HASS: Democracy in Australia - ch. 21 Flashcards
Representative Democracy
A political system based on citizens voting to elect representatives
Elections
A process where people are able to choose their representatives and members of parliament
Candidates
Members of political parties who are nominated to run for office in an election
Parliament
An organisation that makes the laws in a country
Members of parliament
Individuals who have been elected by the people to represent their views and values in parliament
Governor General
The Monarch’s representative in the federal parliament that gives royal assent
Political party
A group of people with similar views about how a country (nation) should be governed.
Coalition
Two or more political parties that join together in an attempt to win an election and form government
Government
The party (or coalition) that has the majority of seats in the lower house.
Hung parliament
A parliament where no political party has enough seats to have the overall majority
What is a minority government?
A government formed by a party (or coalition) which does not have a majority
How does a minority government govern?
With the support of the majority of all members in the House of Representatives
Balance of power
Individuals who are either independents or part of a minor party decide an issue by their vote this is due to no single party having majority support.
Responsibilities of the Federal government:
- Defence
- Immigration
- Trade
Responsibilities of the State government:
- Education
- Public transport
- Law and order
- Health
Independent
A member of parliament who is not associated with a political party
Absolute majority
The requirement for a political party to win over half the votes to be declared the winner of the election
Opposition
The second-largest political party after the government party which works to scrutinise and oppose government
policies
Westminster parliamentary system
The British parliamentary system, which the Australian parliamentary system is modelled after.
Preferential system of voting
A voting system that provides multiple counts of ballot papers to determine who has gained an absolute majority of total votes
Formal vote
A valid ballot paper that has been correctly completed in accordance with the instructions
Informal vote
An invalid ballot paper that has not been completed
in accordance with the instructions and therefore is not counted in the final vote tally
Australia’s head of state
The reigning monarch of England (King Charles III)
Lower house
- House of Representatives
- Made up of 151 members of parliament each representing one of Australia’s federal electorates.
