Aust Constitution
What is the Australian Constitution?
A document containing the rules for how Australia is governed.
What year did Australia become a Federation?
1901
How many branches of government are identified in the Australian Constitution?
Three
What is a representative democracy?
A system where citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf.
What is arbitrary power?
When someone uses their authority based on their own wishes rather than following established laws or fair procedures.
On what date did the Australian Constitution come into effect?
1 January 1901
How many separate British colonies joined together to form Australia?
Six colonies.
Name the three branches of government.
Legislature, Executive and Judiciary.
How are representatives chosen in Australia?
Through regular elections.
Which branch of government interprets and applies laws?
Judiciary
What is the main purpose of the Australian Constitution?
To establish how Australia is governed and how government power is shared.
What does Federation mean?
The joining of separate colonies or states to form one nation under a national government.
Which branch of government is responsible for making laws?
The Legislature (Parliament).
What is responsible government?
A system where the government is accountable to Parliament and the people for its decisions.
What is the highest court in Australia?
The High Court of Australia.
What is a referendum?
A vote by Australian citizens on a proposed change to the Constitution.
What is the Division of Powers?
The sharing of law-making responsibilities between the Federal Government and State Governments.
What is the role of the Executive?
To administer and enforce laws and manage government programs.
How many members are in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council?
59 members in the Legislative Assembly and 37 members in the Legislative Council.
What are checks and balances?
Safeguards that limit government power and help prevent any one person or group from having too much control.
Explain why the Australian Constitution is important for Australia's democracy.
It establishes the rules of government, divides government powers and helps prevent the misuse of power.
Explain why the Constitution divides powers between Federal and State Governments.
To allow the Federal Government to manage national issues while State Governments retain responsibility for state matters.
Explain why the Separation of Powers is important in Australia's democracy.
It divides government responsibilities between three branches to prevent one person or group from having too much power.
Explain the difference between representative government and responsible government.
Representative government means citizens elect people to make decisions on their behalf. Responsible government means the government must answer to Parliament and the people for its actions.
Explain two ways the Australian Constitution protects citizens from the misuse of government power.
It separates power between the Legislature, Executive and Judiciary to prevent one group from controlling everything. It also provides an independent Judiciary that can resolve disputes and ensure government actions follow the Constitution.