Chapter 1 Key Terms

Question 1

Who are Non-Legal Rules made by and who do they affect?

Answer 1

Non-legal rules are made by and only affect people in families, schools, sporting clubs, religious denominations and other organisations.

Question 2

Who creates Legal Rules?

Answer 2

Legal rules are rules created by lawmaking

bodies, such as courts and parliament.

Question 3

Who does Legal Rules apply to?

Answer 3

Legal rules generally apply to all members of a particular society

Question 4

What is Criminal Law?

Answer 4

Criminal law is an area of law concerned with behaviour that is
against an existing law and is harmful to society

Question 5

What is Civil Law?

Answer 5

Civil law is an area of law covering the infringement of a person’s rights, and aims to restore the affected person to their original position or to compensate for their loss

Question 6

What are Laws?

Answer 6

Laws are legal rules that apply to all members of society, and are made and enforced by bodies such as courts and
parliament.

Question 7

What are the 4 Needs for Laws?

Answer 7

• Establishing a code of conduct (eg. Drink driving)
• Protecting the community from harm (eg. cyclists wearing helmets)
• Reflecting changing values and circumstances (eg. Cyberbullying)
• Resolve disputes (eg. Neighborhood Disputes)

Question 8

What are the 5 characteristics of an effective law?

Answer 8

• The law must be known and understood
• The law must reflect values and be accepted
• The law must be able to adapt to change
• The law must be stable and consistent
• The law must be enforceable

Question 9

What are the two types of Parliament?

Answer 9

The two types of Parliament are the State Parliament and the Federal Parliament

Question 10

What does a Bi–Cameral System mean?

Answer 10

A Bi–Cameral System is having two houses of Parliament

Question 11

What are the two houses called in Federal Parliament?

Answer 11

The Senate - Upper House

The House of Representatives - Lower House

Question 12

What are the two houses called in State Parliament?

Answer 12

The Legislative Assembly - Lower House

The Legislative Council - Upper House

Question 13

How many members are there in the Senate?

Answer 13

76 members - 12 from each state and 2 from the territories

Question 14

How many members are there in the House of Representatives?

Answer 14

150 members meaning 76 would secure majority

Question 15

How many members are there in the Legislative Assembly ?

Answer 15

88 members

Question 16

How many members are there in the Legislative Council?

Answer 16

40 members

Question 17

What is the Government?

Answer 17

Government is the political party that wins a majority of seats in the Lower House

Question 18

What is Parliament?

Answer 18

Parliament is all the elected members in both houses from all parties, government and opposition

Question 19

What is an Electorate?

Answer 19

An Electorate is a body of people allowed to vote in an election

Question 20

What are the 4 Powers in relation to law making?

Answer 20

• Exclusive Powers – Powers that are only possessed by the Federal Government (eg. Immigration)
• Concurrent Powers – Powers that both Federal and State possess (eg.tax)
• Specific Powers – Powers that are written in the Constitution (both Exclusive and Concurrent)
• Residual Powers – Powers that are not written in the Constitution so therefore are State Powers (eg. Adoption)

Question 21

Difference between a Bill and an Act?

Answer 21

Bill is a proposed law whereas an Act is a law that has been passed by Parliament

Question 22

What are the 7 formal steps to pass a law?

Answer 22

1st reading (upper or lower), 2nd reading, 3rd reading, 1st reading (in other), 2nd reading, 3rd reading, Royal Assent

Question 23

What is the Constitution?

Answer 23

a document which sets out the power of the parliament (note. not actually a law itself)

Question 24

What is the difference between Governer and Governer Genreal

Answer 24

The governer is a queens rep from state level and other is fed