High Court interpretations of the Constitution

Question 1

What is s. 7 about?

Answer 1

This section of the constitution refers to senators being ‘directly chosen by the people’, and provides the composition and serving term of the senate.

Question 2

What is s. 24 about?

Answer 2

Provides composition of the House of Reps, and states that is should comprise of members ‘directly chosen by the people of the Commonwealth’.

Question 3

What are two important consequences of the High Court being asked to consider the interpretations of s. 7 and 24?

Question 4

What case deals with the implied right to free politiccal communication? What was significant about this case?

Answer 4

Australian Capital Television PTY LTD and NSW v Commonwealth [1992] 177 CLR 106

Question 5

Outline the key facts of the case Roach v Electoral Commissioner

Question 6

Outline the judge’s findings in the case
Roach v Electoral Commissioner

Question 7

What is the significance of the Roach case in relation to representative democracy in Australia?