Democracy
In a democracy, who ultimately holds political power?
The people, who exercise their power through voting and elected representatives.
Name the three levels of government in Australia.
Federal, state or territory, and local government.
What do we call the plans and ideas that a political party promises to pursue if elected?
Policies.
In which city is Australia's Parliament House located?
Canberra.
What organisation conducts Australian federal elections?
The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC).
Why do Australians elect members of Parliament instead of voting on every proposed law?
Australia uses representative democracy. Elected representatives make decisions and laws on behalf of the people.
Which level of government is mainly responsible for national defence and immigration?
The federal government.
Which major Australian political party is traditionally associated with workers' rights and trade unions?
The Australian Labor Party.
Which house of Federal Parliament has members elected to represent individual geographical electorates?
The House of Representatives.
What does it mean when an election uses a secret ballot?
A voter's choices are kept private.
What is the minimum voting age for Australian federal elections, and is voting compulsory for eligible citizens?
18 years old. Enrolled eligible citizens must vote in federal elections.
Which level of government is mainly responsible for public schools and hospitals?
State and territory governments.
Which major Australian political party generally emphasises private enterprise, individual responsibility and lower taxes?
The Liberal Party of Australia.
What is the main role of the Senate when considering proposed legislation?
To debate, scrutinise, amend and vote on proposed laws.
What must voters do when completing a preferential ballot for the House of Representatives?
Number all candidates in order of preference, starting with 1 for their first choice.
What is the main purpose of the Australian Constitution?
It establishes Australia's system of government and defines how powers are distributed.
Which level of government generally manages local rubbish collection, parks and community facilities?
Local government (councils).
Which Australian political party places particular emphasis on environmental protection and action on climate change?
The Australian Greens.
How is the representation of states different between the Senate and the House of Representatives?
States have equal numbers of senators, while House of Representatives seats are distributed broadly according to population.
Why might a voter's second or third preference matter when determining an election result?
If their preferred candidate is eliminated, their vote can be transferred to the next remaining candidate according to their preferences.
A government wants to exercise powers that the Constitution gives to another level of government. Explain why the Constitution matters in this situation.
The Constitution establishes and limits government powers. Governments must act within their constitutional authority.
A community wants a new playground, improvements to a public secondary school and changes to immigration policy. Identify the appropriate level of government for each.
Playground: Local government.
Public secondary school: State government.
Immigration policy: Federal government.
What is the difference between a coalition government and a minority government?
A coalition government is formed by political parties working together. A minority government does not hold a majority of seats in the lower house and relies on support from other parties or independent members to govern.
Following an election, no party holds a majority in the House of Representatives. What is this situation called, and how might a government be formed?
A hung parliament. A party or coalition may form a minority government by securing support from independents or other parties.
A candidate receives 40% of first preferences, another receives 35%, and a third receives 25%. Explain why the candidate with 40% has not necessarily won.
Under preferential voting, a candidate generally needs more than 50% of the formal vote after preference distribution. The third candidate's votes may be redistributed and change the winner.