Constitution
What is the Constitution?
A set of rules that determines the structure of government and its law-making powers.
How many branches are there in the Separation of Powers?
3
How many levels of government are there in Australia?
3
What word means that we have 2 houses of parliament?
Bicameral
Why is the Separation of Powers important?
To prevent one branch from controlling all aspects of government.
In what year did Australia’s Constitution come into effect?
1901
What is the purpose of the Separation of Powers?
To prevent corruption and the abuse of power by dividing government roles among three branches.
Name one area of responsibility for each level of government.
Federal – Defence, State – Schools, Local – Waste management
What are the names of the two houses?
House of Representatives and Senate
Which of the following is NOT true about the Australian Constitution?
a) It was established in 1901.
b) It allows the King to make direct changes.
c) It outlines the powers of the federal government.
d) It is difficult to change.
It allows the King to make direct changes.
What is the main purpose of the Constitution?
To establish the structure and powers of the government and outline the division of power between federal and state governments.
Name the three branches in Australia’s Separation of Powers.
Legislature, Executive, Judiciary
What is the primary purpose of dividing power among three levels of government?
To ensure that laws and services are tailored to the needs of national, regional, and local areas.
Which house has more members, and what is its primary role?
The House of Representatives has more members (151) and is responsible for forming government and creating laws.
Which level of government is responsible for schools?
State
Name one advantage and one disadvantage of having a written Constitution.
Advantage – Ensures consistent enforcement of laws. Disadvantage – Difficult to change.
Why is the separation not considered complete in Australia?
Because some officials, like the Prime Minister, are part of both the Executive and Legislature.
Why might some issues require cooperation between federal and state governments?
Some issues, like public health, require resources and coordination from both levels to be effectively managed.
If the population of australia increases - what would happen to the House of Representatives and why?
The number of seats would increase because each electorate represents a group of people.
More people = more electorates
What is the role of the Senate?
a) To represent local councils
b) To protect the interests of states and territories
c) To elect the Prime Minister
d) To oversee the High Court
To protect the interests of states and territories
How can we change the referendum? AND how does the change succeed?
Referendum
Needs a double majority to succeed! Majority of States and a Majority of Australians.
Describe the role of each branch AND include who is in each branch.
The Legislature makes laws - GG, King, Parliament (HoR & Senate)
The Executive makes laws happen - King, GG, PM, Cabinet
Judiciary - Appl/interpret the law - High Court & Federal Courts
Describe a real-world example of how the Division of Powers could impact a specific policy or issue in Australia.
Na
How does the bicameral system help balance representation between states and population in Parliament?
The House of Representatives represents the population proportionally, while the Senate represents each state equally, giving smaller states fair representation.
How might a bill pass through both houses to become a law?
For a bill to become law, it must pass through both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Then the GG grants the bill Royal Assent to become a law