civics

• Political parties are an organisation that represents a particular group of people or a set of ideas that aims to affect the way a country is governed. Political parties have branches located around Australia.
• Party members in each branch:

  • suggest ideas for party policies
  • help pre-select party candidates for local, state and federal elections
  • assist with election campaigns
  • distribute "how to vote" cards on Election Day
  • help scrutinise the counting of votes
• To form a political party you must register with the AEC, have at least 500 members, then write a party constitution.
• The role of political parties includes:

  • providing structure for electing and forming governments
  • providing limits and structure for democratic demates
  • give people guidance on voting
  • giving people a place to be politically active
  • shaping how policy is developed
• The party or parties that win the largest percentage of the vote still governs the country and makes it laws. The party must have at least 76 members elected in the House of Representatives (half of the seats + 1) to become government.
• Parties often dictate how their MPs vote on proposed legislation, known as a "party-line vote".
• MPs who vote against their party's wishes risk being disciplined or expelled ("crossing the floor").
• Parties may allow MPs a "free vote" or "conscience vote" on rare occasions, allowing them to vote based on personal beliefs even if it goes against the party line.
• Free votes are typically allowed for matters of moral judgement like abortion, death penalty, and legalisation of same-sex marriage
• Three aspects of civic engagement:

  • Civic reciprocity: citizens should be active in communities and help each other
  • Civic self-care: citizens should take care of themselves and families to participate in civic life
  • Civic self-confidence: citizens should believe in their ability to make a difference in communities

  
• Civic reciprocity is considering the needs of others as well as your own, being fair, respectful, and open-minded when working with others who have different values and goals (as long as they are democratic values and goals)

  
• Civic Self-Care involves taking care of yourself while participating in civic activities by being informed, using reliable sources, and thinking through choices about how much time, energy, or personal information to share

  
• Civic Self-Confidence is about noticing how your knowledge and skills are deepening over time, recognizing success, and reminding yourself of your capabilities in civic situations that might feel overwhelming initially

  
• Shared civic values are what community members hold to be important, guiding community decisions and actions
• Personal values are what an individual believes to be important, guiding their actions
• Shared civic values are what community members hold to be important, guiding community decisions and actions, and supporting healthy democracy
• Civic self


  The set of personal values and commitments to shared values, the knowledge, and the skills developed and demonstrated when engaging in the community
• Shared civic values guide community decisions and actions, supporting healthy democracy
• Democracy is an ongoing conversation: robust discussion and debate that needs everyone’s voices to work. That could mean voting, protesting, running for office or another of the many ways you can take part
• Components of Our Democracy

  • Protection of the human rights of all citizens
  • The rule of law where laws and procedures apply equally to all citizens
  • Media freedom
  • Independent regulatory bodies and the separation of powers
  • Active participation of the people, as citizens, in politics and civic life
• Democracy is often said to mean 'rule by the people'. An example of this is any system of government in which people vote their elected representatives into parliament
• Rule of Law


  The meaning and importance of the rule of law is often most clear when it is absent
• Types of Democracy

  • Representative: Citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf
  • Direct: Citizens help make decisions by directly voting on laws and policy proposals
• Citizenship Test

  Organised and administered by the Department of Home Affairs. Applicants must pass the test to become citizens. Passing the test shows that applicants have a basic knowledge of the English language, understand what it means to become an Australian citizen, know Australia and the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship, and commit to the Australian values of freedom, respect, and equality
• Values Statement: Most visa applicants must sign this statement, acknowledging the values and committing to act in accordance with them. The Statement is administered by the Department of Home Affairs
• Powers

  • Exclusive powers
  • Residual powers
  • Concurrent powers
• There are 3 levels of government in Australia: federal parliament, state/territory parliament and local councils.
• Federal parliament has power to make laws for the whole country.
• The state/territory parliament has the power to make laws enforced within their own states/territory.
• Local councils decide upon community-level matters.

  e.g rubbish collection.
• Electorates: a geographic area represented by a member of parliament.
• Political parties are an organisation that represents a particular group of people or a set of ideas that aims to affect the way a country is governed.
• Party members in each branch:

  • suggest ideas for party policies
  • help pre-select party candidates for local, state and federal elections
  • assists with election campaigns
  • distribute "how to vote" cards on Election Day
  • help scrutinise the counting of votes
• Forming a political party

  1. Register with the AEC.
  2. Have at least 500 members.
  3. Write a party constitution.
• RoRoles of political parties

  • provides structure for electing and forming governments
  • provides limits and structure for democratic debates
  • give people guidance on voting
  • give people a place to be politically active
  • shape how policy is developed
• Net wealth = private assets minus liabilities (debt)
• Wealth normally takes years to accumulate. However, higher income earners accumulate faster due to surplus income, therefore expanding wealth faster. Inheritance also plays a big part in this disparity.
• Income = flow of cash or cash-equivalents received from work, investments or land, and is measured on a yearly basis
• Types of income:

  • wages
  • salaries
  • rent
  • welfare
  • aged pension
  • fringe benefits
  • commissions
  • interest
  • child support
  • profits
  • dividends
  • royalties
• Wages - monetary compensation paid by an employer to an employee in exchange for work done