Senior Election Activity book answers

Recently visited the National Electoral Education Centre (NEEC) in Canberra?

Use the Answer sheet below to check responses to the questions in the Election Activity booklet received during the program.

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Representative democracy

Our Australian Constitution set up which system of government?

• Federal

We elect representatives to the two houses of the Commonwealth Parliament which are:

• Senate
• House of Representatives

• The Australian people are represented in the Senate on a State and Territory basis by a group of Senators.
• The Australian people are represented in the House of Representatives on a population basis by a single member.

• A Senator must gain a quota (a set number of the formal votes cast) to be elected. A member must receive an absolute majority of the formal votes cast (50% plus 1 vote) to be elected.

Why is it necessary to be able to change the Australian Constitution?

• Students will give a range of answers to this question

In an election we elect representatives to make decisions on our behalf. What are the qualities you would look for when electing a candidate for Parliament?

• Students will give a range of answers to this question

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Stages in elections

Order the stages in preparing and conducting an Australian election by numbering 1 to 10.

Elections are always held on a Saturday with polling places open from 8am to 6pm.

How can you be sure that the information in this tweet is true? What other information would you need? Why do you need to know who the tweeter is?

• Students will give a range of answers to this question

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Types of voting

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Voting

Your Vote Counts

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) sets up polling places so they are safe and secure to keep your vote private. Why do you think we have a secret ballot?

• Students will give a range of answers to this question

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Enrolling to vote

If their address is wrong what do they need to do and how?

• They need to update their details. The easiest way is to log onto the AEC website and change them there.

The roll is provided to allow public inspection of the electoral roll. Why do you think photographs and other forms of digital recording are not permitted?

• The privacy of all individuals must be maintained and therefore copying or recording of information is not permitted.

To vote in Australia you need to be:

• 18 years old
• An Australian citizen, and
• Enrolled

You can enrol to vote at 16 years old. Enrol at www.aec.gov.au

As a positively contributing member of our country and a global citizen, why is it important to vote in elections?

• Students will give a range of answers to this question

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Test your knowledge

1. On what date did the six Australian colonies formally create the Australian nation?
   • 1 January 1901
2. The first Prime Minister of Australia was a) Alfred Deakin b) Henry Parkes c) Edmund Barton?
   • c) Edmund Barton
3. Australian federal elections are always held on a Saturday. True or False?
   • True
4. Where in Australia did women first gain the vote?
   • d) South Australia in 1894
5. Australian citizenship was not established until 1949. Until that time people in the Australian colonies were British subjects. True or False?
   • True
6. The system of counting the votes and determining the elected member for the House of Representatives is:
   • b) Absolute majority
7. Who was the first woman elected to an Australian parliament?
   • Edith Cowan – elected to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly in 1921
8. Until 1927 the Parliament of Australia sat in the NSW State Parliament House. True or false?
   • False. It sat in the Victorian State Parliament
9. All Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people first won the right to vote in Federal elections in what year?
   • 1962
10. The last referendum that Australia held was in 1999. What was it about?
    • Q1 asked whether Australia should become a republic and Q2 asked whether Australia should add a preamble to the Constitution.