GOVERNMENT OF AUSTRALIA

SS6CG7 – The student will explain the structure of the national government of Australia

ELEMENTS

Describe the federal parliamentary democracy of Australia, distinguishing form of leadership, type of legislature, and the role of the citizen in terms of voting and personal freedoms

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

What is the structure of the Australian government?

What role does the citizen have as a participant in Australia’s government?

AUSTRALIA’S GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE

Australia’s government system is a federal parliamentary democracy

Australia has a written constitution, but is still run by a figurehead leader

Australia’s government is similar to the government set up in Great Britain

GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE

Australia is led by a figurehead leader who has no power, the king or queen of England

Like Canada, Australia also has a governor-general who also has no power, but represents the king or queen in Australia

The real power is held by Parliament, who is the legislative group in Australia They make the laws for the country Broken down into two houses: Senate and the House of

Representatives Another person with power is also the prime

minister, who is chosen by the members of Parliament

ROLE OF CITIZENS IN AUSTRALIA

Citizens of Australia have personal freedoms like ones in the United States, such as freedom of speech, freedom of religion, equal rights and freedom of the press

The voting age for Australia is 18, and citizens are required to vote, and can face a fine if they do not

Australia has one of the highest voter turnouts in the world