Civics and citizenship / Year 9 / Civics and Citizenship Knowledge and Understanding / Government and democracy

Curriculum content descriptions

The role of political parties and independent representatives in Australia’s system of government, including the formation of governments (ACHCK075)

Elaborations
  • investigating how the contemporary party system operates in Australia’s liberal democracy and how governments are formed in parliament
  • discussing the meaning of key concepts such as parliamentary majority, the opposition, hung parliament, minority government
  • exploring the role of the Senate and state upper Houses, and the balance of power in these Houses
General capabilities
  • Ethical understanding Ethical understanding
ScOT terms

Legitimacy (Political power),  Political parties,  Balance of power

Interactive

Political parties

Many political parties have members elected to the Australian Parliament. In this fact sheet, learn more about how they are organised, coalitions of parties, party meetings and the history of political parties in Australia.

Interactive

Quizzes

Test your students with these quizzes about the Australian Parliament. Topics include the three levels of government, separation of powers and the Australian Constitution.

Interactive

Discovering democracy: parties control parliament

Interact with a slideshow of images and text to explore the role political parties and independents have in Australia. Learn about some of fundamental principles underpinning the major parties. Complete a related task.

Interactive

Be the change

This is an interactive about becoming an effective agent of change through civic action in a local community. Users learn a number of practical ways to take democratic action on issues. The context is an abandoned block of land located in an area with a range of issues, such as youth unemployment and environment concerns. ...

Interactive

Discovering democracy: what sort of nation?

Interact with a slideshow of images and text to explore what has influenced the sort of nation Australia is and how it has changed over time. Complete a related task.

Interactive

Discovering democracy: a democracy destroyed

Interact with a slideshow of images and text to explore, through the demise of democracy in Germany in 1933, how the justice system can be used for undemocratic purposes. Complete a related task.

Interactive

Making a Nation: changing the Constitution

This interactive resource looks at the creation of the Australian Constitution and then explores the process used to change it - referendum. Information on several referendums is presented (1910, 1937, 1967, 1984) but, in a case study, students investigate the 1951 anti-communism referendum in more detail. The seven activities ...