1

Get ParliamentACTIVITY SHEETS

This activity sheet is designed for use with Get Parliament, available from www.peo.gov.au

Federation1. The Federation quiza. How many British colonies were there in Australia before 1901?

b. Give one reason why the colonies decided to federate.

c. On what date did Australia become a nation?

d. Which was the last colony to join the federation?

e. At the time of federation which country did the colonies look to as the ‘mother country’?

f. What is the Australian Constitution?

g. How did the Australian people agree to federation?

h. What did the British Parliament do so Australia could federate?

i. What was the name of Australia’s first Prime Minister?

j. How many people watched the ceremony in Centennial Park when Australia was declared a nation?

2. Design a poster advertisingfederation celebrations or a costume to wear to the celebrations Remember to include the date, time, place and any special symbols connected with federation on your poster. If you create a costume, explain why you chose this design.

For inspiration, take a look at federation images at:• Get Parliament: Federation Celebrations:

www.tinyurl.com/GP-FedCel

• the National Library of Australia Trove:www.tinyurl.com/trovefederation

3. Imagine you are Queen Victoriawriting a letter to the Australian people The letter will be read out during the ceremony in Centennial Park on 1 January 1901, when Australia is declared a nation. Think about what the Queen might say about Australia’s future and about our connection with Britain. How would federation change her relationship with Australia? Would the Queen see federation as a happy or sad occasion?

To get started, take a look at Get Parliament: Federation Celebrations www.tinyurl.com/GP-FedCel

4. Create a political cartoon or posterencouraging people to vote ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ in the federation referendum To find out more about the arguments for and against federation, check:• Get Parliament: Why federate

www.tinyurl.com/GP-Whyfed

• Civics and Citizenship Education: ‘Federation FastFacts’ www.tinyurl.com/CC-FedFacts

You could also explore ‘The Origins of the Australian Parliament’ at ‘For Peace, Order and Good Government’: www.tinyurl.com/Sen-POGG

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To the people of Australia

2This activity sheet is designed for use with Get Parliament, available from www.peo.gov.au

5. Organise a class debate on the topic of federation You will need three people to form a team that will argue the reasons for federation and three people to form a team that will argue the reasons against federation. At the conclusion of the debate ask the class to vote for the team with the most convincing argument.

To find out more about the arguments for and against federation, check:

• Get Parliament: Why federate www.tinyurl.com/GP-Whyfed

• Civics and Citizenship Education: ‘Federation Fast Facts’ www.tinyurl.com/CC-FedFacts

You could also explore ‘For Peace, Order and Good Government’: www.tinyurl.com/Sen-POGG

6. Imagine it is 1 January 1901 and you are a journalist who has been asked to write an article about the federation parade and the ceremony in Centennial Park in Sydney Use ‘who, what, when where, why’ questions to collect information.

Find out more about the federation celebrations in Get Parliament: Federation Celebrations www.tinyurl.com/GP-FedCel

Australian Screen has film clips showing the federation parade and the ceremony in Centennial Park. To view these clips follow the link below. Check out the educational notes that accompany the clips.www.tinyurl.com/asofederation

8. Write a biography about one of the founders of federation A number of key people were influential in the federation of Australia, such as Henry Parkes, Edmund Barton, Catherine Helen Spence, John Quick, Vida Goldstein, Charles Kingston, George Reid, Mary Lee, Edward Braddon, Louisa Lawson, Andrew Inglis Clark and Alfred Deakin. Find out more about one or more of these ‘founders’ and describe how they worked towards federation.

George Reid Alfred Deakin

To find out more search:

The Australian Dictionary of Biography:www.tinyurl.com/Adb-ANU

7. Investigate how federation was celebrated in your local area or state Research the federation celebrations in your town, city or state. Write a report about what happened and be sure to include a photograph in your report.

To find out more check out:National Library of Australia Trove:www.tinyurl.com/trovefederation

Find out more about the federation celebrations in Get Parliament:Federation Celebrations www.tinyurl.com/GP-FedCel

3

Get ParliamentACTIVITY SHEETS

This activity sheet is designed for use with Get Parliament, available from www.peo.gov.au

The Australian Constitution1. Create a Constitution quizDevise a quiz about the Australian Constitution. Write a list of ten questions and answers. For example, you could ask questions like ‘How many changes to the Constitution have Australians agreed to?’ Find a partner and take it in turns to answer each other’s questions.

2. Describe the steps for changing the Australian Constitution You may like to present your answer in dot points or as a flow chart.

3. Create a constitution for your classroom Hold a class discussion to decide what should be included in the constitution. Remember, a constitution is a set of rules about how something is governed. You could include rules about how students should treat each other and how they should behave in the classroom.

Divide the class into groups and ask each group to make a colourful poster illustrating one of the rules from the Classroom Constitution.

4. Design a book cover for the Australian ConstitutionImagine a children’s version of the Constitution is being created. Design a cover for this Constitution that includes symbols or images that reflect what the Constitution is about.

5. Discuss why Australians have agreed to so few changes to the Australian ConstitutionAustralia has held 19 referendums proposing 44 changes to the Constitution. The Australian people have only agreed to 8 of these changes.

In small groups research one of the 19 referendums. As a class, discuss why you think Australians have agreed to so few changes to the Constitution.

To find out more about referendums, check out this fact sheet on the PEO website:www.tinyurl.com/FS-Refs

Explore the 8 changes in: Get Parliament: Successful referendumswww.tinyurl.com/RefsEight

You can also check the ‘Referendums and plebiscites’ section on the Australian Electoral Commission website: www.tinyurl.com/AEC-refs

NO!YES!??

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4This activity sheet is designed for use with Get Parliament, available from www.peo.gov.au

6. Create a pamphlet or poster for the 1999 referendum to decide whether Australia should become a republicIf the referendum had passed, the Queen and Governor-General would have been replaced by a president appointed by the federal Parliament.

Decide whether you will promote a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ vote in the referendum. You will need to do some research.

To help you, search for ‘Fast facts: The 1999 Referendum’ on The Civics and Citizenship Education website: www.tinyurl.com/CC-1999Ref

7. Describe how Australia’s system of government was influenced by Britain and the United StatesFor an overview of the three systems check:

Get Parliament: Systems of government in Australia, Britain and United Stateswww.tinyurl.com/ThreeSystems

Find out more in the Closer Look series on the PEO website:

Parliament and Congress:www.tinyurl.com/CL-Parl-Congress

A short history of Parliament:www.tinyurl.com/CL-ParlHistory

Check ‘The Australian Nation: Constitution making’ on the Discovering Democracy website:www.tinyurl.com/DD-Constitution

You could also check out this link on the Australian Parliament House website: ‘For Peace, Order and Good Government’ www.tinyurl.com/Sen-POGG

8. Change section 51Section 51 of the Australian Constitution lists the federal Parliament’s law-making powers. Imagine you could alter section 51 by adding, removing or rewording a power. What would you change? Explain your reasons.

To view section 51, follow this link to the Constitution on the Australian Parliament House website:www.tinyurl.com/ParliamentPowers

YESOR NO?

5

Get ParliamentACTIVITY SHEETS

This activity sheet is designed for use with Get Parliament, available from www.peo.gov.au

Three levels of law-making1. Create a three levels of law-making quizDevise a quiz about the three levels of law-making. Write a list of ten questions and answers. For example, you could ask questions like ‘What are the three levels of government in Australia?’ Find a partner and take it in turns to answer each other’s questions.

2. Locate the three levels of governmentOn a map of Australia locate and mark where the following meet:

• Federal Parliament• Your state or territory Parliament • Your local council.

Illustrate your map with an image that represents each of these levels of law-making. For example, you could include a photograph of Parliament House or draw the emblem of your local council.

To find out more about federal Parliament, check these links on the PEO website:

Fact Sheet – Parliament Housewww.tinyurl.com/FS-Parl-House

Image Library – Parliament Housewww.tinyurl.com/APH-images

You could also check this link on the Australian Parliament House website: www.tinyurl.com/APH-SenMem

To find out more about your state or territory parliament and local councils, follow this link on the PEO website: www.tinyurl.com/PEO-Parliaments

3. Discover who represents you Find the names of the people who represent the area you live in:

• Mayor• State/territory member of parliament• Federal member of the House of Representatives• One or more of your federal senators

Find or draw a picture of one of your representatives. Add a speech bubble to your picture with their name, position and an interesting fact about them.

To find out which electorate you live in and the name of your federal member, follow this link to the Australian Electoral Commission website:www.tinyurl.com/AECElect

To find out more about your federal member or the senators who represent you, follow this link to the Australian Parliament House website:www.tinyurl.com/APH-SenMem

To find out who represents you in your state or territory parliament and local council, follow this link on the PEO website: www.tinyurl.com/PEO-Parliaments

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Did you know...

FEDERALSTATE/TERRITORY

LOCAL

6This activity sheet is designed for use with Get Parliament, available from www.peo.gov.au

4. Identify the responsibilities of the three levels of governmentFind three newspaper articles that refer to services provided by one or more of the three levels of government in Australia. As a class, sort the articles into three categories—federal, state/territory and local. Discuss why each article relates to a particular level of government. For example, an article about Australian troops fighting overseas relates to defence, which is a federal government responsibility.

To find out more about the three levels of government, check this fact sheet on the PEO website:www.tinyurl.com/FS-Three-Levels

Dear...I am concerned

about...Please act!

7. Explore why federal law can over-ride state law. Section 109 of the Australian Constitution deals with inconsistencies between federal and state law. The Constitution says that if the federal Parliament and a state Parliament both pass laws on the same subject, then the federal law over-rides the state law. Why do you think this provision was included in the Constitution? Do you think the federal Parliament should have this power? Why / why not?

8. Research an issue over which state/territory and federal governments have clashedSome examples are drug injecting rooms, euthanasia, same sex marriage and mandatory prison sentencing. Should your state/territory parliament make laws about issues such as these or should this be a federal responsibility?

5. Write a letter to one of your representatives about an issue of concern to your local communityWhat action could be taken about this issue? Identify whether this is a local, state or federal matter. Address your letter to the appropriate representative; for example, your local councillor or federal member of parliament. Ask them to act on the issue you have identified.

6. Discuss whether Australia needs three levels of government. Write a proposal that supports the current system or argues for changeConsider issues such as:

• How practical would it be for a state government to be in charge of local matters: for example, library opening hours, policing dog registration or garbage collection?

• Are there some things that the federal government should be in charge of because they relate to the whole nation: for example, education or health services?

For more information about the three levels of government, check this Closer Look paper on the PEO website:www.tinyurl.com/CL-Gov-Aust

SECTION 109 Inconsistency of laws

When a law of a State is inconsistent with a law of the

Commonwealth, the latter shall prevail, and the former

shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be invalid.

7

Get ParliamentACTIVITY SHEETS

This activity sheet is designed for use with Get Parliament, available from www.peo.gov.au

Electing members of parliament1. Create an election quizDevise a quiz about electing members of parliament. Write a list of ten questions and answers. For example, you could ask questions like ‘How often are federal elections held?’ Find a partner and take it in turns to answer each other’s questions.

2. Write a speech or design a poster to convince Australian voters to elect you to Parliament You will have to decide on a slogan and think about what you want to express about yourself.

3. Imagine you are a journalist who has been asked to write an article about your federal electorateUse ‘who, what, when, where, why’ questions to collect information. For example, ‘when was your electorate established?’ and ‘who is your federal member’? Alternatively, you could investigate a senator who represents your state or territory.

To find out which electorate you live in and the name of your federal member, follow this link to the Australian Electoral Commission website:www.tinyurl.com/AECElect

To find out more about your federal member or the senators who represent you, follow this link to the Australian Parliament House website:www.tinyurl.com/APH-SenMem

4. Conduct a class election using preferential voting. As a class, decide on a theme or topic to vote onFor example, the election could be about favourite bands, television programs, sports or school subjects. Create a ballot paper listing the top three candidates.

Each student receives one ballot paper. Number the candidates from one to three in order of your choice. Make sure you number all three boxes. Place your folded ballot paper in a ballot box. The vote should be conducted in secret.

Use the preferential voting system to discover the results of your class election.

To find out how an election is conducted using preferential voting, look at ‘How Preferential Voting Works’ on p.8 of Get Parliament or check this link on the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) website: www.tinyurl.com/HoRCountVote

Get Voting is an AEC resource that helps you run a free and fair election in the classroom. Download it at:www.tinyurl.com/AECGetVote

BALLOT PAPER

CricketNetballSoccer

Number the boxes from 1 to 3 in the order of your choice.

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VO

TE1 GP

8This activity sheet is designed for use with Get Parliament, available from www.peo.gov.au

5. Devise a social media campaign encouraging 18 year olds to enrol to voteA large number of Australians aged 18 to 24 are not enrolled to vote. How would you convince young Australians to have a say about who runs the country?

For more information on elections, check the Australian Electoral Commission website:www.aec.gov.au

6. Lowering the voting ageIt has been suggested that the voting age be lowered from 18 to 16. Should 16 and 17 year olds have the right to vote? Give reasons for your answer.

There has been a lot of discussion about lowering the voting age in Australia. Google the topic to find out more.

7. Compulsory votingAustralia is one of the few countries in the world where voting is compulsory. This means all eligible Australians must vote at federal elections. Discuss the pros and cons of compulsory voting.

To find out more about compulsory voting, check the ‘Voting’ section on the Australian Electoral Commission site:www.aec.gov.au/Voting

For more about why the Australian Parliament agreed to introduce compulsory voting, take a look at Get Parliament: Compulsory voting in Australia:www.tinyurl.com/HistVote

8. The impact of social media on federal election campaignsSocial media sites like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter are increasingly being used by political parties to get their message out to voters. Has this affected the way election campaigns are run? Does social networking allow parties to engage more directly with the community?

To find out more do a search on the internet.

EnroltoVote

9

Get ParliamentACTIVITY SHEETS

This activity sheet is designed for use with Get Parliament, available from www.peo.gov.au

The houses of Parliament1. Create a Parliament quizDevise a quiz about the two houses of Parliament. Write a list of ten questions and answers. For example, you could ask questions like ‘What is the colour of the Senate chamber?’ Find a partner and take it in turns to answer each other’s questions.

2. Create a model of the House of Representatives or Senate chamberMake a model of one of the chambers. Include labels to show where important people sit in the chamber (see pages 10–11 in Get Parliament). You could also indicate where your federal member sits in the House of Representatives or where one of your state or territory senators sits in the Senate.

For information about the chambers, check these fact sheets on the Parliamentary Education Office (PEO) website:

4. Design your own chamberImagine you are an architect who has been asked to design a new chamber for either the House of Representatives or the Senate. The current chambers are modelled on the British Parliament; however, you might like to dispense with tradition and create a completely new look for the Australian Parliament.

Justify your design and explain what it symbolises about our Parliament.

House of Representativeswww.tinyurl.com/FS-HoR

Senatewww.tinyurl.com/FS-Senate

You can find images of the two chambers in the PEO’s Image Library:www.tinyurl.com/PEO-Images

To view the seating plans for the House of Representatives and Senate, follow these links to the Australian Parliament House website:www.tinyurl.com/HoR-SeatPlan www.tinyurl.com/Sen-Seatplan

For a virtual tour of the House and the Senate, follow this link:www.tinyurl.com/APH-virtual-tour

3. Symbols of the ParliamentEach chamber has important symbols such as the Mace, Black Rod and Despatch Boxes. Draw or make a model of one of these, and include information about its history and significance.

To find out more, check these links on the PEO website:

Mace: PEO fact sheet – Mace: www.tinyurl.com/FS-Mace

PEO Image Library – House of Representatives: www.tinyurl.com/Images-Houseand scroll down to ‘Chamber’.

Black Rod:PEO fact sheet – Usher of the Black Rod: www.tinyurl.com/FS-BlackRod

PEO Image Library – Senate: www.tinyurl.com/Images-Senateand scroll down to ‘Chamber’.

Despatch Box: PEO fact sheet – Despatch Box: www.tinyurl.com/FS-DespatchBox

You could also check Signatures of Oz: www.tinyurl.com/PEO-Kidsview

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10This activity sheet is designed for use with Get Parliament, available from www.peo.gov.au

5. List five interesting facts about one or more of the non-elected officers in either chamberCheck out these links on the PEO and Australian Parliament House websites:

PEO fact sheetswww.tinyurl.com/ParlFS

Parliament NOW Who’s Whowww.tinyurl.com/PEO-ParlNOW

Quick Answers: People in Parliamentwww.tinyurl.com/QA-People-In-Parl

Senate Briefs:The Clerk of the Senatewww.tinyurl.com/SB15-Clerk

Usher of the Black Rodwww.tinyurl.com/SB16-Usher

House of Representatives Infosheet 21:The Clerk and other officialswww.tinyurl.com/Infosheet21

6. The Speaker and the PresidentInvestigate the role of the Speaker and the President. What does each involve? Write a report that includes information about how they are chosen and the history of the position.

Check out these PEO fact sheets:The Speaker of the House of Representativeswww.tinyurl.com/FS-Speaker

The President of the Senatewww.tinyurl.com/FS-President

You could also check these links on the Australian Parliament House and UK Parliament websites:www.tinyurl.com/APHspeakerwww.tinyurl.com/APHpresidentwww.tinyurl.com/UKparlspeaker

7. Is the Senate still the states’ house?The drafters of the Australian Constitution wanted all states to have equal representation in the Senate to make sure that the federal Parliament was not dominated by states with larger populations. Does the Senate just represent the states and territories or does it have a broader role? Are senators more likely to vote with their party rather than with their state or territory?

Check out this PEO fact sheet on Political Parties: www.tinyurl.com/FS-Pol-Parties

and this Senate brief on the Role of the Senate:www.tinyurl.com/SenBrief10

8. Compare and contrast the two chambers in the Australian Parliament and the British Parliament You may like to focus on some or all of the following:

• the composition of each chamber

• chamber colours

• officers in the chamber such as the Clerks, Usher of the Black Rod and Serjeant-at-Arms

• some of the traditions or practices we have adopted from the British Parliament and whether it is important that these traditions be maintained.

To begin your research, check these links on the PEO website: Closer Look: A short history of Parliamentwww.tinyurl.com/CL-ParlHistory

Fact sheetswww.tinyurl.com/ParlFS

You can also find more information by exploring other sections of the PEO and UK Parliament websites: www.peo.gov.auwww.parliament.uk

Western Australia12 senators

Northern Territory

2 senators

South Australia12 senators

Queensland12 senators

New South Wales12 senators

Tasmania12 senators

Australian Capital

Territory2 senatorsVictoria

12 senators

11

Get ParliamentACTIVITY SHEETS

This activity sheet is designed for use with Get Parliament, available from www.peo.gov.au

Representation and forming government1. Create a parliamentary quizDevise a quiz about representation and forming government. Write a list of ten questions and answers. For example, you could ask questions like ‘To stay in power, the government needs the support of how many members in the House of Representatives?’ Find a partner and take it in turns to answer each other’s questions.

2. How do members of parliament represent Australians?Look at the sample of an MP’s diary in Get Parliament. Describe how each of the appointments involves representation.

3. Create a political partyPolitical parties are groups of people who share similar ideas about how to govern the country. As a class, brainstorm a list of important issues facing Australia today. Individually, rank them in order of importance and then compare your list with others in the class. Form a political party with those who shared similar rankings or ideas.

Create a name, logo and slogan that tells people about your party and what you represent. For inspiration, check out the party logos on the PEO website: www.tinyurl.com/Images-Parliament

4. Investigate the role of one government ministerWrite a report that includes:

1. The name of the minister

2. The portfolio for which they are responsible

3. The name and role of the shadow minister

4. Recent issues or events relating to the portfolio.

For a list of ministers and shadow ministers, follow this link on the Australian Parliament House website: www.tinyurl.com/APH-Membersand select ‘Ministry List’ and ‘Shadow Ministry’.

To find out more about the role of ministers and shadow ministers, check this PEO fact sheet:www.tinyurl.com/FS-Ministers

Use recent news articles or ministerial speeches to find out about issues relating to the minister’s portfolio. You can find ministerial speeches by using the search function at: www.aph.gov.au

5. Explore the role of the opposition as the alternative government The opposition is the largest party (or coalition) that is not in government. The opposition wants voters to see it as the alternative government. How does it fulfil this role? Use recent news articles to provide examples of the work of the opposition.

To find out more about the role of the opposition, check this link on the Australian Parliament House website:www.tinyurl.com/RepsInfo19

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12This activity sheet is designed for use with Get Parliament, available from www.peo.gov.au

6. Balance of power In the Senate, crossbench senators often hold ‘the balance of power’. Create a presentation to explain the balance of power and how it can affect the work of the government.

To find out more about crossbench senators, check out these links on the PEO and Australian Parliament House websites:

PEO fact sheet – Independentswww.tinyurl.com/FS-Independent

Senate Brief – The Role of the Senatewww.tinyurl.com/SenBrief10

7. Representation Write a 250–500 word essay or hold a debate about this statement:

Representation is the most important work of Parliament.

To find out more, check this Infosheet on the Australian Parliament House website:

The work of a Member of Parliamentwww.tinyurl.com/Infosheet15

8. Crossing the floorImagine you are a member of parliament deciding if you should support your party in voting on a controversial issue. What are the advantages or disadvantages of crossing the floor? Draw up a chart listing these.

To find out more about crossing the floor, check these links on the PEO and Australian Parliament House websites:

PEO fact sheet – Crossing the floorwww.tinyurl.com/FS-CrossFloor

Parliamentary Library – Crossing the floor in the Federal Parliament 1950 – August 2004www.tinyurl.com/APHlib-Crossingfloor

THE SENATE CHAMBER

GOVERNMENT SENATORS

OPPOSITION SENATORS

CROSSBENCH SENATORS

13

Get ParliamentACTIVITY SHEETS

This activity sheet is designed for use with Get Parliament, available from www.peo.gov.au

Making laws1. Create a law-making quizDevise a quiz about making laws. Write a list of ten questions and answers. For example, you could ask questions like ‘What is a bill?’ Find a partner and take it in turns to answer each other’s questions.

2. Imagine you are a member of parliamentWhat new law would you like to make and why? Write the title of your bill (proposed law) and an explanation of why it is needed.

3. Write a speech to introduce a bill to ban junk food advertising on televisionImagine you are the Minister for Health introducing the bill into Parliament and you need to convince the Parliament to pass this bill. Come up with reasons to ban junk food advertising. Alternatively, you could imagine that you are the Shadow Minister for Health either arguing against the bill or proposing an amendment (change) to make it a better bill.

4. Run a law-making role-playAs a class, run a role-play to pass a bill through Parliament.

• Ask the class to decide on a topic for the bill; for example, you could choose a current issue or it could be a hypothetical topic such as a bill to ban homework.

• Divide the class into government, opposition and minor parties/Independents.

• Ask the government to introduce the bill.

• Debate and then vote on the bill.

For information about how to run a role-play, check these lesson plans on the PEO website:

Law-making: House of Representativeswww.tinyurl.com/role-play-Reps

Law-making: The Senatewww.tinyurl.com/role-play-Senate

You might like to work with another class, with one class taking on the role of the House of Representatives and the other acting as the Senate.

“Mr Speaker, I would like to introduce a Bill for an Act...”

?? ??

5. Explore why Parliament needs to make laws Think about why we have laws and, as a class, discuss how laws help to manage or improve our society. Imagine what our nation would be like if we didn’t have laws. You might like to consider how Australian laws have changed since federation.

To find out more about laws, check out these websites:

Australian Parliament House: Bills www.tinyurl.com/APH-Bills-Laws-Search

Department of Social Security: Values and Law www.tinyurl.com/DSS-Values-and-law

14This activity sheet is designed for use with Get Parliament, available from www.peo.gov.au

VS

6. Passing a bill in ParliamentA bill needs to pass through both houses of Parliament to become law. What would happen if there was only one chamber? Think about the role of the Senate and why Australia decided to have a bicameral Parliament, which means it consists of two houses. Write a brief summary of your thoughts.

For more information check out this Senate brief on the Australian Parliament House website:www.tinyurl.com/SenBrief10

To view the diagram on the left in more detail, check outwww.tinyurl.com/path-bill

7. Investigate a bill currently before the ParliamentTo find out about bills currently before the Parliament, follow this link on the Australian Parliament House website: www.tinyurl.com/APH-Bills-Laws-Search and click on ‘Bills before Parliament’.Select a bill and write a report that includes:

• The title of the bill.

• The purpose of the bill (you will find this in the section called ‘explanatory memoranda’).

• Who introduced the bill into Parliament.

• Who has spoken about the bill and what was said for or against the bill.

8. Compare law-making in Australia and the United StatesAustralia’s system of governance was based partly on the United States model. Compare the similarities and differences in the two law-making systems. Are there advantages or disadvantages in either system? Conduct a class discussion.

To start your research, check out these links: Closer Look – Parliament and Congresswww.tinyurl.com/CL-Parl-Congress

United States House of Representatives – The Legislative Processwww.tinyurl.com/US-HoR-Lawmaking

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

GOVERNOR-GENERAL

1ST READING

1ST READING

2ND READING

2ND READING

3RD READING

3RD READING

Consideration in detail*

Committee of the whole*

House committee*

Royal Assent by theGovernor-General

*optional stage

BILL BECOMES AN ACTOF PARLIAMENT

BILL IS PASSED

BILL IS PASSED

SENATE

Senate committee*

THE usual PATH of a BILL

Senate referral*

15

Get ParliamentACTIVITY SHEETS

This activity sheet is designed for use with Get Parliament, available from www.peo.gov.au

Accountability1. Create an accountability quizDevise a quiz about how the Parliament keeps the government accountable. Write a list of ten questions and answers. For example, you could ask questions like ‘What is Hansard?’ Find a partner and take it in turns to answer each other’s questions. ???2. Discuss the ways in which the opposition and minor parties and Independents closely examine the work of the governmentTo find out more, check these links on the PEO website:Quick Answers: Parliament and Governancewww.tinyurl.com/QA-Parl-Gov

Fact sheets:Question Timewww.tinyurl.com/FS-Quest-Time

Senate Estimateswww.tinyurl.com/FS-Estimates

Parliamentary Committeeswww.tinyurl.com/FS-Committees

Videos:Question Timewww.tinyurl.com/QTime-video

Parliamentary Committeeswww.tinyurl.com/Committees-video

3. Draw a political cartoon for a daily newspaperPolitical cartoons use satire to draw attention to the actions of the Parliament. Create your own cartoon that comments on a recent event in Parliament, for example something said by a member of parliament or a new policy announced by one of the political parties.

For inspiration, look at examples in major daily newspapers or check out ‘Behind the Lines: the year’s best political cartoons’. Find links to the ‘Behind the Lines’ exhibitions on the Museum of Australian Democracy website:www.moadoph.gov.au/websites

You can also find links to the ‘Behind the Lines’ exhibitions from 2003 to 2010 on the National Museum of Australia website: www.tinyurl.com/NMA-BTL-exhibitions

4. Research the role and history of HansardHansard reporters provide a written record of what is said in Parliament. Find out more about the history of Hansard and explain in your report how Hansard plays a part in keeping the Parliament accountable.

To find out more about Hansard, check these links on the UK Parliament and PEO websites: Official reportwww.tinyurl.com/UKParl-Hansard

PEO fact sheet – Records of the Parliamentwww.tinyurl.com/FS-Record

16This activity sheet is designed for use with Get Parliament, available from www.peo.gov.au

5. Explore how the Parliament closely investigates the work of the governmentYou could watch Question Time in the House of Representatives and/or a Senate committee of inquiry.

Discuss with the class:

• What is the purpose of Question Time or a Senate committee?

• How does it work?

• Who asks the questions and why?

• How effective was it in examining the actions of the government or investigating an issue?

Compare the processes of Question Time and the Senate committee. How are they similar or different?

You can watch replays of Question Time and excerpts from House committee hearings by following this link to About the House TV on the Australian Parliament House website:www.tinyurl.com/RepsTV

You can watch live broadcasts and recordings of Senate committees by following this link to Watch Parliament on the Australian Parliament House website:www.tinyurl.com/Watch-APH

Follow these links on the PEO website to find out more about Question Time and Committees:Fact sheet – Question Timewww.tinyurl.com/FS-Quest-Time

Video – Question Timewww.tinyurl.com/QTime-video

Fact sheet – Parliamentary committeeswww.tinyurl.com/FS-Committees

Video – About Parliament – Parliamentary Committeeswww.tinyurl.com/Coms-video

6. Research a parliamentary committeeWrite a report on a parliamentary committee. Include in your report:

• the name of the committee and whether it is a Senate, House or Joint committee

• an inquiry that it is undertaking

• a summary of the terms of reference of the inquiry (what the committee is investigating)

• any recommendations made by the committee.

To find out more about committees, follow this link on the Australian Parliament House website:www.tinyurl.com/APH-Bus-Coms

Current inquiries and recent reports are listed by subject matter and committee.

To view a committee hearing, follow this link to Watch Parliament on the Australian Parliament House website: www.tinyurl.com/Watch-APH

7. Scrutinising the mediaThe media play a role in informing the public about the Parliament and keeping the government accountable. Find three news reports (in newspapers, on TV, radio or an internet news service) about an issue currently before the Parliament; for example, a report about a new bill or an announcement made by either the government or the opposition.

Compare the way this issue is covered in different types of media. Are there any differences in the way it is reported? Do you think the media can influence public opinion? If so, is this a good or a bad thing?

8. Democracy vs dictatorshipHold a class discussion or debate to compare democracy and dictatorship. How does scrutiny of democratic leaders or dictators differ? Are there advantages or disadvantages to each system of governance?

VS

17

Get ParliamentACTIVITY SHEETS

This activity sheet is designed for use with Get Parliament, available from www.peo.gov.au

Get involved1. Create a get involved quiz Write a list of ten questions and answers. For example you could ask questions like ‘How many petitions are presented to the Parliament each year?’ Find a partner and take it in turns to answer each other’s questions. ???2. Letters to the editorLetters to the editor are one way the public can comment on current issues. Collect three letters to the editor from newspapers. What are they about? How well does each letter make its argument? Is it an issue that may be dealt with by Parliament?

Write your own letter to the editor of a daily newspaper about a local or national issue that you are concerned about.

3. Have your sayAs a class, brainstorm ways you can get involved in national or community issues.

Discuss what might be the most effective way to:

• Get a response from Parliament

• Raise public awareness

• Create media attention

• Target young people

• Change people’s behaviour.

To find out more about how to get involved, follow this link:www.tinyurl.com/getinvolved-video

4. Create your own petitionAs a class, brainstorm community issues that you are concerned about. In small groups, write a petition asking the Senate or House of Representatives to take action on one of these issues.

To find out how you should set out the petition follow these links on the Australian Parliament House website: www.tinyurl.com/Senatepetitionswww.tinyurl.com/Housepetitions

To the Honourable President and

members of the Senate in Parliament

assembled

The petition of the undersigned shows...

Your petitioners ask/request that the Senate...

Name Address Signature

1. John Smith 12 Sunshine Rd, Happyville Tas, 1234 2. Jennifer Smith 12 Sunshine Rd, Happyville Tas, 1234 3. Tony Stars 19 Moon St, Starville Tas, 1234 4. Stacy Stars 19 Moon St, Starville Tas, 1234 5. Jane Citizen 58 Sunshine Rd, Happyville Tas, 1234 6. Steven Citizen 58 Sunshine Rd, Happyville Tas, 1234 7. Suzie Alvin 24 Saturn Ave, Happyville Tas, 1234 8. Tony Balony 15 Sunshine Rd, Happyville Tas, 1234 9. Tori Balony 15 Sunshine Rd, Happyville Tas, 1234 10. Albert Talbert 29 Moon St, Starville Tas, 1234 11. Sam Bobam 6 Sunshine Rd, Happyville Tas, 1234 12. Alberta Bobam 6 Sunshine Rd, Happyville Tas, 1234 13. Johnny Begood 17 Saturn Ave, Happyville Tas, 1234 14. Jasmine Begood 17 Saturn Ave, Happyville Tas, 1234 15. Tom Domdom 3 Sunshine rd, Happyville Tas, 1234 16. Delila Domdom 3 Sunshine rd, Happyville Tas, 1234 17. John James 20 Sunshine rd, Happyville Tas, 1234 18. Jeremy Toole 68 Moon St, Starville Tas, 1234 19. Ava Shine 72 Moon St, Starville Tas, 1234

18This activity sheet is designed for use with Get Parliament, available from www.peo.gov.au

5. Class committee of inquiry Hold a class committee of inquiry to investigate an issue in your school.

• Divide the class into committee members, witness groups (people who present evidence to the committee) and journalists.

• Decide on the terms of reference (what the committee is investigating).

• After the inquiry, ask the committee to present a list of recommendations to the class.

• Ask the journalists to write and present a report about the inquiry and the committee’s findings.

To find out more about committees, check these links on the PEO and Australian Parliament House websites: PEO fact sheet – Parliamentary Committeeswww.tinyurl.com/FS-Committees

APH Infosheet 4 – Committeeswww.tinyurl.com/Infosheet4

Senate brief 4 – Senate Committeeswww.tinyurl.com/SB4-Committees

For information about how to run a committee role-play, follow this link:www.tinyurl.com/Role-play-Com

6. Voting rightsIn 1901, when Australia federated, not everyone had the right to vote at federal elections. For example, many women and Indigenous people were not eligible to vote. Research an aspect of Australia’s electoral history and present your findings to the class. Why do you think people have fought for the right to vote?

VOTES FOR

WOMENVOTES FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

7. Parliament and youExplore alternative ways for the Parliament to engage with young people. Explain why these might be effective. Find examples, such as members of parliament using social media, to illustrate your argument.

8. Parliamentary privilegeIs it reasonable that parliamentary privilege allows members of parliament to speak freely in Parliament? Write a short essay examining the concept of parliamentary privilege, including its advantages and disadvantages.

For more information about parliamentary privilege, check this link on the Australian Parliament House website:www.tinyurl.com/Infosheet5

To find out more about Australians and the vote, check this link about Australian electoral history on the Australian Electoral Commission website: www.tinyurl.com/AEC-history

You could also take a look at Get Parliament: Indigenous Australians and the vote: www.tinyurl.com/InAustVote