Chapter 1 - The Australian Parliamentary System

Question 1

Bicameral

Answer 1

Two houses of parliament

Question 2

Crown

Answer 2

The authority of the Queen

Question 3

Upper house of Commonwealth Parliament

Answer 3

The Senate

Question 4

Lower house of Commonwealth Parliament

Answer 4

House of Representatives

Question 5

Upper house of Victorian Parliament

Answer 5

Legislative Council

Question 6

Lower house of Victorian Parliament

Answer 6

Legislative Assembly

Question 7

Federation

Answer 7

A union of sovereign states that relinquish some powers to a central authority to form one nation.

Question 8

Government

Answer 8

Formed by the political party that governs the country (or state). This is the party that achieves the largest number of members voted into the lower house (the House of Representatives at a federal level and the Legislative Assembly at a state level).

Question 9

Legislation

Answer 9

Laws made by parliament, known as Acts of parliament or statutes.

Question 10

Government minister

Answer 10

A member of parliament who is also a member of the political party that has formed government, and has some particular responsibility such as being in charge of a government department.

Question 11

Parliament

Answer 11

The supreme law-making body consisting of all elected members of both houses from all political parties and the Crown’s representative.

Question 12

Prime minister

Answer 12

The member of parliament who leads the political party that has formed government.

Question 13

Representative government

Answer 13

Refers to a government that represents the view of the majority of the people.

Question 14

Responsible government

Answer 14

The executive government (prime minister, senior ministers and government departments) is accountable to parliament, and can only continue to govern as long as it has the support of the lower house of parliament. If the government loses the support of the lower house then it must resign.

Question 15

Royal assent

Answer 15

The signing of a proposed law by the Crown’s representative before it becomes law.

Question 16

Separation of powers

Answer 16

Refers to the fact that there are three separate types of law-making powers in our parliamentary system, and they are kept separate to ensure that no one body has control over both the political and legal systems. These are legislative power, executive power and judicial power. Judicial power is separate from legislative power and executive power.

Question 17

Statute

Answer 17

A written Act of parliament, also known as legislation.

Question 18

Supremacy of parliament

Answer 18

Refers to the concept that the final law-making power rests with parliament. Parliament can repeal and amend its own previous legislation and can pass legislation to override common law.

Question 19

Westminster principles

Answer 19

The set of principles that underpin our parliamentary system, inherited from the UK, known as the Westminster system. These are the principles of representative government, responsible government, the separation of powers, the structure of state and Commonwealth parliaments, and the roles played by the Crown and the houses of parliament.

Question 20

Cabinet

Answer 20

Consists of the prime minister and senior government ministers who have been placed in charge of a government department. It is a policy-making body; that is, it decides which laws should be introduced into parliament.