Levels of Government
State the three levels of government
local, state, federal
Legislative, executive, judiciary
(a) How many seats does the House of Representatives have?
(b) How many seats does the Senate have?
(a) 150
(b) 76
Explain what the constitution is
•The Australian Constitution is a written document that sets out the rules to govern our nation.
•The Australian Constitution came into effect in 1901, when Australia became a nation
•It is the framework for our democracy
What is the only food that never spoils?
honey
Name an example of a local responsibility
LOCAL:
Waste management (bin collection, recycling).
Local roads and footpaths (maintenance and upgrades).
Parks and recreational facilities (ovals, playgrounds, community centres).
Building permits and local planning (approving developments).
Animal management (pet registration, rangers).
STATE:
Education (public schools, curriculum delivery).
Health services (hospitals, emergency health care).
Transport infrastructure (main roads, public transport).
Law and order (police, prisons, courts).
Environmental protection and parks (national parks, conservation laws).
FEDERAL:
Defence and national security (Army, Navy, Air Force).
Foreign affairs (relationships with other countries, treaties).
Immigration and border control (visas, citizenship).
Trade and taxation (GST distribution, tariffs, income tax).
Postal and telecommunications services (Australia Post, NBN).
Explain the (1) members and (2) role of the legislature
(1) House of Representatives
(2) Making the law
Define the term 'bicameral'
•This means that we have two houses under our Federal Government.
•In Australia, the lower house is the House of Representatives, and the upper house is the Senate.
Define referendum
A vote used to approve the changes to the Australian Constitution
What is the most eaten food in the world?
rice
Name an example of a state responsibility
STATE:
Education (public schools, curriculum delivery).
Health services (hospitals, emergency health care).
Transport infrastructure (main roads, public transport).
Law and order (police, prisons, courts).
Environmental protection and parks (national parks, conservation laws).
Explain the (1) members and (2) role of the executive
(1) The prime minister, ministers and the governor-general
(2) Approving laws and putting them into action
Who gets voted into the House of Representatives?
•Australia is divided into 150 electorates.
•The people in these electorates vote for a person to represent them in the House of Representatives.
•People who are elected into parliament not only represent their electorate but are also a part of a political party.
•The political party with the most seats in the House Representatives forms government and the leader of this party becomes prime minister (PM)
Identify the 6 steps it takes to change the Constitution.
Stage 1: The Bill
Stage 2: The Committee
Stage 3: The Writ
Stage 4: The Case
Stage 5: The Vote
How many hearts does an octopus have?
3
Name an example of a federal responsibility
FEDERAL:
Defence and national security (Army, Navy, Air Force).
Foreign affairs (relationships with other countries, treaties).
Immigration and border control (visas, citizenship).
Trade and taxation (GST distribution, tariffs, income tax).
Postal and telecommunications services (Australia Post, NBN).
Explain the (1) members and (2) role of the judiciary
(1) The High Court and other federal courts (such as Federal Court of Australia – which deals with things such as bankruptcy and tax, and also the Family Court of Australia – which hears cases on family disputes).
(2) Make rulings or judgments about the law.
State the name of the (a) Monarch (b) Governor General
(a) King Charles III
(b) Sam Mostyn
Explain what must happen for a referendum to be successful?
For a referendum to be successful, it must be approved by a double majority of voters:
•A national majority (more than half) of all voters from all states and territories vote yes
•A majority (more than half) of voters in a majority of states (i.e. at least 4 of 6 states)
Which planet in our solar system has the most moons?
Saturn
Why do you think Australia needs three levels of government instead of just one? Give at least two reasons.
Australia needs three levels of government because different areas have different needs, and it is easier to manage responsibilities when they are shared. Local governments can focus on small community issues, states can run things like schools and hospitals, and the federal government can focus on national issues like defence. This makes governing more efficient.
Why is the separation of powers important?
These three branches of the federal government ensure that one in Australia holds too much power.
Explain how senators are voted into the Senate
•Senators are voted in to represent Australia’s states and territories
•It is often known as ”the states house” because there are 12 members from each state and two from each territory
•It does not matter about the amount of people that live there
(1) what was being voted on to be change
(2) the year it happened
(3) arguments for and against
(4) if it was successful
How many bones are babies born with?
300