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Role-play toolkit: Diagrams

Classrooms are made up of unique children with unique minds. Some children are natural artists, architects, designers or musicians, others are destined to be dancers, therapists, naturalists or entrepreneurs while others still, love to write, compute or discover the truth about the physical world. All enrich the world in which we live.

In designing ways to interpret the federal Parliament to Australians, the Parliamentary Education Office (PEO) is careful to present information in a variety of ways. The role-play in itself is highly interactive and draws on ability to:

  • shape words and language
  • think and reason and use numbers
  • visualise and create internal images and pictures
  • use the body to great effect
  • build relationships and to communicate face to face.

In this section of the Role-play Toolkit, pictures tell the story and provide yet another avenue for teaching about the federal Parliament. These diagrams are designed to complement the law-making, Question Time and committee role-play. For a greater choice of image go to the Image Library.

The following sets of diagrams are available:

The diagrams are easy to use—simply click on an image, and a new window will open with an enlarged view. Or, download the PDF and use it any way you like to enrich your studies of parliament—copy to A3 colour format, display in your classroom, draw on them, add vocabulary, cut them into pieces and share them— it is up to you.

Please note: PDFs of diagrams may take a few minutes to download, depending on the speed of your internet connection.

Law-making diagrams

Diagram Teaching points

Path of a bill diagram thumbnail. Click to enlarge.

PDF icon (this link will take you to a PDF document)Path of a bill [384kb]

Path of a bill

This is a simplified visual depiction of the path of a bill from idea to law. It includes the mandatory first, second and third reading stages in both chambers.

Note:

Most bills may begin in either chamber; however the majority of bills begin in the House.

House of Representatives composition diagram thumbnail. Click to enlarge.

PDF icon (this link will take you to a PDF document)House of Representatives composition [474kb]

House of Representatives composition

This chamber diagram shows the current seating plan and composition of the House of Representatives.

Note:

  • A majority of bills begin in the House of Representatives.
  • The majority of bills are government bills.
  • Unfilled seats provide for the future expansion of the Parliament.
  • Other roles in the chamber include chamber attendants, advisors, whips, government and non-government backbench members.

Senate composition diagram thumbnail. Click to enlarge.

PDF icon (this link will take you to a PDF document) Senate composition [512kb]

Senate composition

This chamber diagram shows the current seating plan and composition of the Senate.

Note:

  • A minority of bills begin in the Senate.
  • Of those that begin in the Senate, the majority are government bills.
  • Unfilled seats provide for the future expansion of the Parliament.
  • Other roles in the chamber include chamber attendants, advisors, whips, government and non-government backbench senators.

From policy to law diagram thumbnail. Click to enlarge.

PDF icon (this link will take you to a PDF document) From policy to law [326kb]

From policy to law

This diagram describes the role of executive government.

Note:

  • Executive government (ministers) are responsible for the introduction of the majority of bills to the Parliament.
  • The Parliament may accept or reject a bill.
  • Ministers are responsible for the effective operation of Australian law.

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Question Time diagrams

Diagram Teaching points

Opposition scrutiny diagram thumbnail. Click to enlarge.

PDF icon (this link will take you to a PDF document)Opposition scrutiny [280kb]

Opposition scrutiny

This diagram describes a major role of the opposition which is to scrutinise—examine closely—the actions of the government.

Note:

  • Scrutiny is carried out by the opposition and other non-government members in both chambers and through the investigations of parliamentary committees.
  • Scrutiny puts pressure on the government to act responsibly.

Executive government in the House of Representatives diagram thumbnail. Click to enlarge.

PDF icon (this link will take you to a PDF document)Ministers [333kb]

Ministers (the executive government)

This diagram explains the responsibilities of ministers and where they sit in the Senate and House of Representatives chambers.

Parliament and government diagram thumbnail. Click to enlarge.

PDF icon (this link will take you to a PDF document) Parliament and government [297kb]

Parliament and government

This diagram shows how Parliament and government are formed.

 

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Committee diagrams

Diagram Teaching points

House of Representatives committee diagram thumbnail. Click to enlarge.

PDF icon (this link will take you to a PDF document) Parliamentary committees [357kb]

Parliamentary committees

This chamber diagram provides one example of the membership of a House committee investigating ‘working hours’.

Note:

  • Many different committees operate through the Parliament.
  • Committees are made up of government and non-government backbenchers.
  • House of Representatives committees usually focus on community based issues.

Example advertisement for a Senate committee photo thumbnail. Click to enlarge.

PDF icon (this link will take you to a PDF document) Example advertisement for a Senate committee [239kb]

Example advertisement for a Senate committee

This diagram is a mock-up of an advertisement appearing in a newspaper inviting written submissions to a hypothetical committee of inquiry.

Note:

  • Such advertisements summarise the purpose of the inquiry and invite interested Australians to participate.
  • The terms of reference list the focus of the inquiry.
  • Parliamentary officers (called the secretariat) coordinate the operations of the committee.

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