Political Involvement - Structure of GovernmentYear 9 Commerce

Syllabus Structure of government federal, State and local levels of government responsibility

Political action issues that concern the community how to take action on political issues

individual action political parties lobby groups Media

Decision-making organisations which make decisions that

impact on the community government organisations

businesses welfare organisations media

processes involved in decision-making

Participation in the democratic process

right to vote methods of voting

first past the post preferential optional preferential proportional

role and function of political parties role and strategies of pressure groups rights and responsibilities of

individuals and groups in the democratic process

Current issues current issues involving the political

process

Structure of Government

LINGO LIST Cabinet

The group of senior ministers in a government who determine government policy. 

Chief minister The senior minister in an

Australian territory.  Constitutional democracy

A democracy based on a constitution, or set of rules.

Council The government body that

administers the affairs of a local area, such as a city or a shire

Democracy Government by the people,

either directly or through elected representatives. Also a form of society that favours equal rights, freedom of speech and a fair trial and tolerates the views of minorities.

Mayor Head of a local council that has

the status of a city or shire.

LINGO LIST (CONT.) Ministry (Ministers)

the executive government; members  from both Houses of Parliament chosen from the party, or coalition of parties, with a majority in the Lower House to administer the country or state, and who are formally appointed by the governor-general or state governor as ministers of state. 

Parliament An assembly of elected

representatives that forms the legislature of a state or nation. It may have both an Upper and a Lower House, or only one house.

Policies Aims or plans for action on a

particular issue. Premier

The leading minister of the state government. The premier’s duties include being a member of the Cabinet or ministry, a member of the executive council and chief minister.

Prime Minister The leader of the political party

that can command majority support in the House of Representatives.

Lingo List (again…) representative

democracy A system of

government that allows electors to choose representatives to make political decisions for them.

What is Democracy?In Australia, we live in a democracy. This means that our

Society is based around the idea that a government’s power is derived from the will of the people and: Is exercised by them either directly or indirectly. Takes place through a system of representation−we

elect individuals to represent us in parliament. Usually involves electing a member of a political

party whose policies we agree with

STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT IN AUSTRALIA

Every Australian is a member of a local community.

There is no single central authority or government that makes all the decisions for all Australians.

In Australia, areas of responsibility or jurisdiction are divided between the bureaucracies of: Federal (National), State And, Local governments

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

The federal government, or Commonwealth Government, decides on matters that affect the whole country.

These responsibilities were given to the government in 1901 under the Australian Constitution

STRUCTURE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT The political leader of the federal government is called

the prime minister. To become prime minister a party leader must be able to

rely on a majority of votes, from within their party, in the Lower House of Parliament: the House of Representatives.

The prime minister appoints a ministry, the members of which have responsibility for the various functions of government.

The most senior ministers are members of the Cabinet, which is responsible for all the major decisions made by government.

The two houses of the federal government−the House of Representatives and the Senate−meet in Canberra, the nation’s capital.

STATE GOVERNMENTS The political leader

of each state government is called the premier.

In the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory the political leader is called the chief minister.

STRUCTURE OF STATE GOVERNMENTS All state governments, with the

exception of Queensland (they don’t have an upper house), have two Houses of Parliament.

The NSW State Government, which consists of the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council, meets in Parliament House in Sydney’s historic Macquarie Street

LOCAL GOVERMENT An individual local

government is called a council or shire.

Each council is responsible for a much smaller area than the federal or state governments.

Each local government area is governed by its own elected council.

The elected head of the council is called the mayor. In shires, the elected head is called either the president or the mayor.