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9 Government & Law
Australian Government and Law test prep for definitions
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Analyse | To look closely at how different parts of a system, such as the arms of government, work together. |
| Bicameral system | A parliament divided into two separate houses, the House of Representatives and the Senate, to provide checks and balances on law-making. |
| Bill | A proposed law that must be passed by both houses of Parliament in the exact same form before it can become a law. |
| Cabinet | A group of top-level government ministers, led by the Prime Minister, responsible for developing government policy and making decisions on national issues. |
| Cabinet solidarity | The principle that all Cabinet ministers must publicly support the decisions made by the group. |
| Common Law | Law that is made through the judgements and interpretations of the Judiciary. |
| Consensus decision-making | A process where Cabinet ministers work to negotiate and compromise so that the entire group can agree on a decision. |
| Constitution | The supreme set of rules by which Australia is run, which established the structure of parliament and the rights of citizens. |
| Double majority | The requirement for a referendum to pass, meaning it must be approved by a majority of voters nationwide and a majority of voters in at least four out of the six states. |
| Evaluate | To give an opinion on a topic and justify that opinion with evidence. |
| Executive | The branch of government, including the Prime Minister and Ministers, that has the power to put laws into action and run the country day-to-day. |
| Federation | The process that occurred on 1 January 1901, where six separate British colonies joined together to form one nation. |
| Governor-General | The official who signs a Bill to give it "Royal Assent," which officially makes it an Act of Parliament. |
| High Court of Australia | The highest court in the Australian legal system and the only court with the power to interpret the Constitution. |
| House of Representatives | The Lower House of Parliament where members represent local electorates and the number of members is based on population. |
| Judiciary | The independent branch of government, consisting of the courts, which has the power to interpret laws and settle legal arguments. |
| Legal Precedent | A legal principle established by a higher court that must be followed by lower courts in similar cases. |
| Legislation | A policy or idea that has been debated and passed by Parliament, also known as an Act of Parliament. |
| Legislature | The branch of government, also known as Parliament, that has the power to make and change laws. |
| Plebiscite | A national vote held on an issue that does not affect or require a change to the Constitution. |
| Policy | A plan or an idea developed by the government to solve a specific problem. |
| Portfolio | The specific area of government responsibility assigned to a minister. |
| Referendum | A direct vote by all Australian citizens to decide whether the Constitution should be changed. |
| Representative Democracy | A system of government where citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf. |
| Rule of Law | The democratic principle stating that everyone is equal before the law, including the government. |
| Senate | The Upper House of Parliament, known as the "States' House," where each state has equal representation regardless of population. |
| Separation of Powers | The division of government into three branches—the Legislature, Executive, and Judiciary—to prevent any one group from having too much power. |
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