Your Government, Your rights and Your Responsibilities

Question 1

Australian Constitution

Answer 1

Sets out how Australia is governed outlining the authority, powers and responsibility of the Federal and State Government.

Question 2

What is a referendum, what does it do and how is it passed.

Answer 2

A referendum is a vote undertaken by Australians regarding the proposal to change the Constitution (Yes or No). In order for a referendum to be successful, it must gain a ‘Yes’ vote from majority of voters in a majority of states - ie a double majority.

Question 3

What are the 3 level of government

Answer 3

Federal, State, Local

Question 4

Roles of Federal Government

Answer 4

Taxes, Defence force, Immigration, etc.

Question 5

Roles of State Government

Answer 5

Schools, Hospitals, Electricity, Water, etc.

Question 6

Roles of Local Government

Answer 6

Parks, Libraries, Rubbish collecting, Street signs, etc.

Question 7

Main source of revenue for the levels of government

Answer 7

FEDERAL: Receipts from income tax and receipts from company tax
STATE: Receipts from GST (goods and services tax
LOCAL: Receipts from rates (taxes to support local government)

Question 8

Structure of Federal Parliament

Answer 8

Bi-Cameral - meaning two houses: House of Representatives and the Senate

Question 9

Structure of State Parliament

Answer 9

Bicameral - Two houses: Lower house = Legislative Assembly, Upper house = Legislative Council.

Question 10

Which house is more important and why

Answer 10

Lower house = whoever gets more seats in the lower house becomes the government.

Question 11

Term of Office for the Senate

Answer 11

6 years

Question 12

Number of Members for Federal government in each house

Answer 12

House of Reps = 151
Senate = 76

Question 13

Number of members in state government

Answer 13

Legislative Council - 40
Legislative Assembly - 88

Question 14

Term of Office for the House of Reps

Answer 14

3 years

Question 15

What is an electorate

Answer 15

A voting district containg approximately 110,000 voters, they each vote for one person to enter the house of reps which is why there is 151 members in the house of reps - one per electorate

Question 16

3 voting methods

Answer 16

1. First past the post
2. Preferential Voting
3. Proportional Voting

Question 17

First past the post

Answer 17

The voter only needs to put a mark next to the candidate they want to elect. Candidates must just get the most votes.

Question 18

Preferential Voting

Answer 18

Voters must numbers the candidates in the order in which they prefer - 1,3,4,2,5. Candidates must get half the votes plus one (50% + 1)

Question 19

Proportional Voting

Answer 19

Senators are elected with this - as 12 are elected per state. Representative must attract a certain number of votes - a quota. When more then one person must get elected.

Question 20

Formal Votes v Informal Votes v Donkey Votes

Answer 20

Formal: means the ballot paper was correctly filled out

Informal: means the ballot was filled out correctly and is not counted anymore

Donkey: voter has their preferences in the same order as the candidates listed on the paper (1,2,3,4,5) it is still formal

Question 21

Who can vote in Australia

Answer 21

People on the electorate roll

Question 22

Monarchy

Answer 22

is a form of government in which a person, the monarch, is head of state for live or until abdication

Question 23

Dictatorship

Answer 23

a form of government characterised by a single leader or group of leaders

Question 24

Republic

Answer 24

a form of government in which the country is considered a public matter and has an elected president

Question 25

Democracy

Answer 25

a form of government in which the people exercise the authority of government - decisions are made use the majority rule approach

Question 26

Constitutional Monarchy

Answer 26

a system where the head of state is a monarch (King Charles 3rd) but the real power of Government rest with the Parliament (Australia)

Question 27

What is a Coalition

Answer 27

Two parlitical parties with similiar views joining to obtain majority of members in parliament

Question 28

What does house of reps do

Answer 28

• Makes laws
• represents the interests of the people in their electorates
• Is the government

Question 29

What does the senate do

Answer 29

• safeguard the interests of all states

-to act as a ‘house of review’ (a proposed law called a bill passed by the House of Representatives must be passed by the Senate before it can become law

• to represent the interests of the voters

Question 30

What is a Minister

Answer 30

Members of government who have to represent their electorate AND who have been allocated a specific area of responsibility known as a portfolio

Question 31

What are backbencers

Answer 31

members of parliament who do not have a portfolio. Their only responsibility is to look after their electorates. They sit at the back and are paid less than ministers.

Question 32

What is a portfolio (house of reps)

Answer 32

A specific area of responsibility - responsible for a government department such as immigration, defence, foreign affairs etc.

Question 33

Who is the SPEAKER in parliament

Answer 33

The Speaker has several responsibilities within the House, including:
- In meetings all questions are addressed
through the speaker
- keeps order in of the House of
Representatives

Question 34

What is an Independent member in parliament

Answer 34

A Member of Parliament who does not belong to or represent a political party is called an Independent.

There role is to best represent their electorate