civics

Question 1

separation of powers

Answer 1

the division of a state’s government into branches, each with separate, independent powers and responsibilities

Question 2

legislature

Answer 2

an assembly with the authority to make laws for a political entity such as a country or city

Question 3

executive

Answer 3

r persons constituting the branch of government charged with executing or carrying out the laws and appointing officials, formulating and instituting foreign policy, and providing diplomatic representation.

Question 4

judiciary

Answer 4

branch of government whose task is the authoritative adjudication of disputes over the application of laws in specific situations.

Question 5

responsible government

Answer 5

a government that is accountable to the people

Question 6

governor general

Answer 6

the chief representative of the Crown in a Commonwealth country of which the British monarch is head of state

Question 7

representative democracy

Answer 7

a form of democracy in which people vote for representatives who then vote on policy initiatives

Question 8

democracy

Answer 8

government in which the highest power is held by the people and is usually used through representatives

Question 9

parliament

Answer 9

a system of government having the real executive power vested in a cabinet composed of members of the legislature who are individually and collectively responsible to the legislature

Question 10

house of representatives

Answer 10

the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia. Its composition and powers are established in Chapter I of the Constitution of Australia.

Question 11

senate

Answer 11

a part of the Australian Parliament which also consists of the Queen (represented by the Governor-General) and the House of Representatives

Question 12

government

Answer 12

the political system by which a country or community is administered and regulated.

Question 13

election

Answer 13

a formal and organized choice by vote of a person for a political office or other position.

Question 14

a legitimate government

Answer 14

a government that has the appropriate mandate/authority to rule. this means a high degree of popular support, having a free electorate and free elections

Question 15

how the principle of legitimacy is upheld

Answer 15

equal vote, free vote, independent oversight, right to stand for office, predictable pattern of elections

Question 16

powers of the federal government

Answer 16

commerce, defence, post and telecommunications, banking, foreign policy, citizenship, taxation, immigration

Question 17

powers of the state government

Answer 17

schools, hospitals, mining and agriculture, emergency services

Question 18

powers of the local government

Answer 18

local roads, footpaths, signage etc.; building approvals; town planning; sewerage

Question 19

constitutionalism

Answer 19

the philosophy characterised by government authority being constrained by a constitution supported by the people

Question 20

process for changing the australian constitution

Answer 20

can only be altered by a referendum in which all eligible australians vote yes or no for the proposed changes.

Question 21

conditions for a referendum to succeed

Answer 21

there must be a double majority

Question 22

double majority

Answer 22

a majority of voters nationwide and a majority of states (four out of six) approve the changes

Question 23

federation

Answer 23

a system of government in which a written constitution distributes power between a national government and a number of state or regional governments

Question 24

roles and powers of the high court of australia

Answer 24

determines constitutional cases (someone thinks that the govt made decisions different to the constitution); hears appeals (may lead to a new common law); hears cases between the govts; hears cases involving treaties

Question 25

four key frameworks of a liberal democracy

Answer 25

legitimacy, justice, freedom, power

Question 26

justice is achieved when

Answer 26

citizens live in an environment in which everyone is treated equally and accorded dignity and respect.

Question 27

how is justice upheld in australia

Answer 27

through our independent and impartial judicial system which respects the following principles: rule of law, right to a fair trial

Question 28

rule of law

Answer 28

the belief that all members of a society (including those with political/legal power) must be subject to equal treatment by the law

Question 29

rule of law implies that

Answer 29

no one is above the law (checks on abuse of power by leaders) and no one is below the law (minimum guarantee of rights protection)

Question 30

five principles that uphold legitimacy

Answer 30

equal vote, free vote, independent oversight, right to stand for office, predictable pattern of elections

Question 31

freedom

Answer 31

the principle that individuals in society should have self-determination and the ability to make decisions. they should be able to choose between alternatives and have the autonomy to do what the law does not forbid

Question 32

how was freedom upheld in the student climate protests

Answer 32

protests uphold freedom of speech, association, and assembly. protestors were allowed to peacefully express their views.

Question 33

how does low indigenous enrolment and voting undermine legitimacy

Answer 33

Lower participation in voting by Aboriginal Australians weakens legitimacy in our political system because it means that a certain group within the population is not voting and therefore their opinions are not heard.

Question 34

commonwealth v tasmania

Answer 34

• used the koowarta precedent, and external affairs power to prevent the tasmanian government from damming the gordon-below franklin river.
• after using section 51 it passed the world heritage properties conservation act 1983, and the commonwealth listed the river as a world heritage area under the act, making it unlawful for tasmania to dam the river. in this case, tasmania lost sovereign powers over land and river management