12.2
Exercise
Learning pathways LEVEL1 1, 5, 10
LEVEL2
LEVEL3
2, 3, 6, 7
4, 8, 9
REMEMBER AND UNDERSTAND 1. What are the two major political parties in Australian federal politics? a. Labor and Liberal
b. Liberal and National c. Greens and Labor d. Independent and Liberal
2. Which of these statements about forming government is correct? a. The party with the most votes in the Senate forms government. b. The party with the most seats in the House of Representatives forms government. c. The Governor-General chooses who forms government. d. The party with the oldest leader forms government. 3. Explain what the term ‘balance of power’ means in parliament. 4. Describe two ways that independent representatives can inþuence decisions in parliament. APPLY AND ANALYSE 5. Using an example, explain how minor parties can impact the passage of legislation through parliament. 6. Compare the roles of government and opposition parties in parliament. Give two examples of how they interact. 7. Analyse why it might be challenging for a government to pass laws when they don’t have a majority in both houses of parliament. EVALUATE AND COMMUNICATE 8. Evaluate whether having independent representatives in parliament strengthens or weakens our democracy. Provide examples to support your answer. 9. ‘Minor parties are essential for Australian democracy.’ To what extent do you agree with this statement? 10. You are an independent candidate running for parliament. Create a short speech explaining:
a. Why voters should choose an independent over a major party candidate. b. How you would use your position if you held the balance of power. c. What issues you would focus on in parliament. Answers and sample responses for this topic are available online.
TOPIC12 Government and democracy 445
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