Glossary: government and voting

The yarn

• Constitution — the supreme law of Australia by which the government must abide.
• Constitutional monarchy — a country in which a king or queen is the head of state, whose powers are limited by the Constitution.
• Democracy — government by the people through elected representatives.
• Parliamentary democracy — a system of government based on the regular election of representatives to parliament by the citizens.
• Referendum — a vote by all voters on a proposed change to the Australian Constitution.
• Election — a process through which citizens choose people to represent them in Parliament.
• Electoral roll — the list of people registered to vote in an election or referendum.
• Electorate — districts made up of voters who vote to elect politicians in the House of Representatives.
• Secret ballot — a system of voting where people vote privately, so no one can influence or pressure them.
• Legislative power — the power and authority to make and change the laws.
• Executive power — the power and authority to administer the laws.
• Judicial power — the power and authority to interpret and apply the laws.
• Coalition — the joining of 2 or more political parties, usually to form a government or opposition.
• Political party — a group of people who share similar ideas about how a country should be governed and usually seek to be elected.
• Representative — a person who acts or speaks for others.
• Commission — a group of people with an official responsibility.
• Shire — a local government area.