The Representative Democracy of Australia - 1971 Words

Australian government takes the form of a representative democracy. Encompassing a political system which allows eligible citizens to vote to elect candidates to govern the nation on their behalf. In conjunction, there are numerous principles Australians consider democracy must embody, if the nation is to be considered a democracy at all. At the heart of Australian democracy are the core defining values of: freedom of election and being elected; freedom of assembly and political participation; freedom of speech, expression and religious belief; the rule of law; and other basic human rights. Such as those proposed by The Honourable Aharon Barak, President of the Supreme Court of Israel, who having noted that all democracies share common characteristics, suggested these included public safety and security, the democratic values of the State and its very existence. The premise of terrorism has expedited the initiation of integral changes to the legal system, reducing the rule of law and eroding established civil liberties and legal protections. The counter-terrorism measures introduced in Australia confer a power to compel submission to interrogation, a power to detain and interrogate without charge, and a power of preventative detention. In doing so these laws jeopardise the rule of law, expand executive power, diminish existing rights, endanger the separation of powers, and undermine judicial procedures. Further the legislative definition of ‘terrorism’ provides for theShow MoreRelated‘We must recognize that representative democracy has failed, both politically and judicially as1500 Words   |  6 Pages‘We must recognize that representative democracy has failed, both politically and judicially as well as socially. As a consequence, we must return to the fundamental meaning of ‘democracy,’ the power of the demos to govern itself. Just as the dictatorship of the proletariat rapidly became the dictatorship over the proletariat, so modern democracy quickly became a power exercised over the demos. In reality the people have no power. They neither make the laws no govern.’ – Jacque Ellul (1992)Read MoreAustralia s Constitutional Democracy And The Federal System1750 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout this essay, a comparison of both Australia’s constitutional democracy and the federal republic system in the United States will take place. Australia and the United States are both a part of the federal system. Within the federal system, the national and state governments divide the power in order to govern (Parliamentary Education Office, 2016). Both Australia and the United States have two chambers, the House of Representatives and the Senate. Parliament Education office, (2016) states thatRead MoreAustralia s Parliamentary Democracy And If It Is Effective1287 Words   |  6 PagesAustralia, a country with a population of more than 22 million has quite the complex governmental system. Australia is known as a federation, a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy all in one. As a result, Australia has a queen, who resides in the United Kingdom, but is represented by a Governor-General in Australia. Following, a Prime Minister governs the country. In addition, there is a two-chamber Commonwealth Parliament that makes the laws. This diverse government is often referredRead More10 Ways e-Voting Could Save or Destroy Democracy1000 Words   |  4 PagesDemocracy As applied to the newspaper article: 10 ways e-voting could save or destroy democracy http://www.smh.com.au/it-pro/government-it/10-ways-evoting-could-save-or-destroy-democracy-20140425-zqxni.html First appearing in the Sydney Morning Herald, 25th April Democracy As applied to the newspaper article: 10 ways e-voting could save or destroy democracy Australia, in its relatively short history has always had an emphasis on social, personal and political freedoms – andRead MoreThe Importance Of Voting For A Candidate For Office1667 Words   |  7 Pagesgovernment. Every Australian citizen who is aged 18 years or more can vote in a federal election if validly enrolled and not disqualified from voting. Political participation is the basis of democracy and a vital part of the ‘right to vote’. Australia’s constitution has framed the progressive democracy Australia has become, however there is debate on the derivation of this right to vote and on the extent of the protection of that right. The right is not constitutional at all, instead being governedRead MoreInfluence of Compulsory Voting1626 Words   |  7 PagesThe Idea of Compulsory Voting After Australia, Singapore, and Switzerland implemented compulsory voting and the turnout of voters grew, other democratic countries began wondering if the idea should be implemented globally. Research began on how this implementation affected countries with compulsory voting in place and how it would affect other countries such as Canada (Twomey, 2013). The idea that Canada, or another similarly democratic country, should pass a policy of compulsory voting would beRead MoreAustralia1012 Words   |  5 Pagesalways dreamed of visiting and living is Australia. Whenever I see Australia on TV everything looks beautiful. The people seem very friendly and warm. Culturally it seems like a good fit for me because the people are pretty easy going and so am I. The country is made up very similar to us in its people according to http://www.indexmundi.com/ a few positives for me is that the infant mortality rate is lower and the life expectancy is a little higher in Australia. One big note is the obesity rate isRead MoreThe Legal Constitution Of Australia Essay1318 Words   |  6 PagesINTRODUCTION The legal constitution of Australia was developed by the multiple principles of the British and the United States of America1. However, a major factor that was eliminated from these principles was the notion of the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights main purpose is to affirm, protect, promote human rights and fundamental freedoms1. Australia does not have a Bill of Rights, since it has been ascertained that the citizens of Australia are protected by common law and legislation2. It isRead MoreAustralia And The United States1261 Words   |  6 PagesAustralia and the United States of America are two modern, democratic, English-speaking countries both initially settled by the British. Captain James Cook led a fleet of settlers and convicts into the Botany Bay in Australia in 1788. The United States declared its Independence in 1776, and fought a war with the British to obtain that independence. Australia began with a central government, then the states came about and, lastly, local gov ernments came into being (Australia.gov.au, 2014). It wasRead MoreMajor Issues in the High Court Review 2006931 Words   |  4 Pageshospitals this could mean a poisoned chalice. Democracy always has political participation; this means it involves, electing and rejecting leaders, influencing important decisions by voting, continuous influence on the decision – making process, direct participation in decision making and accountability of government to the citizens is a key notion. There are three notions in democracy and they are; direct, classical and participatory/deliberative. Direct democracy means it is more an attitude/way of life