Citizenship Practice Test 17: King, Governor-General, Premier & Chief Minister Questions

View All Questions and Answers for Citizenship Practice Test 17

Question 1: What is the form of the Australian government?

Answer: Australia operates as a representative democracy and a constitutional monarchy. It is also a federation of states. The head of state of Australia is the country's king, but according to the constitution, the Governor-General represents the king. On the advice of the Australian Prime Minister, the king appoints the Governor-General as his representative in Australia. Thus, the Governor-General represents the King of Australia and performs constitutional and ceremonial duties on his behalf.

Question 2: Who is the Head of State?

Answer: The head of state of Australia is the king of that country, but, according to the constitution, the Governor-General represents the King of Australia. The king does not participate in the day-to-day rule of the Australian government. Currently, 'His Majesty King Charles III' is the head of state of Australia.

Question 3: What role does the Governor-General play?

Answer: The Governor-General represents the king in Australia. Since the king does not live in Australia, his powers are delegated to the Governor-General under the constitution. The Governor-General performs constitutional and ceremonial duties on his behalf as a representative of the king. He is independent of all political parties, acts impartially, discharges constitutional duties and responsibilities fairly and justly, and remains neutral. The Governor-General determines the number of government departments, appoints and removes the bureaucracy, and appoints judges to the Commonwealth courts.

Question 4: Which political tradition influences Australia's parliamentary democracy?

Answer: Australia has created a unique parliamentary democracy by combining the traditions of Britain and North America. These two countries have influenced Australia's democracy in many ways: 1) The Australian Parliament is sometimes referred to as the 'Wash-Minister' model, a combination of British and US systems. 2) The division of powers between the Parliament, the Executive, and the Judiciary follows the British model. 3) Australia's federal structure is influenced by the US model. 4) Australia established a constitutional monarchy, represented locally by the Governor-General, to reflect the British Emperor.

Question 5: Who is the head of the Australian government?

Answer: The Prime Minister is the head of the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia. The Prime Minister is the president of the Australian Cabinet and the head of the Federal Executive Council. According to the principles of responsible government, the Prime Minister is responsible to the Commonwealth Parliament. The leader of the majority party or the leader of the coalition party, as Prime Minister, is officially appointed by the Australian Governor-General. Currently, the Prime Minister of Australia is Anthony Albanese. He took over as Prime Minister on 23 May 2022.

Question 6: How should the head of state behave in a constitutional monarchy?

Answer: Australia is a country with a constitutional monarchy. This means that while the head of state of Australia is the king, the governor-general represents him as the king's representative. The king appoints the governor-general as his representative on the advice of the Prime Minister. Since the king does not live in Australia, according to the constitution, his powers are delegated to the governor-general. The king does not have the opportunity to participate in day-to-day government administration.

Question 7: What is the role of the Governor-General in Australia's system?

Answer: The Governor-General represents the king in Australia. Since the king does not live in Australia, his powers are delegated to the Governor-General under the constitution. All bills passed by Parliament become official laws through the Governor-General's 'Royal Assent'. The Governor-General is independent of the government, Parliament, and all political parties, acting impartially and discharging constitutional duties and responsibilities fairly and equitably.

Question 8: Which of the following is a ceremonial duty of the Governor-General?

Answer: The Governor-General promotes and represents matters that unite Australia as a nation, signifying unity and continuity in Australian governance alongside constitutional roles. As Chancellor of the Order of Australia, awards are approved each year in recognition of the service and contributions of outstanding Australians through the 'Australian Honours and Awards System'. Other ceremonial duties include: 1) hosting heads of state and other prominent visitors to Australia, and 2) receiving the credentials of newly appointed ambassadors and high commissioners in Australia.

Question 9: Who approves the appointment of federal judges?

Answer: Judges of the Federal Court are appointed by the Australian Governor-General's Commission. To be appointed as a federal court judge, the following qualifications must be met: 1) The candidate must be a judge in a designated court or state court. 2) The candidate must have been registered as a legal practitioner in the High Court or Supreme Court of a State or Territory for at least five years. Similarly, all judges must retire at the age of 70 years.

Question 10: What is the role of the Governor-General in federal elections?

Answer: Only the Australian Governor-General has the power to initiate the federal election process. Federal elections allow Australians to vote for representatives in the Senate and House of Representatives in parliament. This process is essential for democratic governance. The Australian Electoral Commission administers the election process. It is mandatory for Australian citizens aged 18 years and over to register and vote.

Question 11: Who acts as the Commander-in-Chief of the Australian Defence Force?

Answer: The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is a military organization responsible for defending the Commonwealth of Australia and its national interests. The Commander-in-Chief is the Australian Governor-General. It has three branches: 1) the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), 2) the Australian Army, and 3) the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The headquarters of the ADF is in Canberra, ACT, and is part of the Australian Defense Organization.

Question 12: What are the Governor-General's 'Reserve Powers'?

Answer: The reserve powers of the Governor-General are very special powers. The Governor-General uses these only during a constitutional crisis and in certain specific situations. The most important reserve powers of the Governor-General are:

• A) The power to appoint a Prime Minister if there is no clear result in the federal elections.
• B) The power to remove the Prime Minister if he loses the support of a majority in the House of Representatives.
• C) The power to remove the Prime Minister or a Minister if they violate the law.
• D) The power to reject a request made by the Prime Minister to call elections.

Question 13: Is the Governor-General part of the Australian government?

Answer: The Governor-General of Australia is not part of the government. He represents the constitutional monarchy as the King's representative in Australia. Since the King does not live in Australia, his powers are delegated to the Governor-General under the Constitution. The Governor-General is independent of all political parties, parliament, and the government, and acts impartially. He is also neutral while performing constitutional and customary duties.

Question 14: Who provides the 'Royal Assent' for Bills?

Answer: The 'Royal Assent' is the process by which the Governor-General formally approves bills passed by the Australian Parliament. This means the bills passed by the Australian Parliament become legally official laws upon the Governor-General's Royal Assent. The Governor-General gives Royal Assent to the bill by signing two copies of it. Only in rare cases does the bill receive Royal Assent from the King.

Question 15: Who approves the appointment of Australian Government ministers?

Answer: The Australian Governor-General appoints the leader of the majority party or the leader of the coalition party in parliament as Prime Minister as part of the government structure. Candidates selected by the Prime Minister are appointed as ministers after the approval of the Governor-General. If the Prime Minister decides to appoint a person not recommended by the nomination panel as a minister, the Prime Minister will consult with the leader of the opposition about the proposed appointment. The appointment will then be made after the approval of the Governor-General.

Question 16: What does the Governor-General do in their role as Commander-in-Chief?

Answer: The Governor-General acts as the Commander-in-Chief of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and is a symbol of military leadership. In Australia, the Governor-General's role as Commander-in-Chief includes appointing chiefs of the Defence Force and service chiefs, appointing officers, and providing honours to military units. The Governor-General also performs ceremonial duties such as visiting military bases, presenting colours to units, and attending memorial functions.

Question 17: Can the Governor-General 'Veto' laws?

Answer: The 'Royal Assent' is the process by which the Governor-General formally approves bills passed by the Australian Parliament. This means the bills passed by the Australian Parliament become legally official laws through the Governor-General's Royal Assent. However, the Governor-General has no power to 'veto' bills passed by Parliament. The Governor-General gives Royal Assent to the bill by signing two copies of it. Only in rare cases does the bill receive Royal Assent from the King.

Question 18: Who represents the Head of State in each Australian state?

Answer: In each Australian state, the governors of the respective states represent the King, who is the head of state of Australia. The role of the governors at the state level is equal to that of the Governor-General at the national level. Governors perform constitutional and customary duties at the state level. They also perform similar duties, such as upholding constitutional obligations and representing the monarchy.

Question 19: Who is the leader of the state government?

Answer: The 'Premier' acts as the head of the Australian state government. They are responsible for implementing government policies and laws in the state. The Premier appoints ministers to their cabinet and allocates portfolios to them. The Premier is an elected member of parliament, chosen by other members of their party to lead them in the government. The Premier represents their state as a member of the national cabinet.

Question 20: Who is the leader of the territorial government?

Answer: The chief minister is the head of a territory government in Australia. He oversees the administration of the territory and implements local policies. This role involves driving the public sector and working with the community to achieve positive results. The responsibilities of the Chief Minister are: monitoring or coordinating the main government strategies, strengthening the cabinet and executive processes, coordinating regional government policy and activities, and managing security, emergency response, restoration, and social policy.