Australian Senate

High school (ages 12+)
People & Society

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/australian-senate

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the constitutional basis?Chapter I of the Australian Constitution
2. What is the state senatorial quota?12 senators per state, regardless of population
3. What is the Australian Senate and why is it important?The Senate is the upper house of Australia's Parliament. It talks about and checks laws to make sure they are fair for all states.
4. How are senators chosen and how many are there?Each of the six states elects 12 senators, and the two territories elect 2 each. Senators are chosen by a voting system that lets many voices be heard.

Bicameral Legislature: A legislative body composed of two chambers or houses, such as the Australian Parliament.
Proportional Representation: An electoral system where the number of seats a party wins is proportional to the votes it receives.
Money Bills: Legislation specifically related to government revenue, taxation, and appropriation of funds.
Double Dissolution: A constitutional mechanism allowing the Governor-General to dissolve both houses of Parliament simultaneously to resolve legislative deadlock.