Law, Society and Political Involvement

Question 1

absolute majority

Answer 1

half the number of formal votes received in an election plus one

Question 2

adversarial system

Answer 2

system in which two opposing parties present their arguments to a magistrate or judge

Question 3

appeal

Answer 3

an application for a legal decision to be reviewed in a higher court

Question 4

bail

Answer 4

to release an accused person who is awaiting trial

Question 4

balance of power

Answer 4

the power an individual or party has by holding the casting vote

Question 5

balance of probabilities

Answer 5

the standard of proof in civil trials

Question 6

beyond reasonable doubt

Answer 6

the standard of proof required in a criminal trial

Question 7

coalition

Answer 7

a government that becomes possible because two or more parties agree to work together and hence gain the majority of votes

Question 8

committal hearing

Answer 8

a hearing in a Local Court to decide whether there is enough evidence to put a person on trial for an indictable (serious) offence

Question 9

common law

Answer 9

system of law based on the previous decisions of judges, or precedents

Question 10

constitution

Answer 10

a document that outlines the powers of the parliament

Question 11

constitutional monarchy

Answer 11

a form of government in which a non-elected monarch acts as the head of state. There are usually constitutional limits on their power

Question 12

defendant

Answer 12

the party in a criminal or civil trial against whom an action has been brought

Question 13

democracy

Answer 13

a system of government where political power lies with the people

Question 14

discriminate

Answer 14

to treat somebody differently or less favourably because of her or his personal characteristics such as gender, ethnicity or religion

Question 15

Dorothy Dixer

Answer 15

a rehearsed question asked of a government Minister by a backbencher of their own political party

Question 16

double dissolution

Answer 16

a decision made by the head of state to dissolve both houses of parliament

Question 17

Federation

Answer 17

the colonies (now states) agreed to join together to form Australia

Question 18

Federal Parliament

Answer 18

the House of Representatives and the Senate

Question 19

Hierarchy

Answer 19

a grading system based on order of importance

Question 20

House of Representatives

Answer 20

the lower house of Federal Parliament, sometimes called the people’s house

Question 21

Hung parliament

Answer 21

a situation where no political party has a majority of elected members in parliament

Question 22

Indictable offence

Answer 22

a serious criminal offence

Question 23

Judge

Answer 23

a court official who has the power to make decisions on matters brought before a court of law

Question 24

Judiciary

Answer 24

the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in a country

Question 25

Jury

Answer 25

a group of people (either 12 or six) selected to hear the evidence in a court case

Question 26

Kinship

Answer 26

traditional rules that outline the correct way of living in community with one another

Question 27

Laws

Answer 27

a set of legal rules

Question 27

Lobby

Answer 27

to attempt to enlist popular and political support for some particular cause

Question 28

Magistrate

Answer 28

a court official who hears cases in the lowest court of law

Question 29

Minority government

Answer 29

a political party does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but they have still formed a government

Question 30

Non-parole

Answer 30

a set period of time a prisoner must serve before they can be released on the promise of good behaviour

Question 31

Parole

Answer 31

to release a prisoner on the promise of good behaviour

Question 32

Plaintiff

Answer 32

the party that commences a civil action

Question 33

Precedent

Answer 33

a previous legal decision that serves as a rule or pattern in future cases

Question 34

Preferences

Answer 34

order in which voters list candidates at an election, after they have made their first choice

Question 35

Preferential system

Answer 35

a counting system that is designed to allow the majority of Australians to have their say in an election by stating the order in which they prefer candidates

Question 36

Private law

Answer 36

deals with disputes between private citizens

Question 37

Private member’s bill

Answer 37

a bill that is introduced by backbenchers as opposed to coming from the government

Question 38

Proportional representation

Answer 38

when each senator must win a set proportion of votes, or quota, to win a Senate seat

Question 39

Prosecutor

Answer 39

the party bringing a criminal action against the accused; usually the state

Question 40

Quota

Answer 40

the number of votes that a Senate candidate must get to win a Senate seat

Question 41

Referendum

Answer 41

a vote where the entire electorate is invited to vote on a particular proposal

Question 42

Senate

Answer 42

the upper house of the Federal Parliament, sometimes called the State’s House

Question 43

Separation of powers

Answer 43

the functions of government are spread across the legislative, executive and the judiciary.

Question 44

Statute law

Answer 44

laws made by parliaments

Question 45

Sue

Answer 45

to bring a civil action against another person for causing damage or injury

Question 46

Tort

Answer 46

a civil wrong

Question 47

Trial

Answer 47

a process to determine whether someone committed a criminal act or caused another person