Chapter 12: Accountability and the government

Question 1

This group make up the administrative executive

Answer 1

public servants

Question 2

Name the three components of the executive

Answer 2

formal, real and administrative

Question 3

Identify any of the Ministers subjected to censure motions in 2015-16

Answer 3

Mal Brough, Peter Briggs, Stuart Robert

Question 4

While censure motions against Ministers in the House of Representatives have never been successful, what can follow which is an effective accountability measure?

Answer 4

PM requires MP to step down because of media focus and embarrassment

Question 5

The most recent Senator to be censured by the Senate in 2015 was __________

Answer 5

George Brandis

Question 6

A defeat of government legislation or policy is referred to as an _________ vote of no confidence

Answer 6

effective

Question 7

Strong __________ is a feature of the Westminster system adopted for the US, which allows the Senate to effectively function as a house of review

Answer 7

bicameralism

Question 8

____________ hearings are conducted by the eight key legislative and references committees in the Senate which are very searching and always operate in May and later in the year as required

Answer 8

Estimates

Question 9

Modern Senate estimates hearings can call Ministers (from the Senate) and the highest ranking ________ _________ before them

Answer 9

public servants

Question 10

Which ABC programme was criticized in Senate Estimates for allowing a man in the audience to express radical Muslim views?

Answer 10

Q and A

Question 11

This Senate Committee ensures supervision of subordinate legislation made by the executive under the authority of an existing statute?

Answer 11

Regulations and Ordinances

Question 12

The Auditor General Act (1997) created the Auditor General of Australia and the Australian National _____ _________

Answer 12

Audit Office (ANAO)

Question 13

The Auditor General is an ________ officer of the Parliament who is part of the ‘architecture of accountability’.

Answer 13

independent

Question 14

Which two types of audit are performed by the ANAO?

Answer 14

performance and financial

Question 15

This former coalition MHR was referred to the Auditor general by the Opposition in 2013 after claiming $10 million had been lost to her electorate following her defeat at the 2013 election.

Answer 15

Sophie Mirabella

Question 16

Which tribunal was established in 1975 to ensure the accountability of the public service?

Answer 16

Administrative Appeals Tribunal

Question 17

Tribunals do not exercise judicial power, but review __________ decisions

Answer 17

administrative

Question 18

The AAT can test the ______ of a decision which means they are able to change an administrative decision.

Answer 18

merit

Question 19

Courts cannot judge the merits of a decision, merely its _____________

Answer 19

lawfulness

Question 20

If a court finds a government department or agency made a decision that was not in accordance with the law, it can issue a writ of ________ .

Answer 20

mandamus

Question 21

Courts may issue prohibitions or _________ to government departments or agencies as in the case of Plaintiff S99

Answer 21

injunctions

Question 22

The freedom given to Ministers to make decisions regarding implementation of laws because of unforeseen circumstances

Answer 22

ministerial discretion

Question 23

Policy developed by the Howard government to resolve the issue asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat

Answer 23

Pacific Solution

Question 24

The 1958 Act which allowed the High Court to invalidate the Malaysian Solution policy attempted by the Gillard government

Answer 24

Migration