Civics and citizenship / Year 10 / Civics and Citizenship Knowledge and Understanding / Laws and citizens

Curriculum content descriptions

The role of the High Court, including in interpreting the Constitution (ACHCK092)

Elaborations
  • examining the jurisdiction of the High Court
  • exploring an example of a High Court judgement in interpreting and applying Australian law, such as the Mabo decision or the construction of the Hindmarsh Island Bridge
General capabilities
  • Ethical understanding Ethical understanding
ScOT terms

Appeal,  Constitutional law,  Courts

Interactive

Discovering democracy: getting things done

Interact with a slideshow of images and text to explore how change can be bought about by people taking action and putting pressure on their elected representatives. The issue of the Franklin Dam in Tasmania is used as a case study. Complete a related task.

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Year 10: Justice at home and overseas

This collection of resource sheets support students to understand key features and values of Australia's system of government and the role of the High Court with a focus on the Western Australian legal system. The resources include a comparison between key features of the Australian and Indonesian systems of government. ...

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The Conversation: the Australian Constitution

A series of explanatory articles about how the Australian constitution is interpreted and its impact on the legal system and legislature. The series includes practical examples of when and how it has been applied, constitutional challenges including the issues surrounding indigenous recognition. Articles are authored by ...

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Australian Constitution Centre Resources

Find detailed lesson plans for appropriate levels of schooling supporting topics such as the Rule of Law, Representative Democracy, Australian identity, federation and the Constitution, Australia’s legal system, the Courts and the Australian Justice System, The Constitution and the Making of Law in Australia, The High Court ...

Video

Monday Conference: Alvin Toffler discusses women's liberation, 1972

How was Australian society affected by the women's liberation movement in the 1960s and 70s? One issue, the struggle for women to access the same opportunities as men, caused much uncertainty about the future of the family. In this clip, writer and futurist Alvin Toffler offers his unique take on women's liberation and ...

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Objects through timeline: 50,000 years before present

This is a 26-page fact sheet that provides a comprehensive overview of migration to Australia from the first arrival of humans to 2006. It includes details about the major waves of international and internal migration, key events and policies, and individuals and groups that have made significant contributions to the development ...

Online

Australia's Trade through Time

Using an interactive timeline created by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, this Teacher guide provides 12 series of learning experiences that engage students in the analysis and interpretation of data about Australian trade from 1900 to the present day. Students study videos, tables, images and texts in order ...

Video

The history of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy

The Aboriginal Tent Embassy was established on the lawns of the Old Parliament House in 1972 only to be forcibly removed a few months later. Why do you think the reporter compares the protest in Canberra to events in Louisiana and Mississippi in USA? What are the protesters chanting? See if you can find out what happened ...

Online

The Conversation: human rights

This resource contains a series of articles that examine the legal and ethical issues around human rights in Australia and internationally, including recent practical examples. The resource can be used to provide examples of human rights in Australia and the international community, including discussions of its relationship ...

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The Conversation: Australian Law

This resource contains a series of explanatory articles about Australian law, and how it interacts with a variety of subjects such as indigenous law, state vs federal, and the constitution. It can be used to develop a broad understanding of Australian law.

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Cabinet

Cabinet is the top-level decision-making group within the Australian Government. Find out more about who is in Cabinet and how it works with this fact sheet.

Video

Tour of NSW Government House

This resource is a YouTube playlist containing a series of videos taken as a group of senior high school students are given a guided tour of NSW Government House in 2010. The tour covers primary sources such as architecture, furniture and images significant to the history of Australia and NSW.

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Refugee analysis from The Conversation

This is a collection of 200+ articles about refugees. It includes articles about the Australian government’s refugee policy over time, policies and approaches internationally, articles on the western Europe migrant crisis of 2015, “explainers” on why refugee intake number vary across Europe, and a long-read essay by Julian ...

Interactive

Laptop wrap – the Stolen Generations

A page with a focus on the experiences of the Stolen Generations with supporting activities and links to resources.

Interactive

Different views

This resource will encourage students to develop their understanding of the first contact of the Aboriginal people of Kamay Botany Bay and the men aboard the HMB Endeavour in 1770. This resource is one part of the 'Endeavour – eight days in Kamay' resource.

Online

Indigenous Stories about War and Invasion

This is a website about Indigenous experiences of invasion and war during the British invasion, World War I and World War II. The resource is presented in three sections: Introductory information; Story Objects; and Story Education Resources. There are eight story objects that tell the stories of individuals, events and ...

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Coming home: an investigation of the Armistice and repatriation

This online text (with downloadable PDF option) provides a series of investigations examining the impact of the war on those who served and those who welcomed them home. The online resource includes teaching activities that encourage students to investigate the roles the Repatriation Commission and the Soldier Settlement ...

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

Discovering democracy: human rights

Interact with a slideshow of images and text to explore the historical development of human rights and how they are upheld in Australia. Complete a related task.

Interactive

Discovering democracy: the people make a nation

Interact with a slideshow of images and text to explore the controversies that the colonies needed to deal with before they could agree on a federated Australia. Investigate the library to find out more about the different views about trade, immigration, transport, defence and rivers. Examine the rivalries among the colonies ...