Australia's Constitution: Purpose and Value

Understanding Our Foundation Document Year 7 Civics and Citizenship

What Do You Know About Rules?

Think about the rules in your school What happens when there are no rules? Who makes the rules and why?

What is a Constitution?

A set of fundamental rules for a country Establishes how government works Defines the rights and responsibilities of citizens Cannot be easily changed

Timeline: Australia's Path to Federation

Key Features of Australia's Constitution

Divides power between federal and state governments Establishes three branches of government Creates the High Court of Australia Protects some individual rights

Federal vs State Powers

{"left":"Defense and foreign affairs\nCurrency and banking\nImmigration\nTrade between states","right":"Education\nHealth services\nPolice\nPublic transport"}

Constitution Detective

Work in pairs to match these scenarios to the correct level of government: Building a new school Declaring war Setting speed limits Creating Australian currency

Why is the Constitution Valuable?

Provides stability and certainty Protects against abuse of power Ensures fair representation Allows peaceful change through referendums

Constitutional Protection

"The Constitution is the supreme law of Australia. It cannot be changed except by the people through a referendum."

The Constitution in Your Life

Your right to vote when you turn 18 Free movement between states Fair trial in court Protection from discrimination based on state of origin