Roles of the Crown and Parliament in law-making

Question 1

The Senate

Answer 1

The upper house of the Commonwealth Parliament. It is comprised of 76 elected lawmakers from across Australia.

Question 2

Structure of the Senate

Answer 2

12 Senators from each state; 2 Senators from each mainland territory

Question 3

Act of Parliament

Answer 3

A law passed by Parliament; a bill that has been approved and passed through both Parliamentary Houses and received Royal Assent.

Question 4

Cabinet

Answer 4

The policy- making body of government that is in charge of determining government policy. It is made it up of the Prime Minister or Premier and senior ministers.

Question 5

House of Representatives

Answer 5

Is the lower house of the Commonwealth Parliament. It is comprised of 151 elected members from across Australia.

Question 6

Parliament

Answer 6

It is the supreme law making power of the Commonwealth and the states. It is made up of 151 electorates

Question 7

Representative Democracy

Answer 7

The people vote for an elected representative to create laws and policies on behalf of the people

Question 8

Private member’s bill

Answer 8

A bill introduced into Parliament by a member of parliament who is not a government minister.

Question 9

Hung parliament

Answer 9

A situation following an election where niether major party won a majority of seats in the lower house.

Question 10

Legislative Council

Answer 10

The upper house in the Victorian Parliament, made up of 40 elected lawmakers.
structure includes:
- 5 councillors from 8 regions
- all 40 face re-election every 4 years

Question 11

Legislative Assembly

Answer 11

The lower house in the Victorian Parliament, made up of 88 elected lawmakers.
structure includes:
- each elected for a term of 4 years
- each member represents a division ( a geographical area with 40,000 voters in each area)

Question 12

Governor

Answer 12

The representative of the crown at state level

Question 13

Democracy

Answer 13

A system of government in which members of parliament are voted into office by the people, and represent the wishes of people.

Question 14

Structure of House of Representatives

Answer 14

it comprises of 151 members with each member of the house elected for a term of approx. 3 years. Each of these 151 members represents a division of geographical area with approx. 100,000-120,000 votes residing within the area. It’s how Australia’s population is distributed, some states have many more electoral divisions than other states, meaning the more populous states elect more members of the House.

Question 15

Executive Council

Answer 15

Are law-making powers granted only to the Commonwealth Parliament. The state parliaments are not permitted to pass legislation on these matters. Relatively few of the Commonwealth’s law-making powers are exclusive powers.

Question 16

Royal Assent

Answer 16

The approval/signing of a bill done by the Governor General at federal level or the Governor at state level to show the approval of the crown. This can only occur after the bill has been passed through all stages of legislative process (being the two houses). This is the final stage of the legislative process meaning the bill can become law.

Question 17

The Rule of Law

Answer 17

Everyone is accountable to the same laws including law makers and leaders. No one is above the law.

Question 18

Secondary legislation

Answer 18

Rules and regulations made by secondary bodies such as local councils or statutory bodies such as VicRoads. This is also known as ‘delegated legislation’.

Question 19

The High Court

Answer 19

The highest court in Australia. The Justice appointed to the High Court must be under 70 years of age. The High Court can hear any case or matter from any other court.

Question 20

Referendums

Answer 20

A referendum is the process of a bill that Parliament wants to pass being formally introduced. The proposed bill gets sent out to the people in a referendum, and the community votes on whether they want to introduce the bill.

Question 21

Bill

Answer 21

A proposed law usually introduced by the government to the house of representatives

Question 22

coalition

Answer 22

A combination of parties, their purpose being to gain the majority of seats in an election. Using an alliance for a combined action. The coalition taking up 35 seats in The Senate.

Question 23

minister

Answer 23

A member of parliament who is given the responsibility for a government department

Question 24

government

Answer 24

the group of people with the authority to govern a country or state. The party who is the majority.

Question 25

Opposition

Answer 25

The Opposition is the party or group which has the greatest number of non-government Members in the House of Representatives

Question 26

Bill of Rights

Answer 26

The first 10 amendments of America’s constitution which directly states the rights of an individual. Australia does not have a Bill Of Rights.

Question 27

Governor General

Answer 27

s. 2 of the Constitution establishes and outlines the role of the Governor-General as being the Crown’s (King’s) representative in the Commonwealth.

Question 28

political party

Answer 28

A political party is an organisation that represents a particular group of people or set of ideas. It aims to have members elected to Parliament so their ideas can affect the way Australia is governed.

Question 29

Constitution

Answer 29

A document that is supreme law in Australia. It names Australia as a federation under a constitutional monarchy and establishes the parliamentary system and the framework for law making.

Question 30

Federation of Australia

Answer 30

The process where 6 separate British colonies agreed to unite and form the Commonwealth of Australia. Australia became a nation on 1st of January 1901.

Question 31

Constitutional Monarchy

Answer 31

A form of monarchy in which the monarch exercises their authority in accordance with a constitution and is not alone in making decisions.

Question 32

Bicameral Parliament

Answer 32

Bicameral: The term bicameral refers to a parliament or legislature that is made up of two separate houses (Chambers). The two chambers are the Legislative Assembly (or Lower House), and the Legislative Council (or Upper House).

Question 33

Westminster System

Answer 33

Westminster System: The Westminster system (also known as responsible government and parliamentary government) is a system of government in which people do not directly elect their government but leave it to the elected legislature to install, supervise, and remove the government.