Democracy – Representative democracy
Australia is a representative democracy, meaning citizens elect politicians to make decisions and govern on their behalf.
Federal system – federal, state, local governments
Power is divided across three levels—federal, state, and local—so responsibilities are shared and better suited to different regional needs.
Federal parliament – bicameral
Australia’s national parliament has two houses (bicameral): the House of Representatives, which represents population, and the Senate, which represents states.
Free and fair elections
Australian democracy relies on free, fair, and regular elections, ensuring citizens can choose their leaders without corruption or intimidation.
Protect individual rights and freedoms
A core principle is safeguarding freedoms such as speech, religion, and association so citizens can participate fully in society.
Laws reflect views and values of the people
Laws should be made in line with public expectations and community values, ensuring the government acts in the people’s interests.
Accountable to the people
Governments must explain their decisions, face elections, and operate transparently so the public can hold them responsible.
Separation of powers
Power is divided between three branches so no group has unchecked control, helping maintain fairness and prevent abuse.
Separation of Powers (SOP)
Power is divided between three branches so no group has unchecked control, helping maintain fairness and prevent abuse.
Role of each branch
The legislative makes laws, the executive enforces laws, and the judiciary interprets and applies laws in courts.
Composition of each branch
The legislative branch includes parliament; the executive includes the Prime Minister, Cabinet, and government departments; and the judiciary consists of courts and judges.
Importance of SOP
Separating power prevents any single branch from becoming too powerful and helps maintain a stable, fair democracy.
Checks and balances
Each branch can limit or ‘check’ the others to stop misuse of authority and ensure decisions follow the law.
How each branch acts as a check
Parliament oversees the executive, courts review the legality of actions, and the executive implements laws under parliament’s authority, creating a balanced system.
Indonesia vs Australia
Key features of Indonesia’s system of government: Indonesia is a democratic republic with a president as head of state and government, a multi-party system, and a national parliament called the MPR and DPR.
System of Government (comparison)
Both are democracies, but Australia is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system, while Indonesia is a republic with a presidential system.
Three Levels of Government (comparison)
Both countries have national, regional (state/province), and local governments, though Indonesia’s provinces have more centralised control.
Structure of National Parliament (comparison)
Australia has a bicameral parliament (House + Senate), whereas Indonesia has the DPR (lower house) and DPD (upper house), plus the MPR, which combines both.
Separation of Powers (comparison)
Both nations separate legislative, executive, and judicial powers, but Indonesia’s president is directly elected and more independent from parliament than Australia’s PM.
Elections (comparison)
Both hold regular, free elections, but Indonesia uses direct presidential elections, while Australia votes for parties and representatives who then choose the Prime Minister.
