module 2 - parliament of western australia...module 2: differences between rules & laws carol...

1Module - 2Module - 1

Module 2Differences between Rules & Laws

Aboriginal Student Workbook

Law Making in Western Australia

Civics and Citizenship - Upper Primary / Lower Secondary

Parliamentary Education Of ce - Parliament of Western Australia

2

Lawmaking in Western Australia

Module 2 Differences between

Rules & Laws • Our State Parliament • Our Bicameral Parliament

• Carol Martin’s story• Ernie Bridge’s story• Ben Wyatt’s story

Further information please contact:Parliamentary Education Office08 9222 7259Parliament HouseHarvest Terrace, Perth WA [email protected]

Artwork ‘Acceptance of loss’, 2004. Courtesy of Carol Martin.Reproduction of this publication in whole or part for educationalpurposes, within educational institutions and on condition it is not offered for sale, is permitted by the Parliament of Western Australia.

3

Module 2: Differences between Rules & Laws

1 What’s the difference between rules and laws?

2 Rules and laws both tell you

what you can and cannot do.

3 You can tell the difference between rules and laws if you know:

• Who made it?• Who has to follow it?• What happens if you break it?

4


Is the sentence in the box a rule, a law or both?

Wear a school uniformto school Don’t drive a car without

a WA Driver’s LicenceDon’t be late for school

You can vote when youare 18 years oldDon’t hit anyone

LawRule Both rule and law

5

So far we have seen that we are required to follow rules and laws in Western Australia. It is Members of the Western Australian Parliament

who are responsible for making these laws.

We have been fortunate enough to have some important Aboriginal Members of theParliament of Western Australia. One of the important aspects of an inclusive democracy is that we have the opportunity to hear from many different voices.

These Aboriginal Members of Parliament have brought with them, many differentlife experiences that have enriched our Parliament and provided unique cultural insightsthat have benefited all of Western Australia.

On the following pages we will learn about three of these important people and thecontributions they have made to our State.


Who can be a Member of Parliament?

To be a Member of the Parliament of Western Australia you must be:

• An Australian citizen

• Over the age of 18, and

• you must live in Western Australia.

6


Carol Martin b 1957

Carol Martin’s Story• A Yamatji and Noongar woman who grew up in Carnarvon and Perth.

• Joined Australian Labor Party in 1993.

• Represented the seat of Kimberley in the Legislative Assembly (Lower House) from

2001 until her retirement in 2013.

• Has a bachelor of arts degree in Social Work.

• After 1993, she worked with several organisations and projects in the Kimberley as

counsellor, consultant and trainer.

• An active artist with some works on display at Curtin University Centre for

Aboriginal Studies Board Room. Her artwork is also featured on this work book.

‘The first Aboriginal woman to be elected as a

Member of Parliament in Australia.’

7


Carol Martin’s Story

1. Parliament House in Perth, is the place where L are made in

Western Australia.

2. Carol Martin was the first Aboriginal woman to be e as a

M of P in Western A .

3. Carol, was the Member for K in the Legislative

A ____________________ at Parliament House from 2 to 2

Write the missing words to Carol’s Story below

2013 Parliament elected Australia Member represented Assembly

Kimberley Laws 2001

8


Ernie Bridge 1936 - 2013

Ernie Bridge’s Story• Born in Halls Creek.

• Elected to the seat of Kimberley in 1980; in that seat for 21 years.

• Joined the Australian Labor Party and then became an Independent in 1996.

• Made the Minister for Water Resources and became the first aboriginal

person in Australia to become a Cabinet Minister. He also became the Minister for

Aboriginal Affairs and Agriculture.

• Awarded Queen’s Silver Jubilee Medal for community service 1977

• Awarded Centenary of Federation Medal 2003

• In 1993, he received an OAM “in recognition of service to the WA Parliament and

to Aboriginal Affairs”.

• He was a talented musician where he recorded a number of albums of Australia

bush ballads.

• Won the Halls Creek Cup as a jockey in 1955.

‘The first Aboriginal person to be elected to the Parliament of Western Australia and the first

Aboriginal person in Australia to become a Cabinet Minister.’

9


Ben Sana Wyatt b 1974

Ben Wyatt’s Story• A proud Yamatji man from Meekatharra.

• Elected to the seat of Victoria Park in the Perth metropolitan area after the

resignation of the Premier, Hon Dr Geoff Gallop in 2006.

• Studied Arts and Law at the University of Western Australia with a law degree

completed in 1997.

• Undertook training at the Australian Army Reserves at the Royal Military

College, Duntroon.

• Recipient of a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship, with Masters (MSc) at the

London School of Economics and Political Science in 2000.

• Son of the late Cedric Morgan Wyatt, CEO Jigalong Community, who was the

state and federal public servant in Aboriginal Affairs.

• Nephew to Federal MP, Ken Wyatt, the first Aboriginal member of Federal

Parliament for the Liberal Party.

• Awarded Town of Victoria Park Young Australian of the Year 2001.

‘The first Aboriginal Treasurer in the

Parliament of Western Australia.’

10


Our State Parliament

‘The People’s House’Members of the Legislative Assembly are known as MLAs.Drafting Bills for four whole years is how they’ll spend their days.In the Legislative Council they’re known as MLCs.They check the bills up to three times before approving if they please

When each house approves the Bill, to the Governor it is sent.The Bill will then become an Act, once it has royal assentThe Governor represents the Queen in our state of WA.She will only pass the Bill as Law, when each house has had its say

The symbol of the Assembly is a heavy, golden mace.Carried by the Sergeant at Arms, before the Speaker takes their placeFor the Usher in the Council, a different path is trod.For they knock three times on the Assembly’s door, with their small black rod

This system’s called bicameral, meaning not one house but two. Our upper house is coloured red, our lower coloured blue.In the Assembly we have a Speaker who keeps order good and fair.In the Council we have a President who sits upon the chair

They are both a bit like umpires, their positions are protected. And if a member’s out of line, from the house they’ll be ejectedSo although there’s sometimes arguments and different points of viewThis historic Westminster system keeps it transparent and true

These laws they make affect us, every single day. Where you work or go to school or even where you play.How much we pay for power or riding on a bus.Don’t forget that parliament is there for all of us.

So every West Australian right across our stateYour future is in your own hands you decide your fateSo meet your local member and come to parliamentWe call this place the people’s house because it’s you they represent.

Read the poem ‘The People’s House’ below and answer the following questions.

11


Our State Parliament

Answer the following questions from ‘The People’s House’ poem.

What does MLA stand for?________________________________________________

What does MLC stand for?________________________________________________

How long is a parliamentary term in Western Australia?__________________________

Which house reviews proposed laws?________________________________________

How many houses need to approve a bill in order for it to become law?______________

Who is the Queen’s representative in Western Australia?__________________________

What is the symbol of the legislative Assembly?_______________________________

What is the term given to the person carrying the above symbol? __________________

___________________________________________________________________

What is the symbol of the Legislative Council?_________________________________

Who carries this symbolic object?__________________________________________

What does the term bicameral refer to?_____________________________________

The President sits in which house? ________________________________________

12


Our Bicameral ParliamentOur Parliament House has two rooms for making laws.

It is a bicameral (a two chamber) Parliament.

Parliament House Perth, Western Australia.

The blue room is the Legislative AssemblyThe red room is the Legislative Council

The Meeting Places for Making Laws in Parliament House

Parliament House in Perth is where laws are made by Members of Parliament for Western Australia.

13


The Legislative Council (red room)

There are 6 electoral regions

in Western Australia.

There are 36 Members of the

Legislative Council.

Your electoral region is where

you live and where your parents

and Australians 18 years and over, are

enrolled to vote in a state election.

14



Find ONE of your local Members of the Legislative Council (MLC) on the Parliament of Western Australia website www.parliament.wa.gov.au and click on ‘Find Local Member’

located on the right hand panel to answer the following questions.

1 The electoral region I live in is

2 One of my local Members of the Legislative Council is

3 My Member’s political party is

4 My Member of the Legislative Council is in:

(tick one) Government Opposition

5 My Member was elected in (year)

6 My Member was born on , place

7 There are Members in the Legislative Council.

15



5 Ministers

6 Shadow Ministers

7 Clerk of the Legislative Council

8 Black Rod

1 President

2 Members of the Legislative Council

3 Leader of the House

4 Leader of the Opposition

1

2

3 4

5 6

87

OppositionGovernment

16


The Legislative Council (red room)Match the title to the definition using the numbers below.

Number Word List

1 President

Leader of the House

Minister

Leader of the Opposition

Black Rod

Clerk

Usher of the Black Rod

Opposition

Members of the Legislative Council

1 The Member who is elected by the Legislative Council as the Presiding Officer.

2 The symbol of the authority of the President in the Legislative Council.

3 The party which works to oppose what it believes to be wrong in Government policies and actions.

4 The leader of the party with the second most seats.

5 The person who leads the Government in the Legislative Council.

6 There is a total of 36 of these in the Legislative Council.

7 A Member of Parliament who is in charge of a Government department and sits on the front bench. e.g for Health.

8 An officer of the Legislative Council who carries the Black Rod.

9 An officer of the Legislative Council who provides advice to the President.

17


The Legislative Assembly (blue room)

There are 59 electoral districts

in Western Australia.

There are 59 Members of the

Legislative Assembly.

Your electorate is the district where

you live and where your parents

and Australians 18 years and over, are

enrolled to vote in a state election.

18



Find your local Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) on the Parliament of Western Australia website www.parliament.wa.gov.au and click on ‘Find Local Member’

located on the right hand panel to answer the following questions.

1 The electoral district I live in is

2 My Member of the Legislative Assembly is

3 My Member’s political party is

4 My Member of the Legislative Assembly is in:

(tick one) Government Opposition

5 My Member was elected in (year)

6 My Member was born on , place

7 There are Members in the Legislative Assembly.

19



5 Ministers

6 Shadow Ministers

7 Clerk of the Legislative Assembly

8 Mace

1 Speaker

2 Members of the Legislative Assembly

3 Premier

4 Leader of the Opposition

1

2

3 4

5 6

8

7

OppositionGovernment

20


The Legislative Assembly (blue room)Match the title to the definition using the numbers below.

Number Word List

5 Speaker

Premier

Minister

Leader of the Opposition

Clerk

Mace

Sergeant-at-Arms

Opposition

Members of the Legislative Assembly

1 The Leader of the State Government.

2 The symbol of the authority of the Speaker in the Legislative Assembly.

3 A Member of Parliament who is in charge of a Government department and sits on the front bench. e.g for Education.

4 The leader of the party with the second most seats.

5 The Member who is elected by the Legislative Assembly as the Presiding Officer.

6 The party which works to oppose what it believes to be wrong in Government policies and actions.

7 An officer of the Legislative Assembly who carries the Mace.

8 An officer of the Legislative Assembly who provides advice to the Speaker.

9 There is a total of 59 of these in the Legislative Assembly.

21


21

Find the word - from the list below

Student Name_______________________ School____________________________

module 2 - parliament of western australia...module 2: differences between rules & laws carol...

Documents