Government

Question 1

What are the levels of government?

Answer 1

1. Federal
2. State
3. Local

Question 2

Responsibilities of Federal government

Answer 2

Based in Canberra, concerned with governing all of Australia across areas including defence, immigration, trade, currency.

Question 3

Responsibilities of State government

Answer 3

Based in each capital city (e.g. Melbourne), concerned with governing each state across areas including police, hospitals, education, emergency services, roads.

Question 4

Responsibilities of Local government

Answer 4

Based in each local area (municipality), concerned with issues including maintenance of parts, waste collection and minor roads.

Question 5

What is an electorate?

Answer 5

the area represented by one member of parliament.

Question 6

What is the parliamentary system ?

Answer 6

Westminster system, which we have inherited from our British colonial past.

Question 7

Who uses the parliamentary system?

Answer 7

Federal and state governments.

Question 8

What is the parliament comprised of?

Answer 8

The queen, the senate, the house of representatives

Question 9

What is the senate?

Answer 9

The upper house, decorated in red, made up of 76 senators - 12 each state, 2 each territory.

Question 10

What is the house of representatives?

Answer 10

The lower house, decorated in green, made up of 150 members - one for each electorate (geographical area),.

Question 11

What is a democracy?

Answer 11

A system of government by the whole population, or all eligible members of state, typically through elected representatives.

Question 12

What is a constitution?

Answer 12

A body of fundamental principals, or a set of rules by which a country or state is run.

Question 13

What is a government?

Answer 13

The group of people with authority to govern a state or country.

Question 14

What is a representative democracy?

Answer 14

Is a type of democracy founded on the principle of elected official representing a group of people.

Question 15

What is a referendum?

Answer 15

a general vote by the electorate on a single political question which has been referred to them for a direct decision.

Question 16

What is an election?

Answer 16

the process of voting, in order to choose someone to be their political leader or representative in government.

Question 17

Types of voting

Answer 17

Preferential voting, simple majority

Question 18

What is preferential voting?

Answer 18

Used in Australia, requires voters to number each candidate in order of preference. When counting the votes, the first preferences are allocated first, and the candidate with the least vote is eliminated, then the 2nd preference is allocated and so on until there is one winner.

Question 19

What is simple majority?

Answer 19

Also known as “first past the post”. Use in USA, requires voters to tick the name of their preferred candidate. The person with the most ticks wins.

Question 20

Which type of voting is more effective, why?

Answer 20

Preferential voting works better as it takes into consideration all voters

Question 21

Which type of voting is more effective, why?

Answer 21

Preferential voting works better as it takes into consideration all voters opinions, not only their first preference.

Question 22

Who can vote?

Answer 22

You can vote if you are an Australian citizen, and you are 18 years or older.

Question 23

Name several political parties

Answer 23

Liberal, Labour, Greens, National, one nation

Question 24

What is a Governor General?

Answer 24

The Governor General is appointed by the queen, to be her representative in Australia.

Question 25

Where is our local electorate

Answer 25

Dunkley

Question 26

Who is our local electorate representative

Answer 26

Chris Crewther

Question 27

Define petition

Answer 27

a formal written request, typically one signed by many people, appealing to authority in respect of a particular cause.

Question 28

Who is the prime minister?

Answer 28

the head of an elected government

Question 29

Who is the opposition ?

Answer 29

the largest party or coalition of parties that does not have the support of the majority of members in the house of representatives.

Question 30

What are pressure groups?

Answer 30

a group that tries to influence public policy in the interest of a particular cause.

Question 31

Recent changes in law

Answer 31

Many laws relating to discrimination of gender have been changed over the years, including the right to live in a relationship with the same rights, regardless of genders (apart from able to be married), and discrimination laws.

Question 32

What is criminal law?

Answer 32

a system of law concerned with the punishment of offenders.

Question 33

What is civil law?

Answer 33

the system of law concerned with private relations between members of a community rather than criminal, military or religious affairs.