Question

Difficulty: MediumParliamentary Democracy

In Australia, the system of government is a parliamentary democracy. This means that while the people are the source of political power, they do not manage the day-to-day business of government directly. Which of the following best explains how this power is exercised in practice?

  1. Citizens elect representatives to parliament to represent them, and these representatives make decisions and laws on their behalf.Answer
  2. B
    Citizens vote in a national referendum every time a new law is proposed to ensure every person agrees with the change.
  3. C
    The leaders of the major religious groups and the military meet to decide which laws are best for the Australian people.

Answer

In Australia's parliamentary democracy, citizens elect representatives to the parliament who then make laws and decisions on their behalf.
The correct answer accurately describes the representative nature of Australia's democracy, where the authority of the people is exercised through elected officials who sit in parliament and make legislative decisions.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the type of democracy
Australia is a parliamentary (representative) democracy.
The system relies on 'representatives' rather than direct rule by every citizen.
2
Determine how citizens participate
Citizens participate by voting in elections to choose members of parliament.
Elections are the mechanism for delegating the people's power to representatives.
3
Identify the role of elected representatives
Representatives debate, vote, and pass laws in the parliament.
They are empowered to act as the voice of the people in the legislative process.

Key Concept

Representative Governance

Hints

1
Think about what 'representative' means. Do you go to parliament to vote on laws yourself?

Practice More

Review the difference between the House of Representatives and the Senate to see how these elected members are organized.
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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