Hass Civics and Citizenship Test

Australia’s Parliamentary Democracy

Australia operates under a parliamentary democracy, where elected representatives meet in parliament to create or amend laws that impact the nation.

Levels of Government

• Federal Parliament: Handles national issues like defence, immigration, and trade. It’s located in Canberra and is also known as the Commonwealth Parliament.

• State and Territory Parliaments: Each of the six states and two territories has its own parliament for state matters like education, health, and transport.

• Local Councils: Though not called parliaments, these councils deal with local issues such as rubbish collection and pet control. There are over 560 local councils across Australia.

The Political System
The system in place outlines who holds power and responsibility for making decisions. It’s based on the Australian Constitution, which began in 1901 and set up a federal parliamentary system where law-making is shared between federal and state governments.

Structure of the Commonwealth Parliament
The national parliament has two houses:

• House of Representatives (Lower House): Australia is divided into 150 electorates, each electing one member. Most members belong to political parties. The party (or coalition) with a majority (at least 76 seats) forms the government, and its leader becomes the Prime Minister. The party with the next highest number of seats becomes the opposition. If no party wins a majority, it results in a hung parliament and a minority government may be formed through negotiations with independents or smaller parties.

• Senate (Upper House): Designed to represent the states equally, with each state electing 12 senators, and the two territories electing two senators each. Although intended to reflect state interests, senators often follow their party's policies.

Purpose of Two Houses
While the House of Representatives forms the government and sees most decision-making action, the Senate acts as a house of review. It checks and balances the decisions made by the government to ensure accountability.

Parliament vs Government
Parliament includes both houses and the Governor-General, who represents the monarch and carries out formal duties like appointing ministers and approving laws. The government, on the other hand, refers specifically to the ruling party or coalition in the House of Representatives.

Political Parties and Independents in Australian Parliament

The Australian Parliament includes members from various political parties and independents (those not affiliated with a party).

Political Parties

Political parties are groups of people who share similar views about how the country or state should be governed. In Australia, the two major political parties are:

• The Labor Party (ALP)

• The Liberal Party

Other smaller parties include the Nationals and the Greens. During elections, parties put forward candidates. If a party wins the majority of seats in the lower house, it forms government. The Liberal Party and the Nationals often work together in a coalition to secure enough seats to govern.

Role of Independents

Independents are members of parliament who do not belong to any political party. Some may have previously been part of a party but left due to disagreements. Independents often have unique views and can hold significant influence, especially when the major party needs their vote to pass legislation.

Influences on Government Policy

Many factors shape Australia’s political system and influence government decisions. These include:

• Public opinion

• The media

• International pressure

Government Policy Development

A policy is a plan or set of principles to guide future action. Political parties create policies as part of their party platform to attract voters during elections. Once elected, the winning party is said to have a mandate to carry out these policies.

However, implementing policies isn't always straightforward. To make them law, the government often needs to pass legislation. If it lacks a majority in the Senate, it must negotiate with other senators for support.

Other influences on policy-making include:

• Opinion polls

• Interest groups (like business or community welfare groups)

• Global relationships and pressures from other nations

What Influences Voters and How Campaigns Work

In the lead-up to an election, political parties and independents try to convince voters they’re the best choice to lead. A range of factors can influence how people decide to vote:

Factors That Influence Voter Behaviour

• Public Debate
  Televised debates let parties argue their ideas and policies in front of the nation, aiming to win over undecided voters.

• Media
  News outlets, TV, radio, and online platforms shape public opinion. Media coverage can paint candidates in a positive or negative light, often swaying voters’ views.

• Opinion Polls
  These polls show how popular parties or candidates are. They can shape public perception, either boosting confidence or causing doubt.

• Advertising
  Paid ads across all forms of media use persuasive language and imagery. Some ads are positive, while others are negative, attacking opponents to make them look unfit.

• Interest Groups
  Also known as lobby groups, these are organisations that promote particular issues. They support candidates whose policies align with their causes and try to influence public voting.

• Important Issues
  Some voters are swayed by current issues affecting their lives—like healthcare, education, or the economy. Others focus on long-term topics like climate change or financial stability.

• Party Loyalty
  Many voters consistently support the same political party, sometimes because of family tradition or long-standing beliefs.

• Political Cartoons
  Though they can carry their own bias, political cartoons use humour to cut through the noise and highlight key issues during elections.

Campaign Strategies

Political parties and independents use different methods to appeal to voters. These include presenting their candidates well, crafting clear and persuasive messages, targeting key demographics, and adjusting strategies to respond to trending issues or public concerns. The goal is always to connect with voters in a meaningful way and win their support.

Voting in Australia

Have you ever voted for something?
Whether it was for class captain or your fave reality TV contestant, voting is how we express our opinion. In Australia, it’s not just encouraged—it’s required.

Compulsory Voting

• All Australians aged 18 and over must vote in national and state elections.

• If you don’t vote without a valid reason, you can get fined.

• Voting is by secret ballot, meaning nobody gets to see who you picked. Your vote = your business.

Federal Election Voting

1. The House of Representatives (Lower House)

• Each voter gets a green ballot paper.

• You rank the candidates from most to least preferred using numbers (1 for your top pick, 2 for second, etc.).

• The system is called preferential voting.

  • If no one gets more than half of the votes as first preference, the least popular candidate is eliminated.

  • Their votes are redistributed based on second preferences.

  • This continues until someone gets a majority.

• Each person elected to the House serves a 3-year term.

2. The Senate (Upper House)

• Each voter gets a huge white ballot paper.

• You have two ways to vote:

  • Above the line: number at least 6 boxes for parties or groups.

  • Below the line: number at least 12 individual candidates.

• The system used here is called proportional representation.

  • Multiple seats are being filled, and each candidate needs to hit a certain quota of votes to be elected.

  • Only half the Senate is up for election each time to keep things rotating and fresh.

• Senators serve 6-year terms, so the Senate always has a mix of new and continuing members.

Social media and politics

• Social media is a major source of political news, especially for younger generations, through platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram.

• While it allows for rapid sharing of information, it’s not always reliable—anyone can post anything, and misinformation can easily go viral.

• False news stories, like celebrity death hoaxes, show how quickly inaccurate content can spread and influence opinions.

• Politicians use social media as a campaign tool to:

  • Communicate quickly with large audiences.

  • Control the message without relying on traditional media.

  • Share party platforms and discredit opponents.

  • Reach young voters more effectively than TV or newspapers.

  • Run low-cost campaigns compared to expensive ads.

  • Use viral strategies by encouraging users to share content.

  • Interact with voters directly to answer questions or respond to concerns.

• Social media gives independent or lesser-known candidates a chance to gain public attention without major party support.

  • Example: In the 2016 election, James Mathieson used Facebook to campaign against Tony Abbott and earned nearly 12% of the vote.

• Overall, social media makes political engagement more accessible but also increases the spread of misinformation—so voters need to think critically about what they see online.