How Australia's government works quiz

All 10 questions and answers

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1. What are the two houses of the federal Parliament?
   • The House of Representatives and the Senate
   • The Lower House and the Cabinet
   • The Assembly and the Council
   • The Senate and the High Court
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   The House of Representatives and the Senate. Both houses must pass a bill for it to become law.

2. How many senators represent each state?
   • 20
   • 6
   • 10
   • 12
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   12. The ACT and NT have two senators each.

3. Is voting compulsory in federal elections for adult citizens?
   • Only for over-25s
   • No
   • Only in some states
   • Yes
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   Yes. Enrolment and voting have been compulsory federally since 1924.

4. Who represents the King in Australia?
   • The Prime Minister
   • The Chief Justice
   • The Governor-General
   • The Speaker
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   The Governor-General. Each state also has a Governor.

5. Which court interprets the Australian Constitution?
   • The High Court of Australia
   • The Federal Court
   • The Family Court
   • The Supreme Court of NSW
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   The High Court of Australia. The High Court sits in Canberra.

6. What type of voting is used for the House of Representatives?
   • Electoral college
   • First past the post
   • Preferential voting
   • Proportional only
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   Preferential voting. Voters number candidates in order of preference.

7. What happened at the 1999 referendum on becoming a republic?
   • It was cancelled
   • It passed narrowly
   • It was defeated
   • It passed in all states
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   It was defeated. Australia remains a constitutional monarchy.

8. Who runs federal elections?
   • The Senate
   • Each political party
   • The Australian Electoral Commission
   • The Governor-General
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   The Australian Electoral Commission. The AEC is independent.

9. What is the maximum term of the House of Representatives?
   • Five years
   • Three years
   • Two years
   • Four years
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   Three years. Senators usually serve six-year terms.

10. When did the current Parliament House in Canberra open?
    • 1927
    • 1901
    • 1966
    • 1988
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    1988. It replaced Old Parliament House in Australia's bicentennial year.