Australian Citizenship Test flashcards

Canberra is in the Australian Capital Territory and is home to Parliament House.

Black represents the people, red the earth and yellow the sun.

It marks the arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove in 1788.

Anzac Day is named after the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps that landed at Gallipoli in 1915.

The states are New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania.

They are the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory.

Sydney is Australia's largest city.

Melbourne was the seat of the federal Parliament until 1927.

Brisbane is on the Brisbane River in south-east Queensland.

Darwin is on the Timor Sea in the far north.

The golden wattle's green and gold are Australia's national colours.

Advance Australia Fair became the national anthem in 1984.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are Australia's first inhabitants and have the oldest continuous cultures and traditions in the world.

Torres Strait Islander people are from the islands between the northern tip of Queensland and Papua New Guinea.

Archaeological evidence suggests that Aboriginal people arrived on the Australian continent between 65,000 and 40,000 years ago.

The First Fleet was a group of 11 ships that set out from Great Britain under Captain Arthur Phillip and arrived in 1788.

Captain Arthur Phillip led the First Fleet and became the first Governor of the colony of New South Wales.

Britain's jails were overcrowded and could not hold the large number of people imprisoned for their crimes, so convicts were transported to the new colony of New South Wales.

Gold was discovered in New South Wales and Victoria in 1851, attracting people from all over the world and more than doubling Australia's population within 10 years.

During the gold rush, Chinese migrants became the first large group of non-European people to migrate to Australia.

At Federation in 1901, Australia's population was about four million. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples were not counted until after the 1967 Referendum.

In the 1967 Referendum more than 90 per cent of voters said Yes to counting Aboriginal peoples in the national Census.

Australia is a multicultural society. People from more than 200 countries have made Australia their home.

Perth is the capital city of Western Australia, the largest Australian state by area.

Adelaide is the capital of South Australia and is known for its fine colonial architecture.

Hobart is the capital of Tasmania, Australia's island state.

Western Australia is Australia's largest state. Its east is mostly desert, while the south-west is an agricultural and wine-growing region.

Tasmania is the smallest state and Australia's island state. It is separated from the mainland by Bass Strait.

Victoria is the smallest of the mainland states. Its icons include the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the 12 Apostles and the Royal Exhibition Building.

The Great Barrier Reef runs along the eastern coast of Queensland.

Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon are icons of the Northern Territory, which has a tropical north and dry red desert in the south.

The Australian Capital Territory is located between Sydney and Melbourne and is home to Canberra, Parliament House and the High Court of Australia.

A Welcome to Country is a cultural practice performed by an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander custodian of the local region, usually at the start of an event.

Anyone can deliver an Acknowledgement of Country. It recognises Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander land and pays respect to Traditional Custodians, particularly Elders past and present.

Anzac stands for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, which landed at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915 during World War I.

The Union Jack in the top left corner represents Australia's history of British settlement and the laws and institutions inherited from it.

The Commonwealth Star has seven points: one for each of the six states and one for the territories.

The Torres Strait Islander Flag is green, blue, black and white. The green stripes represent the land and the blue panel represents the sea.

On the Australian Aboriginal Flag, the yellow circle represents the sun, the black top half represents Aboriginal peoples and the red bottom half represents the earth.

The Commonwealth Coat of Arms shows a shield representing the six states and federation, supported by a kangaroo and an emu, both native Australian animals.

Australia's national colours are green and gold, the colours of the golden wattle. National sports teams usually wear green and gold.

The opal is Australia's national gemstone. According to Aboriginal legend, a rainbow touched the earth and created the colours of the opal.

Enrolling and voting are compulsory for adult citizens in federal and state elections and referendums.

Everyone is treated equally by the law, whatever their background, wealth or position.

Australia is a parliamentary democracy. Government power comes from the people, who vote for representatives who must answer to voters through elections.

The rule of law means all Australians are equal under the law. No person, group or religious rule is above the law, including leaders, business people and police.

Australians believe change should come through discussion, peaceful persuasion and the democratic process, and reject violence as a way to change people's minds or the law.

Freedom of speech means people can say, write and discuss their views, criticise the government, protest peacefully and campaign to change laws, provided they obey the law.

Freedom of association means people may join any legal organisation, such as a political party, trade union or religious group, and may also choose not to join; they cannot be forced to.

Australia's government is secular, operating separately from churches and other religious entities. Australia has no official national religion.

Australia has no official national religion. People are free to follow any religion or none, and the government treats everyone equally regardless of religion.

Australians value equality of opportunity and a 'fair go': what someone achieves should result from their talents, work and effort rather than wealth or background. There are no formal class distinctions.

Responsibilities of citizenship include obeying the law, voting in elections and referendums, defending Australia should the need arise, and serving on a jury if called to do so.

Citizens have a responsibility to defend Australia should the need arise, but service in the Australian Defence Force is voluntary.

Australian citizens aged 18 years or over must enrol to vote in federal, state and territory elections and in referendums.

Privileges of citizenship include applying for work in the Australian Public Service or the Australian Defence Force, seeking election to parliament and applying for an Australian passport.

Australian citizens can seek election to parliament if they are aged 18 or over and are not a dual citizen.

Australian citizens can apply for an Australian passport and re-enter Australia freely without needing a visa.

Citizens can seek consular assistance from Australian officials overseas, but they must still obey the laws of the country they are in.

A privilege of citizenship is the ability to apply for children born overseas to become Australian citizens by descent.

People may protest against the government, but protests must be peaceful and must not injure any person or damage property.

Jury service is a responsibility of Australian citizens aged 18 or over who are on the electoral roll.

Voting is compulsory in federal, state and territory elections and referendums, but it may not be compulsory in local government elections in some states.

Men and women have equal rights in Australia and it is unlawful to discriminate against a person because of their gender.

Australia is a constitutional monarchy.

The Commonwealth of Australia was created on 1 January 1901.

Members of both houses are elected by the people.

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) is a Commonwealth agency that runs federal elections and referendums and maintains the Commonwealth electoral roll.

Voting in Australia is by secret ballot, so no one can know how you voted unless you choose to tell them.

Before 1901, Australia was six separate, self-governing British colonies, each with its own constitution and laws on defence, immigration, postage, trade and transport.

The Australian Constitution came into effect on 1 January 1901, when the colonies united to form the Commonwealth of Australia.

The Constitution can only be changed if the Australian people vote for the change in a referendum, which requires a 'double majority'.

A referendum succeeds only with a double majority: a majority of voters in a majority of states, and a majority of voters across the nation.

The Constitution divides power between the legislative (Parliament), executive (Prime Minister, ministers and Governor-General) and judicial (courts) arms so no one group holds all power.

The Constitution established the High Court of Australia, which has the ultimate power to apply and interpret the law.

Australia is a constitutional monarchy: the King is Head of State but must act in accordance with the Australian Constitution.

Because the King lives outside Australia, his powers are delegated to the Governor-General, who acts independently of all political parties.

After both houses of Parliament pass a Bill, the Governor-General gives Royal Assent by signing it, and the Bill becomes law.

Each state has a Governor who represents the King and performs a role similar to that of the Governor-General.

The Australian Government is responsible for matters such as immigration and citizenship, defence, taxation, foreign affairs, social security and trade.

State and territory governments are primarily responsible for hospitals and health services, schools, roads and railways, police and ambulance services, and public transport.

The Senate is also called the Upper House, the House of Review or the States' House, because each state is equally represented regardless of population.

The Senate has 76 senators: 12 for each state and 2 each for the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory.

Each state is equally represented in the Senate with 12 senators, regardless of its size or population.

The party or coalition with a majority in the House of Representatives forms the Government and its leader becomes the Prime Minister.

The leader of a state government is the Premier, while the leader of a territory government is the Chief Minister.

Local areas are governed by councils made up of elected councillors. The leader of a council is called the Mayor or Shire President.

A member of Parliament proposes a new law or change as a Bill. Both houses debate and vote on it, and it becomes law after the Governor-General gives Royal Assent.

A jury of ordinary citizens decides whether the accused is guilty or innocent, and the judge explains the law and decides the penalty if the person is found guilty.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) investigates federal crimes, including drug trafficking, crimes against national security and environmental crimes, and polices the ACT.

Under Australian law, people are considered innocent until a court finds them guilty, and every person has the right to be represented by a lawyer.

Bribing a police officer is a serious crime in Australia, and even offering a bribe is itself a crime.

Values question: disagreements are settled peacefully and through the law.

Values question: equality of men and women is a core Australian value.

Values question: Australia has freedom of religion and no official state religion.

Values question: everyone in Australia must obey Australian laws.

Values question: Australians believe in equal opportunity and reject discrimination.

Religious laws have no legal status in Australia. Australian law must be followed by everyone, including where it differs from religious laws.

Polygamy, being married to more than one person at the same time, is against the law in Australia and can result in severe penalties including imprisonment.

Forced marriage is against the law in Australia and can result in severe legal penalties, including imprisonment. Individuals make their own choices about marriage.

Under Australian law, two people can marry each other, including marriage between two men or two women.

In Australia it is a right for a woman to get a job ahead of a man if she has better qualifications and skills. Men and women have equal access to education and employment.

Divorce is acceptable in Australia. Either a husband or a wife may apply to the courts for a divorce, even if the other person wishes to stay married.

Violence against a spouse or partner is never acceptable in Australia and is a criminal offence. Domestic and family violence, including controlling behaviour, is illegal.

English is the national language and a unifying element of society. People living in Australia should make an effort to learn English, which helps with education, work and integration.

Applicants for Australian citizenship must undertake to make reasonable efforts to learn the English language, which is the national language of Australia.

Australians value 'mateship': helping one another in hard times, such as caring for neighbours or visiting people who are lonely. It underpins a strong tradition of volunteering.

Racism has no place in Australia. This includes racially abusive comments in a public place or at a sporting event, and racially offensive material online.

There are very strict laws on the age of sexual consent, which is 16 or 17 depending on the state or territory. Sexual relations with a much younger person are illegal everywhere.

Loyalty to Australia means not undermining its interests or security. Using social media to share official government secrets is an example of undermining Australia's interests.

Australians may hold dual or multiple citizenship if the laws of the other country allow it. They must still obey Australian law and remain loyal to Australia.

Freedom of speech is valued, but promoting violence against a group, making false allegations or encouraging others to break the law is unacceptable and illegal.

In Australia, individuals must respect the freedom and dignity of others, and their opinions and choices, even when they disagree. Disagreements must be settled peacefully.

Helping to keep society safe means that anyone in Australia who sees or has knowledge of a child being abused should report it to the authorities or the police.

Abusing people online is sometimes called cyber abuse. It is not accepted in Australia, and many forms of cyber abuse, including racially abusive comments online, are illegal.

Equality of opportunity and a 'fair go' means employers are supported by law in selecting the person with the best skills and experience for the job.

Some Australian laws apply overseas. It is illegal for Australians to be involved in any sexual activity, here or overseas, with a child under 16 years of age.