Civics & Citizenship

Question 1

What do Australian citizens participate in?

Answer 1

Australian citizens participate in a democracy with various rights and responsibilities and
Participation involves voting in elections, contacting local representatives, joining political parties, and standing as independent politicians.

Question 2

What are elected representatives expected to do?

Answer 2

Elected representatives are expected to reflect citizen values and represent them honestly.

Question 3

Is it legal for citizens to challenge a democractic vote?

Answer 3

Through voting systems and democratic processes, citizens have the right to challenge, question, and take direct action against disagreeable issues.

Question 4

Why do we need laws?

Answer 4

Laws protect our general safety, and ensure our rights as citizens against abuses by other people, by organizations, and by the government itself.

Question 5

What are the characteristics to an effective law?

Answer 5

1. Enforceable
2. Known
3. Clear and understood
4. Reflects society’s values
5. Relatively simple

Question 6

What makes a law clear and understood?

Answer 6

• The law must be written in a way that makes it easy for people to understand.
• If the language is not clear or can be interpreted in different ways people will have difficulty obeying the law and it will become ineffective.
  *For example, in Victoria, it is illegal to fly a kite in a public place to the annoyance of another
  person. The word ‘annoyance’ will mean
  different things to different people. What if a
  child is flying the kite?

Question 7

What make a law known?

Answer 7

• The public must know about the law for it to be effective.
• People cannot obey the law if they do not know about it.
• However, ‘Ignorance of the law’ cannot be used as an excuse; this means that it is up to individuals to find out the laws that are relevant to them.
• To make it easier for the public to be informed about any new laws or changes the government will use the media to make laws known.

Question 8

What makes a law enforceable

Answer 8

*This does not mean that every person who breaks the law will be caught and punished.
*It means that it is possible to catch people who have broken the law.

Question 9

How are laws made in federal parliament? (steps 1-4)

Answer 9

1. A proposed / changed law is discused in the cabinet
2. Once decided, govt lawyers draft a bill
3. ‘First Reading’- Everyon in the lower house gets a copy of the bill to read
4. ‘Second Reading’- Minister of department related to the bill explaining the law and its benefits. Speakers of both parties debate for the law. Then voting takes place and if there is a majroty the bill is passed on to the next stage

Question 10

How are laws made in federal parliament? (steps 5-8)

Answer 10

5. Consider
6. ‘Third Reading’- A vote is taken and if there’s a mogority the bill is passed
7. The upper house goes through the similar procedure (from steps 3 - 6) and if changes are made it gets sent back to the lower house
8. Once approved by the Governor General, the bill becomes act of Parliment