intro

Question 1

define Legislation

Answer 1

The process by which our laws are made, including the processes by which lawmakers are determined

Question 2

define federal law

Answer 2

division of power between the states and the commonwealth

Question 3

define laws

Answer 3

rules that society makes so that people can live together with order or fairness, of a formal nature, which if breached may result in some sort of consequences enforceable by society

Question 4

what is the role of the auditor general department

Answer 4

independent from government, work for and investigates government

Question 5

characteristics of the House of Representatives

Answer 5

also known as a lower house, 150 members elected from each electorate, electorates split up according to population.

Question 6

characteristics of the Senate

Answer 6

Upper house, 76 members, 12 from each state and 2 from each mainland territory. ability to block legislation that originated in the house of representatives

Question 7

Role of Governor-General

Answer 7

Shares executive power with the prime minister appoints ambassadors, ministers, and judges under the advice of the PM

Question 8

what are the three levels of government

Answer 8

federal, state and local

Question 9

what are the three arms of government

Answer 9

legislators, executive, and judiciary

Question 10

role of legislators

Answer 10

parliament, responsible for debating and voting on new laws to be introduced under power of section 51 of the constitution.

Question 11

role of executive

Answer 11

Uphold the laws established by legislators, minsters are members of both executive and legislators

Question 12

role of judiciary

Answer 12

the legal arm of the federal government, Independent from the other two arms, responsible for enforcing the laws and deciding whether the other 2 arms are acting within their powers.

Question 13

who is the prime minister

Answer 13

leader appointed by the cabinet and head of the government

Question 14

who does the cabinet consist of?

Answer 14

consists of appointed MP’s, they direct government policy and make decisions about national issues.

Question 15

what is the prime minister the leader of?

Answer 15

the coalition, which has the majority of the support in the house of representatives.

Question 16

how does someone become the prime minister?

Answer 16

the party must win a majority number of seats in a federal election, meaning they must hold at least 76.

Question 17

define hung parliament

Answer 17

What a party does not win the required seats needed, so the party forms an alliance with coalition or crossbenches

Question 18

what is a confidence and supply agreement

Answer 18

The notion that a minor party or independents support the government by voting in favor or abstaining while retaining their right to vote on conscience.

Question 19

who are crossbenchers

Answer 19

Members of smaller parties or MP’s acting as an independent

Question 20

how is the Australian political system described

Answer 20

as a two-party system

Question 21

characteristics of the Labour party

Answer 21

center-left (moderately socialist policy), social democratic, represent the working class

Question 22

characteristics of the Liberal party

Answer 22

center right (capitalistic policy), middle class, represents business

Question 23

name three smaller federal parties

Answer 23

greens, family first, and Australian party

Question 24

what is a confidence and supply agreement

Answer 24

the notion that a minor party or independent support the government by voting in favor or abstaining while retaining their right to vote on conscience

Question 25

what is the Australian political system is described as?

Answer 25

a two-party system

Question 26

the stance of the labor party

Answer 26

center-left, moderately socialist policy

Question 27

the stance of the Liberal Party

Answer 27

center right, moderately capitalistic policy