Sustainable Development Goals
Who created the Sustainable Development Goals?
The United Nations
How often are federal elections in Australia?
Every 3 years
What is the United Nations?
The United Nations is an international organization founded in 1945. Currently made up of 193 Member States.
What is the High Court?
The highest court of Australia and the final court of appeals
What is the definition of a threat to democracy?
An element of society that will reduce the effectiveness or safety of our democracy
How many Sustainable Development Goals are there?
There are 17 goals
What day are elections run in Australia?
Elections are on Saturdays
What is a treaty?
A formal agreement between two or more nations which recognises specific rights and obligations
How many justices are on the High Court?
7 justices
What is the definition of a safeguard to democracy?
A feature of our system that protects democracy from being broken
When are the Sustainable Development Goals supposed to be reached by?
The year 2030
What is a representative democracy?
A system of government in which people elect members of parliament to make laws and manage the country on their behalf
Give two examples of international treaties.
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)
What are three law making powers of the Commonwealth Parliament as laid out by the Constitution?
Marriage and Divorce/Currency/Taxation/Social Welfare Benefits/Trade and Commerce/Defence
What are two threats to democracy?
Influence of vested interests/Corruption/Media Bias/Organised Crime/An aging population
What is Goal 4?
Quality Education
What are three features of Australia's elections that make them free and fair?
Secret Ballot/Compulsory Voting/Australian Electoral Commission/Consistent Voting Methods/Scrutiny of the Ballot/Preferential Voting System/Voting is Accessible
What is meant by ratification of a treaty?
The process of a nation's parliament expressly passing legislation that requires it by law to adopt the various rights and responsibilities set out in a treaty.
What is the jurisdiction of the High Court?
The High Court resolves disputes by interpreting the Constitution
What are three safeguards for democracy?
Elections/Shared values in society/Right to dissent/Processes to resolve dispute
Is Australia on track to reach Goal 13? Why or why not?
Explain one of the features of Australia's elections that make them free and fair.
Secret Ballot-Voting in secret means voters can make their choice without influence or intimidation.
Australian Electoral Commission-The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) is an independent electoral body draws and redraws electoral boundaries so they are representative and fair.
Consistent Voting Methods-The AEC recruits 100,000 Australians to run polling booths, where everyone’s ballot papers and voting methods are consistent across the country, and every vote is equal.
Scrutiny-The AEC’s vote counting is scrutinised (inspected) by parties and candidates to ensure the integrity of the count is transparent and verifiable to minimise the possibility of fraud.
Preferential Voting System-Ensures no one’s vote need ever be wasted. If your preferred candidate does not get elected, your vote transfers at full value to your next preferred candidate, and so on until someone is elected.
Accessible Voting-Voting day is Saturday when less Australians work. The AEC provides assistance for people living with disability to ensure you are supported to participate in the electoral process. Mobile polling and early voting for Australians living in remote areas or sick in hospital. Election materials available in languages other than English.
What are three of Australia's roles and responsibilities at a global level?
Maintaining global peace and security/Strengthening human rights/Protecting the environment/Improving global living standards and responding to humanitarian crises
What are two ways that the High Court resolves disputes by interpreting the Constitution?
Explain one of the threats to democracy
Media bias: the unjust favouritism and reporting of certain ideas or standpoints by journalists and news producers
Influence of Vested Interests: A small amount of wealthy individuals and large corporations have been able to have a large influence over government policy.
Corruption is the abuse of power for personal gain and threatens democracies.
Organized crime refers to criminal groups and networks that undertake carefully planned criminal activities
An aging population has less of an interest in the future as they have less time to live, and so focus on more short term, selfish personal goals such as wealth building or luxury.