Year 9 Revision
Politics and Law Assessment 1
Politics, Election and the Role of the Media.
PART 1: Oxford Big Ideas, Chapter 15
1) Close Exercise
Australia’s political system was designed in the late 19th Century and a rule set was written
in the form of a document called _____________________________________________.
The rules were largely based off the political system of _____________________________.
This made Australia a ___________________________________ Monarchy, in which a
Monarch is the Head of State but their actions are controlled by the Australian laws.
In Australia the monarch is represented by the ___________________________________.
Australia is also a ______________________________ democracy in which people vote for
representatives to make laws on their behalf.
In Australia political power is separated in to _________________branches which are called
the __________________________________, ____________________________________
and __________________________________.
The __________________________________ creates the laws.
The __________________________________ carries out the laws.
The __________________________________ makes judgements about the laws.
The power is also divided in to _____________________ levels which are the
____________________________, __________________________ and
____________________________.
At the National Level, also called the _____________________________ or
________________________, the __________________________________ branch is made
up of two ________________________. This is called a _____________________________
system. These two houses together make up _________________________________.
The __________________house, also called the ___________________________________
has ___________ members. ______________ from each state and ____________ from each
territory. These members are called ____________________________.
The __________________house, also called the ___________________________________
has ____________________ members. Each representing approximately _______________
people in a geographic area called an ______________________________. These members
are called _________________________________________.
Elections are held every ___________________ years to elect these members.
The upper house is elected by a system called _____________________________________.
The lower house is elected by a system called _____________________________________.
Most people who run to be elected as members of parliament belong to Political Parties.
The political party that gets ______________________________ of the seats in the lower
house forms ___________________________________. The political party with the next
most seats in the lower house is called the ___________________________________.
2) Explain the two main roles of the upper house:
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3) Use a diagram to explain how preferential voting works:
4) What is one advantage of this system?
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5) Describe one reason for using a different system in the upper house.
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6) Why are more minor parties and independents elected in the upper house?
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7) Define Major Party and give 2 examples:
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8) Define Minor Party and give 2 examples:
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9) Define Micro Party and give 2 examples:
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10) Define ‘An Independent’ and give 2 examples:
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11) Explain the policy platform of one of the major parties:
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12) Name three values of a Liberal Democracy:
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13) Explain how one of these values is protected by the Australian Political System:
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14) Describe two things that shape Government Policy and how they do so.
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15) Use the process of page 468-469 to practice a source analysis of the below political
cartoon.
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Cartoon: