Unit 4 ASO 1 - Domestic Policy

Question 1

bipartisan support

Answer 1

b

Question 2

bureaucracy

Answer 2

refers to the thousands of people who work in government departments or agencies of the executive government. Also known as public servants or the unelected executive.

Question 3

cabinet

Answer 3

refers to a group of senior ministers in charge of key departments, led by the Prime Minister, who makes the most important decisions about policies and the actions of the government. Members of Cabinet are entitled to express opinions or departmental viewpoints during the confidential meetings of Cabinet, but once a decision is made, every member of Cabinet is bound to support the decision publicly.

Question 4

cabinet committees

Answer 4

cabinet committees are formed within Cabinet (generally about 4-6 members) and are responsible for a particular area of policy and administration. Some are formed to deal with a short term issue and are dissolved afterwards, while others have become virtually permanent.

Question 5

department

Answer 5

g

Question 6

direct action

Answer 6

g

Question 7

domestic policy

Answer 7

g

Question 8

economic conditions

Answer 8

g

Question 9

elections

Answer 9

g

Question 10

elections mandate

Answer 10

g

Question 11

electorate

Answer 11

this term applies to the geographical or administrative organisation of a group of voters. Other words which are used to describe this include “constituency”, “district” or “division” (the official name for the geographical area covering the electorate). At the Commonwealth government level there are 150 House of Representative electorates containing approximately 90,000 voters each (with some variation allowed and with certain expectations). Each state is equal to one electorate for the Senate. Thus, each state elects 12 senators (the territories each elect 2 senators), regardless of the population of each state.

Question 12

executive

Answer 12

the branch of government which administers the law. The group of people from the governing party who make policy and control government departments, and who are answerable to the Parliament for the way they run the government.

In the Westminster political system, the principle of separation of powers in not as entrenched. Members of the executive, called ministers, are also members of the legislature, and hence play an important part in both the writing and enforcing of law.

Question 13

inquiries

Answer 13

g

Question 14

interest groups

Answer 14

g

Question 15

judiciary

Answer 15

the branch of government that interprets and administers the law.

Question 16

legislative branches

Answer 16

g

Question 17

lobbyist

Answer 17

g

Question 18

media

Answer 18

g

Question 19

minister

Answer 19

g

Question 20

ministry

Answer 20

g

Question 21

opposition

Answer 21

g

Question 22

parliament

Answer 22

g

Question 23

parliamentary committee

Answer 23

g

Question 24

parliamentary secretary

Answer 24

g

Question 25

party discipline

Answer 25

a feature of modern party politics where party members are required to show consistency and adherence to the decision of the leadership in major parties is essential to voter support. The ALP has a membership rule that requires party members to follow the party rules and decisions or face expulsion (this is known as “the Pledge”). The Liberal party, while theoretically allowing its members to express opinions opposed to party policy, enforces fairly similar party discipline on its members in practice.

Question 26

policy

Answer 26

a set of laws, regulations and administrative rules that affect a particular area or issue in society, such as education policy.

Question 27

policy formulation

Answer 27

g

Question 28

policy prerequisites

Answer 28

g

Question 29

policy-making

Answer 29

g

Question 30

prime minister

Answer 30

g

Question 31

proactive policy

Answer 31

g

Question 32

public opinion

Answer 32

g

Question 33

social movements

Answer 33

g

Question 34

stakeholders

Answer 34

g

Question 35

statutory bodies

Answer 35

g

Question 36

think tanks/research centres

Answer 36

g