Topic 1 - Laws

Question 1

9 steps of creating a law

Answer 1

1. First reading - Lower/First House
2. Second reading - Lower/First House
3. Consideration of Detail - Lower/First House
4. Third Reading - Lower/First House
5. First reading - Upper/Second House
6. Second reading - Upper/Second House
7. Consideration of Detail - Upper/Second House
8. Third Reading - Upper/Second House
9. Royal Assent - King’s Representative

Question 2

Why do laws need to change?

Answer 2

1. Response to changes in societal values and norms
2. Response to the changing political, social or economic conditions in the country
3. Response to changes in technology

Question 3

Example of response to changes in societal values and norms

Answer 3

Same-sex marriage

Question 4

Example of response to the changing political, social or economic conditions in the country

Answer 4

Laws around driving under the influence of alcohol

Question 5

Examples of response to changes in technology

Answer 5

Use of drones flying over private properties, AI

Question 6

What happens during the first reading?

Answer 6

The Clerk reads the title of the bill, no discussion, no vote

Question 7

What happens during the second reading?

Answer 7

Members debate and discuss the proposal and a vote takes place to decide if the bill progresses to the next stage

Question 8

What happens in the consideration of detail?

Answer 8

The bill is scrutinised, sentence by sentence by each member of parliament. Amendments may be debated, suggested and recommended

Question 9

What happens in the third reading?

Answer 9

One final vote on the bill, no debate

Question 10

What is the role of the second house?

Answer 10

Process of the first house is repeated, if at ay point a change is made to the bill it goes back to the first house to start again.

Question 11

What is Royal Assent?

Answer 11

A Bill passed by the Australian Parliament does not become a law until it is formally accepted by the Governor-General.

Question 12

What is a demonstration?

Answer 12

A demonstration is a gathering of people (usually in a very public place) to voice their concerns about a chosen topic.

Question 13

What determines the effectiveness of demonstrations?

Answer 13

number of people, topic of demonstration, behaviour of demonstrators

Question 14

Strengths of demonstrations

Answer 14

• cheap and easy to organise
• can attract a lot of media attention which influences politicians, informs people of issues and attracts new supporters

Question 15

Weaknesses of demonstrations

Answer 15

• hard to attract people - people must make an effort to attend in person
• if it gets out of hand or becomes violent, it will attract negative attention and cause a loss of support
• easy for the parliament to ignore, especially if the protest is small in size(not many voters support the cause)

Question 16

What is the balance of power?

Answer 16

Balance of power refers to the position held by minor parties or individual members of parliament when their vote is necessary for bills or motions to be passed.

Question 17

What is the difference between a major and minor party?

Answer 17

Parties that do not have enough members elected to form government or opposition are called minor parties. While minor parties have fewer members than major parties, they can hold the balance of power , along with independents.

Question 18

Why is it good that the party in charge of government does not hold the balance of power?

Answer 18

It means the government doesn’t have too much power and the views of more members of the community and parliament are represented.

Question 19

Why is it not good that the party in charge of government does not hold the balance of power?

Answer 19

It is not very democratic as the parties who hold the balance of power have a lot of power yet, they might not have got many votes. Meaning they don’t have much support but they can stop laws from being passed.

Question 20

What is the Victorian Law Reform Commission?

Answer 20

The Victorian Law Reform Commission is an agency formed by the government. The VLRC has a responsibility to examine, report and make recommendations on issues that the Attorney-General refers to. It also has the power to recommend reforms to relatively minor legal issues of general community concern without a reference.

• cannot change the law - can only make recommendations
• the parliament does not have to listen to the recommendations

Question 21

What does the VLRC do?

Answer 21

1. The Attorney General refers to an issue about a major law reform to the VLRC
2. VLRC does research - collects info and opinions
3. VLRC completes research and reports its recommendations back to the Attorney General
4. The Attorney General shares the VLRC report in parliament and the government decides whether to change the law

Question 22

3 purposes of the VLRC?

Answer 22

1. recommending
2. able to interview community members that would otherwise have no say in law making