aus gov

• Australia has three levels of law-making or government

  • Federal parliament
  • 6 state parliaments, 2 territory parliaments
  • 500 local councils
• Federal government


  Raises money to run the country by collecting taxes on incomes, goods and services, and company profits, and spends it on national matters: for example, trade, defence, immigration and the environment
• State/Territory governments


  Also raise money from taxes but receive more than half their money from the federal government and spend it on state and territory matters: for example, schools, housing, hospitals, roads, railways, police and ambulance services
• Local councils


  Collect taxes—rates—from all local property owners and receive grants from federal, state and territory governments, and spend this on local matters: for example, town planning, rubbish collection, water and sewerage, local roads and pet control
• Responsibilities of Government


  • Federal
  • State
  • Local
• There are three groups that play into Australian Governance: Parliament, Executive, Judiciary
• Bicameral government


  A government with two legislative chambers or houses
• In an election, you will vote for a person to represent your interests
• Member of Parliament (MP)


  The person with the most votes from a particular electorate (voting area) who is elected to Parliament
• Government


  The political party with the most MPs
• Parliament


  All MPs that have been elected, made up from a range of political parties, includes the Government
• The parliament House is located in Canberra ACT
• Bicameral system


  A system that has two houses or chambers, ensuring fairness as one house does not assume all the power over the other
• The Senate


  The "Upper House", the Red room
• The House of Representatives


  The "Lower House", the Green room
• The House of Representatives


  • The political party or formal coalition with the most seats there becomes the ruling party
  • If a party or coalition gets 76 or more seats out of 151 they get to form a government
  • Members represent a geographic area, known as electorates or seats
  • Where most legislation (called bills) originates before becoming LAW
• The Senate


  • Intended to be a house of review to keep a Government that usually has power in the House of Reps in check
  • Represents states and territories
  • Spread equally across the country, regardless of population
  • Has the ability to block legislation which originated in House of Reps
• Both the federal and state governments can create laws in some specific areas (such as education)
• The different levels of government work to provide services to people living in Australia
• The government pays for providing these services
• Parliament

  The Parliament makes and amends the law

  Is made up of the king  is (represented by the governor general), the senate and the house of representatives
• Executive

  The executive puts the law into action

  The executive is made up of the king ( rep by GG), prime minister and ministers
• Judiciary

  The Judiciary makes judgements about the law

  The Judiciary is made up of the high court and other federal coruts
• Bicameral Government

  Government:  The political party that has a majority in the House of Representatives

  Parliament: Is the legislative branch of government of Australia, consisting of the house of Representatives and the Senate

  -Includes MP’s from a range of political parties
• Bicameral system: 


  Is a type of legislature that is divided into two separate houses or chambers
• Why 2?


  -Ensures fairness. One house does not assume all the power over the other and vice versa
• The Senate (Red Room)

  -Intended to be a house of review

  -Keep a government that usually has power in the House of reps in check

  -Senate represents states and territories

  -The senate has the ability to block legislation

  -Unlike the house of representatives.
• The House of Representatives (Green room)

  -Is where most legislation (called bills) originates before becoming law

  -MP represent a geographic area known as elcotrates or seats

  -The political party with the most seats becomes the ruling party

  -If a party gets 76 or more seats out of 151 = they get to form a government.