Active Citizenship & Government
Identify two ways Australians can demonstrate active citizenship at a local or national level.
Voting in elections
Participating in community organisations
Volunteering
Identify the purpose of the Australian Constitution.
The Australian Constitution sets out how Australia is governed, dividing powers between the federal and state governments, and outlining the roles of Parliament, the Executive, and the Judiciary. It provides the legal framework for Australia’s system of government.
Outline the four key principles of Australian government.
Representative government – Citizens elect members to represent their views in Parliament.
Responsible government – The government must be accountable to Parliament and the people.
Separation of powers – Powers are divided between the legislative, executive, and judiciary to prevent misuse.
Rule of law - Everyone, including those in power, is subject to the law.
Outline the main aims of the United Nations.
Maintain international peace and security.
Protect human rights.
Promote social and economic development.
Provide humanitarian aid to people in need.
Encourage cooperation between nations.
Identify one push factor and one pull factor that influence migration to Australia.
Push factor: Conflict or persecution in a person’s home country that forces them to leave.
Pull factor: Australia’s safety, political stability, and economic opportunities that attract migrants seeking a better life.
Describe the main features of Australia’s federal parliamentary system.
Australia’s federal parliamentary system includes two houses of Parliament the House of Representatives and the Senate and the Governor-General as the Queen’s representative.
It is based on democratic elections, separation of powers, and responsible government where the executive is accountable to Parliament.
Describe the process of changing the Constitution through a referendum.
To change the Constitution, a proposed change (a Bill) must first pass both houses of Parliament. It is then put to the people in a referendum, where voters must answer “yes” or “no.”
For the change to succeed, it must achieve a double majority, a majority of voters nationwide and a majority in at least four of the six states.
Describe two safeguards that protect Australia’s democracy.
Free and fair elections – Regular elections allow citizens to choose their representatives and remove them if they fail to perform.
Independent judiciary – Courts operate separately from government and ensure all actions follow the law and Constitution.
Identify two benefits of Australia’s membership in the UN.
Global influence – Australia can contribute to international discussions and decisions that affect world peace and development.
Access to support and cooperation – Membership allows Australia to work with other countries on global challenges such as climate change, health, and trade.
Describe the Tampa Crisis and how it shaped Australia’s refugee policies.
In 2001, the Norwegian ship MV Tampa rescued asylum seekers from a sinking boat near Australia. The Australian government refused to allow the ship to dock, sending the asylum seekers to Nauru instead.
This event led to the introduction of the “Pacific Solution”, where asylum seekers were processed offshore, marking a shift toward stricter border protection policies.
Outline the roles of the federal, state, and local levels of government, including one example of a responsibility for each.
Federal Government: Makes laws on national issues such as defence and immigration.
State Government: Manages services like education and hospitals.
Local Government: Looks after community needs such as waste collection and local roads.
Explain how the High Court keeps the Constitution relevant in modern times.
The High Court interprets the Constitution when disputes arise about its meaning. Through its decisions and rulings, the Court can clarify or expand constitutional powers, ensuring the Constitution stays relevant to modern laws, technology, and society.
Explain how media bias or social media can threaten democracy.
Media bias and social media can threaten democracy by spreading misinformation or presenting one-sided opinions, which can influence public opinion unfairly. This limits people’s ability to make informed decisions and can undermine trust in democratic institutions.
Explain how Australia contributes to maintaining global peace and security through the UN.
Australia contributes by participating in UN peacekeeping missions, providing funding and personnel, and supporting diplomatic efforts to resolve conflicts. Australia also promotes international law and human rights through the UN Security Council and other UN bodies.
Explain the purpose of Operation Sovereign Borders and how it reflects Australia’s approach to asylum seekers.
Launched in 2013, Operation Sovereign Borders is a military-led policy aimed at stopping boats carrying asylum seekers from reaching Australia. It reflects Australia’s tough stance on border protection, focusing on deterrence and preventing deaths at sea, but has also been criticised for its lack of transparency and harsh treatment of asylum seekers.
Explain why Australia decided to federate in 1901.
Australia decided to federate to unite the six colonies under one national government, allowing for consistent laws on defence, trade, immigration, and postal services, and to strengthen the nation’s identity and cooperation.
Analyse the separation of powers in Australia and how each branch prevents abuse of power.
The separation of powers divides government responsibilities into three branches:
Legislative (Parliament): Makes the laws.
Executive (Government): Enforces the laws.
Judiciary (Courts): Interprets the laws.
Each branch acts as a check and balance on the other, preventing one branch from gaining too much power or acting outside the law.
Analyse how vested interests can influence government decision-making.
Vested interests, such as large corporations, lobby groups, or unions, can influence government decisions by donating money, lobbying politicians, or running campaigns that promote their agenda. This influence may result in policies that benefit a small group rather than the wider community, challenging democratic fairness.
Analyse how international treaties such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights influence Australian law.
When Australia signs and ratifies an international treaty, it agrees to uphold the rights and standards in that treaty. Parliament can then create or amend laws to reflect these commitments. For example, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights has influenced anti-discrimination and human rights laws in Australia.
Analyse the social and political impacts of Australia’s mandatory detention policy.
Social impacts: Prolonged detention can harm the mental health and wellbeing of asylum seekers, especially children. It has caused public debate and protests about human rights and compassion.
Political impacts: The policy has become a divisive political issue, shaping elections and party platforms, with major parties often competing to appear strong on border security.
Compare the House of Representatives and the Senate in terms of structure and function.
House of Representatives: Has 151 members, each representing an electorate. It proposes and debates new laws and decides which party forms government.
Senate: Has 76 senators, 12 from each state and 2 from each territory. It reviews and amends laws passed by the House to ensure fairness and representation of all states.
Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the referendum process for changing the Constitution.
Strengths:
Ensures public involvement and consent in major constitutional changes.
Requires broad national and state support, protecting stability and unity.
Weaknesses:
The double majority requirement makes change very difficult to achieve.
Voters may be influenced by political campaigns or lack understanding of complex issues.
Evaluate the effectiveness of Australia’s separation of powers in maintaining democracy.
The separation of powers is generally effective in maintaining democracy because it ensures checks and balances, the Parliament makes laws, the Executive enforces them, and the Judiciary interprets them independently.
However, its effectiveness can be limited when political parties control both Parliament and the Executive, reducing the level of accountability.
Evaluate Australia’s global responsibilities in responding to humanitarian crises or climate change.
Australia has a strong moral and international responsibility to assist other nations facing crises by providing aid, disaster relief, and support for refugees. It also plays a role in reducing global emissions and helping developing countries adapt to climate change.
However, critics argue that Australia could do more, particularly in cutting carbon emissions and increasing humanitarian aid.
Evaluate whether Australia’s treatment of refugees and asylum seekers aligns with its international human rights obligations.
Australia’s policies partly align with its obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention, as it provides protection for some refugees through resettlement programs.
However, the use of offshore detention, indefinite detention, and limited transparency have been criticised by the United Nations and human rights organisations as violating international law and the right to seek asylum.