Direct Democracy Explained

Types of Democracies

• Democracies are categorized into direct democracies and representative democracies.
• Direct democracies empower citizens to make laws and govern themselves without elected representatives.
• In direct democracies, all qualified citizens can participate in the legislature and vote on laws.

Historical Context

• Ancient Athens is recognized as the birthplace of direct democracy.
• The law-making assembly in Athens was called the Ekklesia, where every citizen had membership without elections.

Representative Democracies

• Representative democracies allow citizens to elect representatives who govern and create laws on their behalf.
• Not all citizens engage directly in the legislative process; a smaller elected group represents them.
• The system necessitates an electoral framework to select representatives.

Australia's Electoral System

• Australia functions as a representative democracy established since federation.
• The country has used electoral systems for selecting representatives from its pre-federation colonies.
• Australia's electoral history dates back to 1856, with significant advancements in electoral practices.

Electoral Innovations

• Australia introduced the secret ballot, known internationally as the 'Australian ballot,' enhancing electoral privacy and integrity.
• Globally, emerging democracies often seek assistance from the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) for conducting elections.

Structure of the Commonwealth Parliament

• Citizens directly elect members of the Commonwealth Parliament; however, they do not directly elect the Prime Minister or Cabinet.
• Government is formed by the party with majority support in the lower house, with its leader as Prime Minister.
• Parliament is limited to a maximum three-year term as per the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900.

State and Territory Elections

• Elections for state and territory parliaments occur while each has its laws for elections.
• Western Australia has a fixed four-year parliamentary term and government formation follows Westminster conventions.

Parliamentary Representation

• The Commonwealth Parliament is a bicameral body, with both houses elected directly by the people.
• Section 24 of the Constitution mandates that members of the House of Representatives serve a maximum three-year term.
• Representation in the House is proportional to each state’s population, with New South Wales having the most electorates and Tasmania the least.

Senate Specifications

• Section 7 of the Constitution defines Senators' six-year terms, with half of the Senate up for election every three years.
• Senators provide representation across all states, balancing the interests of both smaller and larger populations.

This quiz explores the fundamentals of direct democracy, contrasting it with representative democracy. Learn about the historical context of direct democracy, particularly its origins in Ancient Athens, and understand the mechanisms that allow citizens to participate directly in the legislative process.