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Crossing the Floor

Crossing the Floor

By Haylie Pepper

Your non-partisan guide to Politics and Law for Year 11 and Year 12 students in Western Australia.
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US Election Special

Crossing the FloorNov 12, 2020

00:00
27:40
US Election Special

US Election Special

the electoral and voting systems of another country

#11PAL17


the ways in which Australia and one other country can both uphold and/or undermine democratic principles, with reference to

  • political representation
  • popular participation
  • the rule of law
  • judicial independence
  • natural justice

#12PAL20

Nov 12, 202027:40
Executive Accountability Special: Australia Post, ANAO, ASIC and the Arts

Executive Accountability Special: Australia Post, ANAO, ASIC and the Arts

the accountability of the Executive and public servants through collective and  individual ministerial responsibility, Senate Estimates and at least one other committee of the Commonwealth Parliament, the Commonwealth Auditor General and the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) and through judicial review #12PAL15

roles and powers of the opposition and the shadow ministry at the Commonwealth level #12PAL5

at least one contemporary issue (the last three years) relating to political power #12PAL12

roles of the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government #11PAL3

Nov 06, 202028:14
Humanities Hikes, Overpriced Triangles and The Return of K-Rudd

Humanities Hikes, Overpriced Triangles and The Return of K-Rudd

Humanities fee hikes and Lambie's mobile phone poll ban

  • roles of the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government #11PAL3
  • legislative processes at the State or Commonwealth levels #11PAL7
  • at least one contemporary issue(the last three years) involving the legislative process #11PAL11
  • political representation with reference to the role of political parties and pressure groups #11PAL13
  • functions of the Commonwealth Parliament in theory and in practice, including Sections 7, 24, 51, 53, and the decline of parliament thesis #12PAL2
  • lawmaking process in parliament and the courts, with reference to the influence of individuals. political parties, pressure groups #12PAL7
  • at least one contemporary issue (the last three years) relating to political power #12PAL12
  • the ways in which Australia and one other country can both uphold and/or undermine democratic principles, with reference to political representation, popular participation, the rule of law, judicial independence, natural justice #12PAL20

Kevin Rudd Murdoch press Royal Commission petition

  • operating principles of a liberal democracy: equality of political rights, majority rule, political participation, political freedom #11PAL1
  • lawmaking process in parliament and the courts, with reference to the influence of individuals. political parties, pressure groups #12PAL7
  • the ways in which Australia and one other country can both uphold and/or undermine democratic principles, with reference to political representation, popular participation, the rule of law, judicial independence, natural justice #12PAL20

US Supreme Court Nomination

  • legislative, executive and judicial powers with reference to the Commonwealth Constitution(Australia) and with comparison to one non-Westminster political and legal system #12PAL1
  • the ways in which Australia and one other country can both uphold and/or undermine democratic principles, with reference to political representation, popular participation, the rule of law, judicial independence, natural justice #12PAL20


Elections update  - NZ and ACT

  • the electoral and voting systems of another country #11PAL17
  • at least one contemporary issue (the last three years) centering on representation #11PAL22
  • Tova O'Brien interviews Jami-Lee Ross after Advance NZ's 2020 election loss: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zw5a2Cc5KtI 


Sydney Airport purchase

  • the accountability of the Executive and public servants through collective and individual ministerial responsibility, Senate Estimates, Commonwealth Auditor General #12PAL15
  • the ways in which Australia and one other country can both uphold and/or undermine democratic principles, with reference to political representation, popular participation, the rule of law, judicial independence, natural justice #12PAL20
Oct 21, 202035:45
Citizen's arrests, controversial appointments, Chinese conspiracies and cost of Claremont

Citizen's arrests, controversial appointments, Chinese conspiracies and cost of Claremont

1. COVID Vic legislation 

#12PAL7 influences on lawmaking

#12PAL12 Contemporary issue relating to political power in the last three years

#11PAL11 at least one contemporary issue (the last three years) involving the legislative process

#11PAL7  legislative processes at the State or Commonwealth levels

2. China

the ways in which Australia and one other country can both uphold and/or undermine democratic principles #12PAL20

structures and processes of one democratic and one non-democratic political and legal system #11PAL5

3. Death of RBG

the ways in which Australia and one other country can both uphold and/or undermine democratic principles #12PAL20

legislative, executive and judicial powers with reference to the Commonwealth Constitution (Australia) and with comparisonto one non-Westminster political and legal system #12PAL1

4. Claremont Trial Verdict

key processes of civil and criminal trials in Western Australia #11PAL9

at least one contemporary issue (the last three years) involving the judicial process. #11PAL12

strengths and weaknessesof Western Australia’s adversarial civil and criminal law processes #11PAL19

the ways in which Australia and one other country can both uphold and/or undermine democratic principles #12PAL20

contemporary issue (the last three years) centering on justice #11PAL23

Excellent ABC article here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-22/claremont-serial-killings-trial-bradley-edwards-cost-tops-11m/12685320

5. Federal Budget

political mandatesin theory and in practice, including competing mandates #12PAL6

Sep 22, 202026:40
Spoilt businessmen, controversial GG’s and unsurprising VPs

Spoilt businessmen, controversial GG’s and unsurprising VPs

Clive Palmer

types of laws made by parliaments, courts and subordinate authorities #11PAL6

Palace Letters

roles of the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government #11PAL3

roles and powers of the Governor-General, including Sections 61, 62, 63, 64, 68, 28, 57, 72, and ‘the 1975 crisis’ #12PAL3

roles and powers of the Prime Minister, Cabinet and the Ministry #12PAL4

the extent of the accountability of the Governor-General and the Office of the Governor-General through ‘the 1975 crisis’ affair’ #12PAL16

Trump delays the vote?

legislative, executive and judicial powers with reference to the Commonwealth Constitution (Australia) andwith comparison to one non-Westminster political and legal system #12PAL1

Kamala Harris

the electoral and voting systems of another country #11PAL17

HK Arrests

operating principles of a liberal democracy #11PAL1

structures and processes of one democratic political and legal system and one non-democratic political and legal system #11PAL5

the ways in which Australia and one other country can both uphold and/or undermine democratic principles, with reference to political representation, popular participation, the rule of law, judicial independence, natural justice #12PAL20


Aug 19, 202031:34
Justice, Judicial decisions and Jokers in the Senate

Justice, Judicial decisions and Jokers in the Senate

National Cabinet update
National Cabinet
#11PAL2; #12PAL9; #12PAL4

WA Attorney General and Indigenous justice
WA Parliament unpaid fine legislation
Comments from WA Attorney General
#11PAL6; #11PAL12; #11PAL23; #11PAL20; #12PAL21

US Supreme Court Decisions
DACA decision
Gay and transgender discrimination decision
The Daily Podcast episode
#12PAL1; #12PAL20; #12PAL19

Senate committees and COVID
Article from The Conversation
#11PAL2; #12PAL15
Jun 25, 202029:17
Court challenges, Changing Rights and the Death of COAG

Court challenges, Changing Rights and the Death of COAG

Federal Court Live Export Ruling

the court hierarchy, methods of statutory interpretation and the doctrine of precedent

#11PAL8

the accountability of the Executive and public servants

  • through judicial review #12PAL15


BLM Protests - NSW Court of Appeal ruling

operating principles of a liberal democracy

  • equality of political rights
  • majority rule
  • political participation
  • political freedom

#11PAL1

the ways in which Australia and one other country can both uphold and/or undermine democratic principles, with reference to

  • political representation
  • popular participation
  • the rule of law
  • judicial independence
  • natural justice

#12PAL20

the accountability of the courts

  • through the appeals process

#12PAL17


China and Hong Kong - new subversion law

structures and processes of

  • one democratic political and      legal system
  • one non-democratic political and legal system

#11PAL5

the ways in which Australia and one other country can both uphold and/or undermine democratic principles, with reference to

  • political representation
  • popular participation
  • the rule of law
  • judicial independence
  • natural justice

#12PAL20

COAG cancelled

federalism in Australia with reference to

  • constitutional      powers of State      and Commonwealth parliaments, including exclusive, concurrent and residual      powers, Sections 51, 52, 90, 107 and 109
  • financial      powers of the      Commonwealth Parliament, including taxation power, tied or special purpose      grants, including Sections 51(ii), 87, 90, 92 and 96
  • change in      the balance of power since federation, with reference to
  • financial powers, including      vertical fiscal imbalance and horizontal fiscal equalisation, the Grants      Commission
  • referral of powers Section      51(xxxvii)
  • the Council of Australian      Governments (COAG)
  • co-operative federalism as      opposed to coercive federalism
  • High      Court of Australia constitutional interpretation, including external      affairs power Section 51(xxix), corporations power Section 51(xx), and      taxation powers
    #12PAL9

roles and powers of the Prime Minister, Cabinet and the Ministry
#12PAL4

structure of the political and legal system in Australia

#11PAL2

Jun 12, 202029:04
Scomo, Sports Rorts, Spies and Civil Suits

Scomo, Sports Rorts, Spies and Civil Suits

operating principles of a liberal democracy #11PAL1

  • equality of political rights
  • majority rule
  • political participation
  • political freedom

types of laws made by parliaments, courts and subordinate authorities #11PAL6

legislative processes at the State or Commonwealth levels #11PAL7

key processes of civil and criminal trials in Western Australia #11PAL9

at least one contemporary issue (the last three years) involving the judicial process #11PAL12

political representation with reference to the role of political parties and pressure groups #11PAL13

roles and powers of the Prime Minister, Cabinet and the Ministry #12PAL4

roles and powers of the opposition and the shadow ministry at the Commonwealth level #12PAL5

lawmaking process in parliament and the courts, with reference to the influence of

  • individuals
  • political parties
  • pressure groups

#12PAL7

at least one contemporary issue (the last three years) relating to political power #12PAL12

the accountability of the Commonwealth Parliament #12PAL14

  • through elections for the      House of Representatives and the Senate
  • through the House of      Representatives and Senate Privileges Committees
  • within the procedures and      processes of the Parliament

the accountability of the Executive and public servants #12PAL15

  • through collective and      individual ministerial responsibility
  • through Senate Estimates and      at least one other committee of the Commonwealth Parliament
  • through the Commonwealth      Auditor General and the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT)
  • through judicial review

the ways in which Australia and one other country can both uphold and/or undermine democratic principles, with reference to

  • political representation
  • popular participation
  • the rule of law
  • judicial independence
  • natural justice

#12PAL20

May 20, 202036:16
Pandemics, Pressure Groups, Payments and Pell

Pandemics, Pressure Groups, Payments and Pell

Update from Mr Clarke-O'Reilly: A slight error in the discussion of the stimulus package in 2009 re Senate numbers. In the senate from 2008-2011 the ALP government had 32 seats (7 seat minority), meaning that it would have needed the support of all 7 members of the crossbench to pass it’s stimulus package. Turnbull announced that the Coalition(holding 37 seats) would work with the crossbench to block legislation relating to the $42 billion package. Ultimately the package passed the Senate after  Xenophon struck a $900 million deal to bring forward money earmarked for future years for the Murray-Darling Basin and other water projects. His vote, along with the five Green senators and Family First Senator Steve Fielding, gave the Government the numbers after the package had been defeated at an earlier vote in the Senate.


Ms Pepper's Twitter (tweets linked to syllabus with hashtags): @haylie_pepper

National Cabinet: 11PAL: Structure of the political and legal system in Australia - federalism • 11PAL: Roles of the executive branch • 12PAL: Roles and powers of the Prime Minister and Cabinet • 12PAL: Federalism in Australia (Constitutional powers of States and Commonwealth, COAG, cooperative federalism) • 12PAL: Accountability of the executive • 12PAL: Contemporary issue relating to political power

ACTU and Jobkeeper: 11PAL: Political representation with reference to the role of pressure groups • 12PAL: Lawmaking process in Parliament with reference to the influence of pressure groups.

Pell: 11PAL: Role of the judicial branch • 11PAL: Structure of the political and legal system in Australia - court hierarchies • 11PAL: Doctrine of precedent and processes of trial • 12PAL: Roles and powers of the High Court - appellate jurisdiction • 12PAL: Accountability of the courts - through appeals

May 06, 202027:49