SkillBuilder discussion Evaluating democratic institutions and systems 1. Study FIGURE3 .Who opened the ýrst federal parliament in 1901? 2. What role did Charles Nuttall play in the opening ceremony? 3. Why was the opening of the ýrst federal parliament signiýcant in Australian history?
FIGURE3 Opening of First Federal Parliament by HRH the Duke of Cornwall & York , by Charles Nuttall, 1901
By 1898, the main ideas of the new Constitution were agreed upon. Each of the colonies held a referendum to allow their citizens to vote on whether they wished to join this new federated Australia. By 1900, most people in all six colonies had voted ‘yes’, and the British Parliament approved the new Constitution. The Commonwealth of Australia was created on 1 January 1901. In March, the ýrst national elections were held. The new parliament opened in Melbourne’s Exhibition Building on 9 May 1901. Federal parliament met in Victoria’s Parliament House until 1927, when it moved to the new capital, Canberra. 12.7.2 Why have a constitution? Not all countries have a written constitution like Australia’s. The United States of America does, but countries like Canada and New Zealand do not. They follow rules from different pieces of legislation . Australia, Canada and New Zealand all have the British monarch as their head of state and similar government systems. Advantages of having a constitution 1. A constitution is a set of rules for the government. In Australia, laws must be made by parliament, not just one person. 2. A written constitution can list rights for everyone. For example, the Australian Constitution guarantees freedom of religion. 3. In Australia, the Constitution separates the powers of federal and state parliaments. Disadvantages of having a constitution 1. A written constitution can be hard to change. Australia has changed a lot since the Constitution was written over 100 years ago. For example, long ago, it was illegal to swim on public beaches between 6 am and 8 pm. Imagine if that was still a rule today! 2. A written document can be hard to understand. Some words have different meanings, which can cause confusion and arguments. 3. Enforcing a constitution depends on the willingness of everyone to obey it. Sometimes, dictators ignore it and take control by force, like Hitler did in 1933. In 1933, Adolf Hitler became a dictator in Germany by changing the rules of Germany’s constitution. He passed a law called the Enabling Act, which let him make any law he wanted. This took away important rights, like free speech and freedom of the press. Hitler used his power to target his enemies and minority groups, including Jewish people. He was responsible for the death of over six million Jewish people.
TOPIC12 Government and democracy 465
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