Civics and Citizenship · Term 3

The Three Levels of Government

Students will differentiate between the roles and responsibilities of federal, state/territory, and local governments in Australia.

About This Topic

Political Parties and Elections explores how Australians choose their representatives. Students investigate the different roles and ideologies of major and minor political parties. A central focus is the Australian 'preferential voting' system, which is unique compared to many other countries and ensures that the winning candidate has the support of a majority of voters.

In the Year 8 Civics curriculum, this topic prepares students to be informed future voters. It teaches them how to analyze political messages and understand the mechanics of an election. By studying compulsory voting, students can debate the rights and responsibilities of being a citizen in a democracy and how this impacts the fairness of our elections.

This topic comes alive when students can participate in a mock election using the preferential voting system to see how preferences are distributed.

Active Learning Ideas

Simulation Game: The Great Snack Election

Students 'vote' for their favorite snack using a preferential ballot. The teacher then demonstrates how to count the votes and distribute preferences until one snack gets more than 50% of the vote.

⏱ 40 min·Whole Class

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Inquiry Circle: Party Platforms

Groups research a different Australian political party. They must create a 'one-pager' that explains the party's main goals and who they are trying to represent in society.

⏱ 45 min·Small Groups

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Formal Debate: Is Compulsory Voting Fair?

Students are split into teams to debate whether everyone should be forced to vote. They must consider the impact on democracy, individual freedom, and the quality of the election results.

⏱ 35 min·Small Groups

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

The person with the most 'number 1' votes always wins.

What to Teach Instead

In preferential voting, a candidate needs more than 50% of the total vote to win, which often requires 'preferences' from other candidates. A mock election simulation is the best way to show how this works in practice.

Common Misconception

Minor parties are a 'waste of a vote.'

What to Teach Instead

Because of preferences, a vote for a minor party can still influence who eventually wins and can show support for specific issues. Collaborative research into party platforms helps students see the role minor parties play.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does preferential voting work?

Voters rank candidates in order of preference (1, 2, 3, etc.). If no one gets more than 50% of the 'number 1' votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their votes are given to the next person on those ballots until someone wins a majority.

Why is voting compulsory in Australia?

Australia introduced compulsory voting in 1924 to ensure that the government is chosen by as many people as possible, making the result more representative of the whole community.

How can active learning help students understand elections?

By running a 'Mock Election,' students move from abstract theory to practical understanding. Physically counting the ballots and moving 'preferences' from one pile to another makes the math and logic of the Australian voting system much clearer and more engaging.

What is a 'marginal seat'?

A marginal seat is an electorate where the previous election result was very close. These are the areas that political parties focus on most during an election because they are the most likely to change hands.

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