On your journey to being a proud Australian, the Australian Citizenship test is just another obstacle to tackle. So, information from the right source will take you a long way in achieving that. Here, you will find summarized facts on the formation of the Parliament of Australia, perfect for covering the part of the Australian Citizenship test syllabus that requires knowledge on this subject.
Federal Government – Get Familiar with Facts for Your Australian Citizenship test
When the term of 3 years of the House of Representative reaches its end, within 10 days of the dissolution, writs for the Federal elections are to be issued by the Governor-General – the Federal representative of the Monarch – to the Electoral Officer. Often, along with the elections for the Members of Parliament of the House of Representatives, a half-election is also held for the Senate. This is where details get a little complex. So do take note as preparation for the Australian Citizenship test. Since the term for the Senate lasts 6 years, a half-election requires the election of half of the Senators every 3 years, that is, whenever there is an election for the House of Representatives. In this manner, half of the Senators serve a 3-year term while the rest serve a term that lasts five to six years. Now there have been instances when a Double Dissolution was issued, where the entire Senate is retired, but that does not happen often.
Keep in mind for your Australian Citizenship test that the responsibility of dissolving the House of Representatives rests on the shoulders of the Governor-General, and when the dissolution takes place Federal elections are held throughout Australian for appointing new Members of parliament. Comprising of 151 seats, members of the House of Representatives, or the Lower House, are the representatives of each electorate they are elected from. Since the number of electorates of a particular area is measured through the population, it is seen that larger and far more populous areas possess more Members of Parliament in the Lower House.
The party or coalition with the most Members in the House of Representatives then forms the Federal Government and the leader is named the Prime Minister of Australia. The subsequent party or union of parties becomes the Opposition and the leader is called the Leader of the Opposition.
These details may arrive as questions in the Australian Citizenship test, so do pay attention.
The enators elected to represent the States and Territories of Australia. Each state elects 6 Senators while the mainland Territories, Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory, elect 2 each. These unify and form the 76 members of the Senate or the Upper House. The Senate then elects one of its members to act as the President of the Upper House. This President is generally nominated by the Prime Minister while the Leader of the Opposition nominates the Deputy President. Otherwise, the Senate holds a ballot, and the Senators then elect a President themselves. Such tricky facts may be quizzed about in the Australian Citizenship test.
With the advice of the Prime Minister, the Governor-General appoints the Ministers who will operate the different Government Departments. The Ministers then form the Cabinet which holds a secret meeting once a week to discuss the policies and issues that need attention. Know that, for the Australian Citizenship test, although the Cabinet has no authority to implement their decisions by the Constitution, the Federal Executive Council of Australia has the power to provide legal force to the decisions of the Cabinet, which even the Governor-General cannot overthrow.
The Configuration of State and Territory Government – Important Information for the Australian Citizenship test
The States of the Commonwealth of Australia have Administrative Structures of their own. The State Governments, except for that of Queensland which functions with only the Legislative Assembly, via election, are composed of the House of Assembly and the Legislative Council. This detail can confuse you so mark it for later revision for your Australian Citizenship test.
The seats available in the Houses vary with each State. The premier is the leader of the Legislative Council and is a member of the party of a coalition with the most members. The premier works alongside the Governor, the State representative of the Monarch, to operate the State smoothly.
Out of the two mainland Territories of Australian, Northern Territory Government is the only one that includes an Administrator, a representative of the Australian Federal Government appointed by the Governor-General. In the Australian Capital Territory, the Governor-General is the one representing the Crown in its Administrative Structure. Consisting of a Legislative Assembly, the leader of the party or coalition with the majority of members is named the Chief Minister of the Territory.
Australian Citizenship test – Scoop on the Making of Local Government
The local governing is called the Council, formed through the election and the Leader of the Council can be directly elected and named the Mayor of the Local Community. Though, often Mayors are selected by the members of the Council, the Councilors. Lastly, although recognized by the States Governments, the Local Government is not incorporated in the Constitution of Australia.
It cannot be said that a full proof performance in the Australian Citizenship test is a piece of cake. It would also be wrong to state the Australian Citizenship test to be impossible to crack. Gather your thoughts and do not lose faith. A steady determination and the correct knowledge are what will help conquer your Australian Citizenship test.
The secret to passing the Australian citizenship test with flying colours? Practice, practice, practice. Answer 10 questions from the past Aussie citizenship tests as a quick evaluation of your knowledge.
