PRACTICE MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
From the Excel Preliminary Study Guide
1. There is no law about who should mow the lawn at your home because such a
decision
a. Cannot be enforced
b. Does not involve rights and duties
c. Does not reflect values
d. Is not of sufficient public interest
2. A difference between a rule and a law is
a. Rules are not binding on the whole community
b. Rules cannot be enforced
c. Rules do not involve rights and duties
d. Rules have nothing to do with ethics.
3. The laws of society can only be just if
a. They reflect values of the society
b. The society has just values and the legal system reflects these
c. They establish patterns of conduct most people would follow anyway
d. They can be enforced.
4. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander customary law is characterised by
a. Police enforcement
b. A written code of laws
c. Anarchy
d. Variations of laws between tribes
5. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander customary law was based on
a. Parliamentary decisions
b. Tradition and kinship
c. Court decisions made by judges
d. All of the above
6. Aboriginal and Torres Strait customary law
a. Is not recognised in Australia
b. Is still practiced by most Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
c. Is recognised by treaty
d. Is partially recognised by legislation
7. In Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Society punishments were
a. Decided on by courts
b. Usually enforced by the relatives of the wronged party
c. Usually enforced by the police force
d. Decided on by the tribunal parliament
8. Which of the following courts does not exercise appellate jurisdiction?
a. The Local Court
b. The District Court
c. The Federal Court
d. The High Court
9. The doctrine of precedent relies on
a. A system of parliament
b. Obiter dicta
c. Jus cogens
d. Ratio decidendi
10. If Paul severely sexually assaulted Joan, the case would be heard in
a. The Local Court
b. The District Court
c. The Supreme Court
d. The Family Court
11. The balance of power refers to
a. The power between nations to reject international law
b. The power between federal and state courts
c. The power of a few senators to reject legislation
d. The power of a few cabinet members to reject legislation
12. International law is based on
a. Custom
b. Consensus
c. Jus cogens
d. Domestic law
13. A civil claim for the sum of $150 000 would be heard in
a. The local court
b. The District Court
c. The Federal Court
d. The Supreme Court
14. The stage in parliament where amendments can be made to a Bill is called
a. Drafting
b. The second reading
c. The committee stage
d. The third reading
15. Which of the following is not subordinate legislation?
a. Regulations
b. Orders
c. Amendments
d. Rules
16. The division of power between the states and Commonwealth has changed largely
because of
a. Referendums
b. High Court decisions
c. The balance of power in the Senate
d. International treaties
17. Separation of powers refers to
a. The fact that the courts and parliament exercise separate law-making powers
b. The fact that state and federal courts have separate jurisdictions
c. The fact that government power is distributed between the executive,
the legislature and the judiciary
d. The fact that legislative power is distributed between state and federal
governments
18. Section 109 of the Constitution provides that
a. Common law prevails over statute law
b. Statute law prevails over common law
c. Federal law prevails over state law
d. The Governor General can prevail over the federal parliament
19. The Constitution can be amended by
a. The High Court
b. Referendum
c. State/federal agreements
d. All of the above
20. State parliaments do not have the power to make laws about
a. Crime
b. Defence
c. Taxation
d. Education