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Understanding Democracy

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Understanding Democracy

Read the Australian community story, then solve the questions. Use evidence from the story and your civics knowledge.

A community chooses

A coastal community is deciding how to improve its shared park. The council has money for one project: a drinking fountain, more shade trees or a basketball hoop. Residents can share their views at a meeting. A local councillor listens and takes those views to the council. The council discusses the options and votes on a plan. The decision must follow Australian laws, and the same laws apply to residents and leaders. People may disagree with the decision and speak about it peacefully. In Australia, citizens aged 18 or over must enrol and vote in federal elections. They elect representatives to make decisions in Parliament. The Australian Constitution provides a framework for how the federal government operates. Democracy does not mean that every person always gets their first choice; it means people have ways to participate and decisions are made under agreed rules.

Read the decision record

The meeting group used a simple vote to recommend one project. Each person chose one option.

Park project

Votes

Drinking fountain

Shade trees

Basketball hoop

Show what you know

1.Which option best explains democracy?

People have ways to take part in decisions, usually through elected representatives.
One leader makes every decision without limits.
Only people who agree with the government can take part.
The largest group can ignore all laws.

2.In the park story, what is the councillor’s role? Explain how this is an example of representation.

3.Use the decision record. Which project received the most votes, and how many votes did it receive?

4.True or false: Because shade trees won the vote, every resident must have preferred shade trees.

TrueFalse

5.Match each democratic idea to its best example. Write the letter beside each number.

1. Voting
2. Representation
3. Rule of law
4. Freedom of speech

B. A person chooses an option in an election
D. People peacefully express disagreement
C. A councillor carries community views to a council
A. Laws apply to residents and leaders

6.The Constitution is mentioned in the story. What does it help set out in Australia?

Important rules for how the federal system of government works
The winner of every local community vote
Rules for one park only
The personal opinions of each councillor

7.Which statement about federal elections in Australia is supported by the story?

Citizens aged 18 or over must enrol and vote.
Only councillors can vote.
Voting is optional for every adult citizen.
The Constitution chooses representatives directly.

8.Name two ways people in the story can participate in making a decision, besides being a councillor.

9.Imagine you preferred the basketball hoop, but the group recommended shade trees. Give one respectful, democratic way to respond and explain why it fits democracy.

10.The group’s votes add up to 20. How many votes went to projects other than shade trees? Show how you worked it out.

11.In one or two sentences, explain why democracy does not mean that everyone always gets their first choice.