2. Australia is a constitutional monarchy
Australia is a constitutional monarchy. This means that the head of State is a monarch, or sovereign, who is governed and bound by the Constitution.
In centuries past, the monarch exercised direct political power and governed as a political and administrative figure. Absolute monarchs governed with few restraints on their power. Some monarchs claimed the divine right of kings, asserting that they were chosen by God to rule.
By contrast, the modern British monarchy is above politics. The monarch is a figurehead who performs ceremonial functions, but does not exercise political power. This power resides in the Parliament.
Australia’s Head of State is Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II. She is represented in Australia by the Governor-General, Sir Peter Cosgrove.

3. The Governor General
Represents the Monarch in Australia and Parliament
Appointed by the Queen under the recommendation of the Prime Minister
Role is to formally sign a bill that has been passed through parliament. It then becomes an ‘Act’ of parliament and law.
This action is known as ‘Royal Assent’
Position is seen as a formal one, but without carrying any great power
Governor-General
Sir Peter Cosgrove

4. Kings, Queens and other rulers
Kings, Queens and other rulers *Task 1: Answer the questions below in your books
1a) What is a “monarch”?
1b) What is a “sovereign”?
1c) Name two countries that have kings and queens.
You are permitted to use your dictionary and to research on your computer for all answers.

5. Australia is a DEMOCRACY:
Task 2: Write synonyms for the words in red below:
Liberal Democracy is a phrase often used to describe Western democratic political systems, such as Australia, the United States, Britain, New Zealand, Canada and other nations.
It refers to political systems in which there are attempts to:
defend and increase civil liberties against the encroachment of governments, institutions and powerful forces in society
restrict or regulate government intervention in political, economic and moral matters affecting the citizenry
increase the scope for religious, political and intellectual freedom of citizens
question the demands made by vested interest groups seeking special privileges
develop a society open to talent and which rewards citizens on merit, rather than on rank, privilege or status
frame rules that maximise the well-being of all or most citizens

6. Democracy: What does “democracy” mean?
Task 3: Answer the following questions in your books
What does “democracy” mean?
Name five countries that are democracies.
List five advantages of living in a democracy.

7. The Australian democracy has three levels of government and the roles of government are clearly outlined in The Australian Constitution. Our politicians come from various political parties which are discussed later in the presentation: Each level of government looks after our citizens and country:
Federal Government
State Government
Local Government
Laws are made at Federal and State Level

8. What is The Australian Constitution?
Task 4:
View the next four slides
After discussions with your teachers, your table group and your own research, state what The Australian Constitution is.
Why is a Constitution so important?
What does the Constitution protect?
Why do you think a democracy has a Constitution?

9. The Australian Constitution determines how laws are made in our country, and what powers government has:
The Australian Constitution has operated since the federation of the Australian colonies in 1901.
It establishes the framework of the main political institutions – legislature, executive and judicature – the relationships between them, and the powers of the Federal Parliament in relation to the States.
The Constitution is technically an act of the British Parliament passed in The last vestiges of British legislative influence in Australia were eliminated with the passage of the Australia Act in 1986.

10. The Australian Constitution
The Australian Constitution is the set of rules by which Australia is run. It came into effect on 1 January 1901, establishing the Commonwealth of Australia. It has been an important document in shaping Australian society ever since.
The Australian Constitution describes the composition, role and powers of the federal Parliament. It sets out how the federal and state parliaments share the power to make laws. It also details the role of the executive government and the High Court and defines certain rights of Australian citizens, such as the right to religious freedom.

11. Changing the Australian Constitution
The Australian Constitution can only be changed with the approval of the Australian people. A proposed change must be approved by the Parliament and then be put to Australians in a referendum.
All Australian citizens on the electoral roll vote 'yes' or 'no' to the proposed change.
A referendum is only passed if it is approved by a majority of voters in a majority of states, and by a majority of voters across the nation. This is known as a double majority. Territory voters are only counted in the national majority. Since 1901, 19 referendums have proposed 44 changes to the Constitution; only eight changes have been agreed to.

12. Separation of Powers

13. Parliament of Australia
The Australian Parliament is bicameral, which means there are two houses. The Senate is also known as the upper house.
Role
The role of the Senate
The Senate is made up of 76 senators. Twelve senators represent each state and two senators represent each territory.
Senators:
The Australian Parliament is bicameral, which means there are two houses. The Senate is also known as the upper house.
Role
The role of the Senate
The Senate is made up of 76 senators. Twelve senators represent each state and two senators represent each territory.
Senators:
Parliament of Australia

14. Governing Australia through Parliament:
As a democracy, Australia has elections to vote politicians into government.
These politicians end up in the Senate or in the House of Representatives.
The image below indicates membership of parliament.
The government, through parliament, makes laws for our country.

15. Parliament of Australia:
Task 5:
View the following slides…
5a) What are the two Houses of Parliament.
5b) Describe each House and what they are responsible for.

16. Federal Government: Parliament
The Australian Parliament is also known as the Commonwealth Parliament, or the Federal Parliament.
It is located in Canberra, in the Australian Capital Territory.
The Australian Parliament comprises two chambers known as houses:
House of Representatives – colloquially known as the “lower house” or “the people’s house”
Senate – also known as the “upper house” or “the States house”

17. The Senate The role of the Senate
The Senate is made up of 76 senators. Twelve senators represent each state and two senators represent each territory.
Senators:
represent the views of Australians and discuss matters of national and international importance
make and change federal law, by debating and voting on bills (proposed laws). A bill must be agreed to in identical form in the Senate and the House of Representatives and given Royal Assent by the Governor- General. It then becomes a law
scrutinise (closely examine) the work of the government, especially in Question Time and through parliamentary committees.

19. House of Representatives
There are 150 members elected to the House of Representatives. Each member represents one of Australia's 150 electorates. On average, people live in each electorate, with an average of voters.
The Australian Government is formed in the House of Representatives, from the party, or coalition of parties, with the support of the majority of members in the House.
Members of the House of Representatives:
represent the views of Australians and discuss matters of national and international importance
make and change federal law, by debating and voting on bills (proposed laws). A bill must be agreed to in identical form in the House of Representatives and the Senate, and given Royal Assent by the Governor-General. It then becomes a law
scrutinise (closely examine) the work of the government, especially in Question Time and through parliamentary committees.

22. View, play and learn: Task 6:
6a) Select: Launch Pass The Bill from the hyperlink below:
6b) Pick an idea for a new law and follow its progress through Parliament.
6c) Produce a flow chart which shows how a Bill becomes a law in Australia. Obtain this information from the hyperlink below, and also the next slide.

23. Reading: How a Bill becomes law:
Use the following link to obtain further information to produce the flow chart for task 4 on the previous slide.
of_Representatives/Powers_practice_and_procedu re/00_-_Infosheets/Infosheet_7_-_Making_laws

24. Parties and Politicians
Task 7: Answer the following questions after viewing the next eight slides: 7a) Who is Tony Abbot? 7b) Why do we have a Prime Minister and not a President? 7c) What are the major political, parties in Australia? 7d) Which two parties usually win elections and form government in Australia?

25. The Prime Minister
Leader of the government (majority of members in the House of Reps)
Elected by his/ her political party
Resides in the House of Representatives
Responsible to his ministers and his electorate
Prime Minister: Tony Abbott

26. Government: Federal Task 8: answer the following questions Tony Abbot is leader of the Liberal party and the Coalition. He is also our Prime Minister. What is the Coalition?
Coalition Member Parties
Liberal Party of Australia
Liberal National Party of Queensland
National Party of Australia
Country Liberal Party (NT)

27. Cabinet and Ministers
The Prime Ministers and his senior ministers meet together as the cabinet to make government policies
The Prime Minister selects some members of parliament from his own party to be ministers. These men and women manage different government responsibilities (called portfolios) which include Defence, Foreign Affairs, Indigenous Affairs etc.
Kevin Andrews: Minister for Defence
Nigel Scullion:
Minister for Indigenous Affairs
Julie Bishop: Minister for Foreign Affairs

28.                                                                                                          
A political party is generally recognised as an organisation of like-minded people which aims to develop policies and endorse candidates to contest elections with a view to forming government.
Australia’s party system is dominated by two major groups, the Australian Labor Party and the coalition parties, the Liberal Party of Australia and The Nationals.
Since 1922, Australian Federal Governments have been formed either by Labor or the Coalition

29.                          
    
The ALP and the Liberals have undergone periodic structural changes and debilitating splits
On three occasions (1917, 1931 and 1955) the ALP has split, with some of its members and supporters defecting to the conservative parties.
The Liberal Party has been variously known as the Nationalist Party and the United Australian Party.
Its current incarnation dates from its formation by Robert Gordon Menzies in 1944.

30. The most stable party has been the National Party.
                                                  
The most stable party has been the National Party.
From its formation as the Country Party, through its renaming in the 1970s as the National Country Party, it has remained a solid bulwark of conservative support in rural areas.
During the 1990s this support came under threat from ultra-conservative forces such as Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party.

31.                                                                                                          
Minor parties have historically not survived for long. One of the most significant minor groups was the Democratic Labor Party, formed out of the 1955 Labor split. The DLP secured Senate seats and exerted considerable influence throughout the 1960s and early 1970s, until its parliamentary representation was wiped out in the 1974 election.
The Australian Democrats, founded by former Liberal Don Chipp in 1977, became one of the most enduring of all minor parties in Australian political history, holding the balance of the Senate throughout the 1980s and 1990s. It disintegrated during the early 2000s.
The Australian Greens have replaced the Australian Democrats in recent years. They now have one member in the House of Representatives. Following the 2010 election, the party will have 9 senators after July 2011.

32. Annastacia Palaszczuk Australian Capital Territory
Current Australian Heads of Government & Opposition Leaders – from Feb 14, 2015
Jurisdiction
PM/Premier/ Chief Minister
Party
Since
Opposition Leader
AUSTRALIA
Tony Abbott
Liberal
Bill Shorten
ALP
New South Wales
Mike Baird
Luke Foley
Victoria
Daniel Andrews
Matthew Guy
Queensland
Annastacia Palaszczuk
Lawrence Springborg
LNP
Western Australia
Colin Barnett
Mark McGowan
South Australia
Jay Weatherill
Steven Marshall
Tasmania
Will Hodgman
Bryan Green
Australian Capital Territory
Andrew Barr
Jeremy Hanson
Northern Territory
Adam Giles
Country Liberal
Delia Lawrie

33. The three tiers of government
We have focussed mainly on the Federal government in the previous slides.
View the following slides and answer the following questions:
Task 9:
9a) Name each of the three types of government.
9b) Under the names of each type of government, list the responsibilities of each.
9c) Research the “City of Casey”. How does the local government add value to the suburb and the community in which you live?

34. The Federal Government
Responsibilities:
The Federal Government
The Federal or Commonwealth Government is responsible for the conduct of national affairs. Its areas of responsibility are stated in the Australian Constitution and include defence and foreign affairs; trade, commerce and currency; immigration; postal services, telecommunications and broadcasting; air travel; most social services and pensions. The Federal Government is also involved, mainly through funding, in many things largely carried out by the States, such as health, education, environmental issues, industrial relations, etc.

35. Federal Parliament Terms
Senate: The upper house of the Federal parliament
House of Representatives: The lower house of federal parliament
Prime minister: The leader of the elected federal government
Opposition: The political party without a majority of members in the House of Representatives
Ministers: An elected member of parliament, representing the government, who has responsibility for a special area, or ‘portfolio’
Treasurer: Minister responsible for controlling the government’s finances
Cabinet: The group of government ministers who decide government policy
Shadow Minister: A member of the Opposition who acts as spokesperson for his or her party in a particular area
Backbencher: A member of parliament who is not a minister or shadow minister
Speaker: The senior officer presiding over the lower house in State and federal parliaments

36. State government
There are six states in Australia: New South Wales (NSW), Queensland (Qld), South Australia (SA), Tasmania (Tas.), Victoria (Vic.) and Western Australia (WA).
Each state has its own state Constitution, which divides the state's government into the same divisions of legislature, executive, and judiciary as the Australian Government.
The six state parliaments are permitted to pass laws related to any matter that is not controlled by the Commonwealth under Section 51 of the Australian Constitution.
The monarch's powers over state matters are exercised by a Governor in each state. The head of each state government is known as the Premier.

37. State or Territory Government
Responsibilities:
State or Territory Government
Under the Australian Constitution, the States are responsible for everything not listed as a Federal responsibility. However, sometimes both levels are involved. Major State responsibilities include schools, hospitals, conservation and environment, roads, railways and public transport, public works, agriculture and fishing, industrial relations, community services, sport and recreation, consumer affairs, police, prisons and emergency services. Each state has its own constitution setting out its system of government.

38. How a Bill becomes law in Victorian Parliament: Task 10: View the video below and produce a flow chart which shows that you can see how a Bill becomes a Law.
View the video via the hyperlink below:

39. Local government (councils)
The six states and the Northern Territory have established one further level of government.
Local governments (also known as local councils) handle community needs like:
waste collection
public recreation facilities
town planning
The states and the Northern Territory each have many local governments within their borders. The state or territory government defines the powers of the local governments, and decides what geographical areas those governments are responsible for.
The naming conventions for local governments vary across Australia. They can be called cities, shires, towns, or municipalities, but they are still controlled by the state or territory government above them.
In the Australian Capital Territory, the responsibilities usually handled by local government are administered by a department of the territory government.

40. Local Government Responsibilities:
Local Government areas vary greatly in size and character. The Sydney area is divided into about 35 cities, municipalities or shires, each with its own local council. The bigger country centres such as Bathurst or Albury have city or municipal councils. Large but less populated country areas, with a number of small towns and large rural areas, are usually shires with a Shire Council based in one of the larger towns. The power of local governments is controlled by Acts of State Parliament such as the Local Government Acts. Local Councils are concerned with matters close to our homes, such as building regulations and development, public health, local roads and footpaths, parks and playing fields, libraries, local environmental issues, waste disposal, and many community services.