the International Court of Justice.

It settles disputes between states and gives advisory opinions on international law.

Distinguish between a contentious case and an advisory opinion in the International Court of Justice.

Contentious cases resolve disputes between states; advisory opinions give legal advice to UN bodies.

Explain the role of the International Criminal Court, using an example of one major judgement.

It prosecutes individuals for serious crimes like genocide; e.g., sentencing of Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga.

Distinguish between an ad hoc tribunal and a permanent international court.

Ad hoc tribunals (e.g., ICTR for Rwanda) are temporary; permanent courts (e.g., ICC) are ongoing.

Explain what international humanitarian law is.

Laws regulating conduct during armed conflict to protect civilians and combatants.

Explain the significance of the Geneva Conventions.

They define humanitarian standards for treatment of prisoners and civilians during war.

Describe the United Nations response to the Rwandan Genocide.

The UN deployed UNAMIR with limited mandate and failed to prevent genocide due to lack of support and political will.