Part 3 : Government and the law practice test

To begin things, we turn to the topic of: who begins federal elections in Australia; the player here is the Governor-General. They're the ones who go, let's end Parliament and begin the election. And when it comes to making important council decisions at the local level, there's a councillor; these people get elected to help run their communities. Pretty marvelous.

Now, there's the Senate which plays an enormous part in the whole law-making scene. It's often dubbed the States' House because that's essentially its tenor – representing states and looking at new laws or tweaks to existing ones; the people in the Senate, along with everyone else in Parliament, make up the Australian Government. Citizenship test questions often cover these governmental structures.

In regards to the Senate, it doesn't simply convene and look nice. Representatives in the Senate get serious about debating and voting on laws, making sure they stand up for their states' interests.

Switching gears to the courts, one can see—unquestionably so—that judicial power is the shield protecting the courts and judges from getting tangled up in politics or hurt by other branches of government; this is extremely critical because it stops other parts of the government from meddling in court decisions.

But what about people in Parliament who do things their own way? Those are the independents, politicians who aren't playing for any of the major political teams. They're pretty important because they bring different views to the table.

Honestly, I consider letting people join political parties if they're into that a wonderful example of freedom. Democratic beliefs and rights are fundamental to Australian society.

It's completely about choosing how you want to be involved. Active involvement? That's about placing yourself into community groups to push for changes or ideas you believe in. Speaking to those elected heads about changing laws is part of that deal too.

Did you know there was a massive 'Yes' vote in 1967 where more than nine out of ten Australians were saying, "Aboriginal peoples should definitely be counted in the Census"? Australian people and their history are important aspects of the citizenship test.

That's an enormous endorsement for changing things together. And for a law change to really stick through a referendum, we are looking at needing a 'double majority'. It's not only about most people saying 'Yes', but also making sure that nod comes across most of the states and the whole country.

In a nutshell, the Australian Parliament is split into two main meeting places – the House of Representatives and the Senate. And at the helm of state governments, you've got a figure known as the Premier.

Leaders also need their challengers, which is why the Leader of the Opposition is a thing; they head the party or group not sitting comfortably in the chair, keeping things overtly competitive.

Now, what does the Governor-General have to do with the Australian Defence Force? That's a good question looking into their neutral role and how it pans out.

Remember, the Governor-General has to do a great job, not leaning toward any groups of people in politics; that neutrality is key.

Ending on a law-related note, every Aussie can chip in suggestions for changing the laws to their representatives. It shows how democracy can go beyond just casting a vote to really shaping the rules we live by. Australian values play a crucial role in this democratic process. To test your knowledge on these topics, you can take a practice citizenship test or explore Australian citizenship videos for more information.