Government and Democracy

What are the roles and responsibilities of the different levels of government in Australia?

Learning Intentions

I am learning to explain the importance of people, institutions and processes to Australia’s democracy and legal system.

Inquiry Skills

I am learning to locate and collect useful data and information from primary and secondary sources.
I am learning to sequence information about events, the lives of individuals and selected phenomena in chronological order and represent time by creating timelines.
I am learning to present ideas, findings, viewpoints and conclusions in a range of communication forms that incorporate source materials.

Success Criteria

The key institutions of Australia’s democratic system of government and how it is based on the Westminster system
The roles and responsibilities of Australia’s three levels of government.
The responsibilities of electors and representatives in Australia’s democracy.

Inquiry Skills

Researching

Sequence information about people’s lives, events, developments and phenomena using a variety of methods including timelines
Locate and collect relevant information and data from primary and secondary sources Analysing
Examine primary and secondary sources to determine their origin and purpose
Examine different viewpoints on actions, events, issues and phenomena in the past and present

Evaluating and reflecting

Evaluate evidence to draw conclusions
Work in groups to generate responses to issues and challenges

Communicating

Present ideas, findings, viewpoints and conclusions in a range of texts and modes that incorporate source materials,

The First Governments

The First government page 2

Australia, a constitutional monarchy

Australia, A constitutional monarchy pg 5

Australia, and its law courts

Australia and its law page 5 CC

Documentary

http://www.hcourt.gov.au/about/high-court-documentary

The History of Magna Carta

Our Constitution

Our Contitution page 6

The Westminster system of government

the Westminster Systems page 24

Additional Reading: The Westminster System CC pge 8

Steps to Federation (Monday Week 6)

Steps to Federations page 8

Why Federation? (Friday Week 5)

Why Federate page 14

Sir Henry Parkes

Sir Henry Parkes page 16

Get Parliament: How Your Parliament Works

Referendums

Referendums page 10

The Three Levels of Law-Making

View and read the following website including the clip on the three levels of government.

https://getparliament.peo.gov.au/three-levels-of-law-making

Discover who represent you.

On a map of Australia, locate and mark where the following meet

Federal Parliament
Your State Parliament
Your Local Council

Illustrate your map with an image that represents each of these levels of law-making. For example, you could include a photo of Parliament House, State Parliament and the local Council buildings.

Find the names of the people who represent you in the Mitchelton.

Mayor
State member of Parliament
Federal Meme of the House of Representatives
Senate Representatives

Find an image of your representative and add a speech bubble with their name, position and an interesting fact about them.

To find out which electorate you lie in and the name of your federal member, following the link below:

https://electorate.aec.gov.au/

To find our more about your federal member or the senator who represents you, follow the link below:

https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members

To find out who represents you in your state parliament and local council, follow the link below:

https://www.peo.gov.au/resources/external-websites/parliaments.html

The Houses of Parliament

Use the website to label where people sit in the chamber on the provided worksheet.

The houses of Parliament

Symbols of Parliament

Each chamber has important symbols such as the Mace, Black Rod and Despatch Boxes. Locate images of each of these and research and explain the history of each of these important objects.

Mace:

https://www.peo.gov.au/learning/fact-sheets/mace.html

Scroll down and find Chamber for locate images of the symbols.

https://www.peo.gov.au/multimedia/image-library/the-house-of-representatives.html

Black Rod:

https://www.peo.gov.au/learning/fact-sheets/black-rod.html

Scroll down to Chamber to locate information and images of the Black Rod.

https://www.peo.gov.au/multimedia/image-library/the-senate.html

Despatch Box:

https://www.peo.gov.au/learning/fact-sheets/fact-sheet-despatch-boxes.html

Parliament at Work – Representations and forming Government

Parliament at work: Representation and forming government

Whole Class Reading: Parliament at Work.

https://getparliament.peo.gov.au/parliament-at-work-representation-and-forming-government

Form a political party.

Political parties are groups of people who share similar ideas about how to govern the country. As a class, brainstorm a list of important issues facing Australia today. Individually rank then in order of importance and then compare your list with others in the class.

Form a political party with those who shared similar rankings or ideas.

Create a name, logo and slogan that tell people about your party and what you represent. For inspiration, check out the party logos on the PEO website:

https://www.peo.gov.au/multimedia/image-library/the-parliament.html