Part 3 Questions and Answers — Government and the Law in Australia
Part 3 is the part most people find hardest, because it is the least intuitive: three levels of government, two houses of Parliament, the role of the Governor-General, and how the Constitution can be changed.
Work through these with the explanations and the structure starts to make sense quickly.
Showing 25 of 52 questions in this part.
1. Who is Australia's Head of State?
- A. The Prime Minister
- B. The Governor-General
- C. The King of Australia (King Charles III)
- D. The President
Answer: C. The King of Australia, His Majesty King Charles III, is Australia's Head of State.
2. What form of government does Australia have?
- A. A republic
- B. A constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy
- C. An absolute monarchy
- D. A military government
Answer: B. Australia is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy — the King is Head of State and Parliament makes the laws.
3. Who represents the King in Australia at the federal level?
- A. The Prime Minister
- B. The Chief Justice
- C. The Governor-General
- D. The Speaker of the House
Answer: C. The Governor-General represents the King of Australia at the federal level.
4. Who represents the King in each state?
- A. The Premier
- B. The Governor
- C. The Chief Justice of the state
- D. The Lord Mayor
Answer: B. In each state, the King is represented by a Governor.
5. Who appoints the Governor-General?
- A. The Prime Minister
- B. The King, on the advice of the Australian Prime Minister
- C. Parliament
- D. The High Court
Answer: B. The Governor-General is appointed by the King on the advice of the Australian Prime Minister.
6. What is one role of the Governor-General?
- A. To lead a political party
- B. To give Royal Assent to bills so they become law
- C. To collect taxes
- D. To command state police
Answer: B. The Governor-General signs bills passed by Parliament so they become law (Royal Assent), and also has ceremonial duties.
7. How many levels of government are there in Australia?
- A. One
- B. Two
- C. Three
- D. Four
Answer: C. Australia has three levels of government: federal (Commonwealth), state and territory, and local.
8. Which level of government is responsible for defence and immigration?
- A. Local government
- B. State government
- C. Federal (Commonwealth) government
- D. Territory government
Answer: C. The federal government is responsible for national matters such as defence, immigration, foreign affairs, trade and social security.
9. Which level of government is responsible for hospitals and schools?
- A. Federal
- B. State and territory
- C. Local
- D. The Governor-General's office
Answer: B. State and territory governments are responsible for hospitals, schools, roads, public transport and police.
10. Which level of government is responsible for rubbish collection and local parks?
- A. Federal government
- B. State government
- C. Local government (councils)
- D. The Prime Minister
Answer: C. Local governments (councils) are responsible for services such as rubbish collection, local roads, parks and libraries.
11. How are members of local councils chosen?
- A. Appointed by the state Premier
- B. Elected by people living in the local area
- C. Appointed by the Prime Minister
- D. Elected by state parliament
Answer: B. Local councillors are elected by residents of the local area.
12. How many houses does the federal Parliament have?
- A. One
- B. Two
- C. Three
- D. Four
Answer: B. The federal Parliament has two houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate.
13. How many members are there in the House of Representatives?
- A. 76
- B. 150
- C. 151
- D. 200
Answer: C. The House of Representatives currently has 151 members, each representing a single electorate.
14. How many senators are there in total in the Australian Senate?
- A. 72
- B. 76
- C. 150
- D. 12
Answer: B. The Senate has 76 senators: 12 from each of the six states and 2 each from the ACT and the Northern Territory.
15. How many senators does each state elect?
- A. 6
- B. 10
- C. 12
- D. 14
Answer: C. Each of the six states elects 12 senators to the Australian Senate.
16. How many senators do the ACT and NT each elect?
- A. 12
- B. 6
- C. 2
- D. 4
Answer: C. The Australian Capital Territory and Northern Territory each elect 2 senators.
17. What is the role of the Senate?
- A. To choose the Governor-General
- B. To debate, review, amend and pass bills — it is a house of review
- C. To collect taxes
- D. To run the courts
Answer: B. The Senate is the upper house of federal Parliament. It reviews, debates, amends and passes bills, and represents the states.
18. Who becomes Prime Minister?
- A. The person the King chooses
- B. The leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the House of Representatives
- C. The person elected directly by voters
- D. The most senior senator
Answer: B. The Prime Minister is the leader of the party or coalition that has a majority of members in the House of Representatives.
19. What is the role of the Prime Minister?
- A. To represent the King
- B. To lead the Australian Government and chair the Cabinet
- C. To interpret the Constitution
- D. To run state governments
Answer: B. The Prime Minister is the head of the Australian Government, chairs the Cabinet and sets the direction of national policy.
20. What is the Cabinet?
- A. A storage cupboard in Parliament
- B. The senior group of ministers who make major policy decisions
- C. The opposition front bench
- D. All members of parliament
Answer: B. The Cabinet is a group of senior ministers, led by the Prime Minister, who make key decisions of government policy.
21. What is a Minister?
- A. A religious leader
- B. A member of Parliament in charge of a government department or portfolio
- C. A judge
- D. A senior public servant
Answer: B. A Minister is a member of parliament chosen by the Prime Minister to run a government department or a specific area of policy.
22. What is the Opposition?
- A. A part of the Cabinet
- B. The party (or parties) that did not win government and provides an alternative government
- C. A protest group
- D. The Governor-General's staff
Answer: B. The Opposition is the party or coalition with the second largest number of seats in the House of Representatives. It scrutinises the government and offers an alternative.
23. How are federal laws made in Australia?
- A. By the Prime Minister alone
- B. A bill is passed by both houses of Parliament and given Royal Assent by the Governor-General
- C. By the High Court
- D. By state parliaments
Answer: B. A proposed law (bill) must be passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, then receive Royal Assent from the Governor-General to become law.
24. What is the separation of powers?
- A. Powers separated between federal and state
- B. The division of government into three branches: Legislative, Executive and Judicial
- C. The separation of religion and state
- D. Different powers for the King and Governor-General
Answer: B. The separation of powers divides government authority between the Parliament (Legislative), the government (Executive), and the courts (Judicial), preventing any one branch from having too much power.
25. What is the role of the Legislative arm of government?
- A. To make laws
- B. To interpret laws
- C. To enforce laws
- D. To sign treaties
Answer: A. The Legislative arm is the Parliament, which makes and changes laws.
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