Court Hierarchy
The highest court in Australia.
The High Court
Who has Lindy convicted of killing?
Her baby daughter, Azaria
Which party is in power at the moment?
Labor Party
How often do we vote in Federal elections?
Every 3 years
Define equality before the law.
Everyone, regardless of their race, gender, political power or money has the law applied equally to them.
Who is disadvantaged by our legal system?
Those without money to pay for legal representation, people from remote communities and people with lower levels of literacy and language.
The highest court in WA
Supreme Court
What was the result of the first inquest?
That a dingo was likely to have taken the baby
Who are the major parties in Australia?
Labor party and Liberal/National coalition
What 3 things do you need to be in order to vote in Australia?
Over 18, a citizen and registered to vote
Define the right to a fair trial
A person has the right to have their case heard in court in a way that is unbiased and free from prejudice.
Define corruption
Corruption is when someone in the system decides to at in an unethical or dishonest way that changes the result of a decision.
The reason WA is unique
It has it's own Family Court
Why was the government not happy with the result of the first inquest?
It showed them to potentially be incompetent and many believed she did the murder.
What is the role of the major political parties?
To win enough seats at an election to form government
What system of voting do we use for the lower house?
Preferential
Define what is meant by an independent Judiciary
The court system must be separate from the government to ensure that people are getting a fair trial without influence from the government.
Define coercion
Coercion is the use of threats, promises or actions to force another person to do something.
The intermediate state/territory court?
District Court
What were two key pieces of evidence ignored in the trial?
Dingo tracks, the material of the clothes, the clothes being moved and held, witnesses statements, the true nature of the car fluid, etc.
What is the role of the opposition?
To criticise the government and hold them accountable so that they make the best laws and cannot do whatever they want.
Explain how preferential voting works
Preferential voting is where you vote for each and every candidate on the ballot in order of the one you want to win, down to your last choice. A person wins by getting 50%+1 of the voters preferences.
Define what is meant by the right to an appeal
An appeal is where one party feels they have been wronged by a decision. If they have a reason, they can appeal this decision to a higher court to ensure fairness and justice occurs.
How can the media impact court cases?
Trial by media is where the media portray certain individuals as guilty or not guilty before they have even had a trial, meaning they don't get a fair trial.
The federal court that doesn't deal with family issues
Federal Circuit Court
What was the key piece of evidence that lead to Lindy's successful appeal?
The matinee jacket
What is the role of the senate?
To check all the laws that are being made in the lower house and make sure they are in the best interests of Australians.
Explain proportional voting
Proportional voting is where you vote for the person you want to win and the person with the most votes at the end wins, even if they have less than 50%
List the two types of criminal offences.
Summary (minor) and Indictable (more serious crimes)
How do court delays impact justice?
The length of time it takes a case to be heard in court. It impacts justice as witnesses may not remember everything or people cannot afford to keep running the case.