Close message Due to scheduled maintenance on Thursday 10th September 2026 between 5:00 pm until 7:00 pm AEST, Scootle may face a disruption in service. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

HASS F-6 / Year 6 / Knowledge and understanding / Civics and Citizenship

Version 9
Switch to version 8
View on Australian Curriculum website Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority
Curriculum content descriptions

the key institutions of Australia’s system of government, how it is based on the Westminster system, and the key values and beliefs of Western democracies (AC9HS6K06)

Elaborations
  • explaining the role of the monarchy and its representatives in Australia, including the Governor-General, and the parliaments and courts in Australia’s system of government
  • comparing the Australian system of government with the Westminster system; for example, recognising that the House of Representatives and the Senate in Australia are a Lower and Upper House of Parliament, as are the House of Commons and the House of Lords in the Westminster system, but the Senate has elected members
  • investigating sites, virtually or in situ, associated with key democratic institutions to explore their roles, such as Parliament House and the High Court in Canberra
  • exploring how bills are debated and scrutinised; for example, the role of parliamentary committees and the ability of citizens to make submissions to these committees
  • examining the role of the Executive in relation to the development of policies and the introduction of bills, including the role of Cabinet in approving the drafting of a bill and the role of the public service in drafting and implementing legislation
  • investigating the impact of the Western democracies such as France and the United States of America on our constitution, and the impact of British law on the Australian system of law, as well as the origin of values such as freedom of speech, equality before the law and social justice
General capabilities
  • Ethical understanding Ethical understanding
  • Personal and social capability Personal and Social capability
ScOT terms

Constitutions,  Parliaments,  Democracy,  Constitutional monarchy,  Law,  Judiciary

Refine by resource type

Refine by year level


Refine by learning area


Refine by topic

Related topic
  • No suggestions

10 direct matches to AC9HS6K06 | 10 other related resources
Showing the top 20 search results

Interactive

Quizzes

  • TLF-IDM025898

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

View detailsView resource
Video

The House In Session, Ep 3: The Westminster system and borrowed traditions

  • TLF-IDM025387

In this 5-minute video, Annabel Crabb explains interesting traditions that the Parliament of Australia has borrowed from the parliament of Westminster in the United Kingdom. Who is Black Rod, and what is a serjeant-at-arms? What is the Mace, and why is a hood placed over it when entering the presence of the Governor-General? ...

View detailsView resource
Interactive

Magna Carta: The story of our freedom

  • TLF-IDM019882

This is a resource about the Magna Carta (Great Charter) agreed between King John and his rebellious barons in 1215, and its influence on the development of human rights and democratic freedoms to the present day. The resource consists of an animated chronological infographic, a video (4:11 min) with audio description and ...

View detailsView resource
Interactive

Discovering democracy: making a nation

  • TLF-IDL9523

Students interact with a simple slideshow of images and text to explore the similarities and differences between the political systems of Australia and the United States of America. Students also complete a related task.

View detailsView resource
Interactive

Interactive posters - Parliamentary Education Office

  • TLF-IDA006911

Explore the key features of Australia’s system of government and the Australian Parliament with these interactive posters. Topics include Australia's Constitution, forming the Australian government, and making Australian law. Each poster is supported by teaching notes and student resources including interactive activities ...

View detailsView resource
Text

Queensland Parliament: Classroom activities

  • TLF-IDA004578

This webpage includes resources specific to the Queensland context as well as more generic resources applicable to a broad range of Australian classrooms. Find role plays about how Bills are made, about how Parliamentary Committees function and a template for a Parliamentary Inquiry role play.

View detailsView resource
Video

BTN: Why is citizenship important?

  • TLF-IDM025431

What makes an Aussie an Aussie? Is it loving Vegemite, playing cricket or maybe wrestling crocodiles? Find out about Australian citizenship and the ways someone can become a citizen of a country. What rights does citizenship afford you in Australia?

View detailsView resource
Text

Separation of powers

  • TLF-IDM025706

The principle of the separation of powers distributes the power to govern between the Parliament, the Executive and the Judiciary. This fact sheet examines the role of each group and the related principle of responsible government.

View detailsView resource
Video

The House In Session, Ep 2: Secrets of the Parliament House building

  • TLF-IDM025388

Annabel Crabb takes us on a tour of Parliament House in Canberra, explaining why her favourite parts are at the very top and the very bottom of the building. Navigate 10 kilometres of hallways, witness the "best view in Canberra", meet the Queen of the Underground and find out how to change the 12-meter flags. What unexpected ...

View detailsView resource
Interactive

An introduction to human rights and responsibilities

  • TLF-IDM021009

This is a unit of work for years 5 and 6 on human rights, the responsibilities that accompany them, and the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The unit consists of two interactive lessons for students and a teacher lesson plan, also in two parts. The interactive lessons include quizzes, short answer and ...

View detailsView resource
Interactive

Discovering democracy: Federation timeline

  • TLF-IDL8208

Use a timeline to find information about significant events and ideas in the establishment of a federated Australia. Nominate specific years or scroll from 1788 to 1901 to see what steps were key in determining the nature of government in Australia.

View detailsView resource
Image

Ruins of the Model Prison, Port Arthur, 1911-15

  • TLF-IDR3223

This is a sepia-toned photograph measuring 8.2 cm x 13.2 cm. It shows the ruins of the Model Prison at Port Arthur, Tasmania. A semicircular brick wall has three barred doors that open to exercise yards. A fourth door is open, showing another brick wall with steps leading up to the closed door of a solitary confinement ...

View detailsView resource
Image

Freed unionist shearers following the 1891 Shearers' Strike, 1893

  • TLF-IDR8000

This is a black-and-white poster showing 13 shearers who had been jailed in 1891 during the central Queensland Shearers' Strike. Across the top of the poster, in large letters, is printed 'FREEDOM WITHOUT DISHONOUR' and 'UNIONIST PRISONERS'. The poster goes on to identify each man individually as having been sentenced at ...

View detailsView resource
Audio

Brian Manning recalls the Wave Hill walk-off, 2007

  • TLF-IDR8852

This is an edited sound recording of Indigenous rights activist Brian Manning talking about the Wave Hill walk-off in the Northern Territory in 1966, when Gurindji workers on the Wave Hill cattle station went on strike. Manning tells how he was involved in organising the walk-off, assuring the Gurindji that, unlike previous ...

View detailsView resource
Video

Examining Australia's Constitution

  • TLF-IDM021387

In this clip, reporter Stan Grant visits the National Archives of Australia to revisit the moment when Australia became a federation, on 1 January 1901. Stan examines the original Australian Constitution and reads out Section 127. What does it say? To try to understand why Indigenous people were so excluded, Stan considers ...

View detailsView resource
Video

Counted: Australian culture in the 1960s

  • TLF-IDM021392

What was Australia like in the 1960s? Why does reporter Stan Grant say that "change is coming" at this time, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people? Choose one of the people mentioned in this video and do some research into their sporting, artistic or political achievements.

View detailsView resource
Video

BTN: The Australian constitution

  • TLF-IDM020011

A constitution is a set of rules that describe how a country should be run. What does the Australian Constitution contain rules about? When was it mostly written? This two-minute video introduces the Constitution to students using the game of basketball as a metaphor.

View detailsView resource
Video

Benalla Migrant Camp

  • TLF-IDM025374

While many postwar immigrants were sent to Bonegilla Migrant Reception and Training Centre when they arrived in Australia, others lived at the smaller Benalla Migrant Camp. Like Bonegilla, Benalla is in north-east Victoria. Unlike at Bonegilla, however, many immigrants remained at Benalla for over a decade. Listen as Sabine ...

View detailsView resource
Video

The House In Session, Ep 5: Writing amendments in the Senate

  • TLF-IDM025385

The Senate’s job is to "check the work" of the House of Representatives and make sure the laws they’ve made are fair. But what happens when the Senate and the House of Representatives disagree? Annabel Crabb explains the process of writing and approving amendments; the rituals of official business; and how the Lamson tube works.

View detailsView resource
Interactive

Political parties

  • TLF-IDM025897

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.

View detailsView resource