Government Flashcards
What are the three levels of government and their areas of responsibility?
The three levels of government are federal which is in charge of the army, the currency and international matters, state which is in charge of roads, hospitals and schools and local which is in charge of rubbish disposal and local sporting.
What is representative democracy?
Representative democracy is a system of democracy where a representative is chosen by voters in an area, to present their views to the government. There is one representative from each electorate.
What is a backbencher?
A backbencher is a member of parliament who are not ministers or shadow ministers. They have no special role in parliament.
What is preferential voting?
Preferential voting is a method of voting where the voter cast their votes in order of preference. Where there is no clear majority, the person with the least votes has their votes reallocated to second preferences.
What are the number of seats in the House of Representatives and the Senate respectively?
The House of Representatives has 150 seats and the Senate has 76.
Define electorate.
An electorate is a geographical area which consists of 80,000-90,000 voters who vote for one person to represent them. There are 150 electorates in Australia.
List some similarities and differences between the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Similarities - both shaped as a U, both discuss matters of national importance, both Houses of Parliament
Differences - HoR is green and the Senate is red, HoR has 150 seats and the Senate has 76
How often are elections held?
Elections are held every 4 years.
How old do you have to be to vote and how is your vote cast?
FIX THIS UP LATER
To be able to vote, you must be over 18 years of age and be an Australian citizen.
What is a political party?
A political party is a group of people representing their political view. Their aim is to have members of their party elected into parliament to represent the party’s view.
Define government.
A government is a group of representatives and leaders who enforce laws and rules to help protect the safety of their people and keep a stable society. Government in Australia consists of three levels.
