Role-play the Parliament: the role-play in action

This video shows a snapshot of a parliamentary role-play in the Education Centre at Australia’s Parliament House.

Duration: 1 min 34 sec

Transcript

Vision Audio
Opening credits showing animated shapes with the words, Understand, Teach, Book, Connect. The Parliamentary Education Office logo. Music.
A group of students arrive at Australian Parliament House.
The students, in fast forward, find seats in the Parliamentary Education Office's Education Centre.
Music.
A student in the role of the Clerk of the House of Representatives speaks from the table.
The students all stand up.
Clerk of the House of Representatives: Honourable Members, please stand.
A student in the role of the Serjeant-at-Arms leads another student, in the role of the Speaker, into the room. Serjeant-at-Arms: Honourable Members, the Speaker.
A student sits in the Speaker's chair. The Speaker: I call the Member for Bass.
A student stands and reads from a script. Member for Bass: Madam Speaker, I think this bill needs to be changed. Rather than banning all animal acts in circuses, I propose that only animals which are on the endangered species list are to be banned.
A student stands and reads from a script at the Despatch Box. Shadow Minister for the Arts: Madam Speaker, I am going to vote against the bill. This bill is a waste of time.
A student sits in the Speaker's chair. Another student sits in the Clerk's place, and a teacher sits in the Deputy Clerk's chair. The Educator is standing off to the side. The Speaker: Division is required. Clerk, ring the bell.
The students, in fast forward, flip the cushions over from green to red. Music.
A student in the role of the Clerk of the Senate stands and speaks from the table.
The students all stand up.
Clerk of the Senate: Honourable Senators, please stand.
A student sits in the President's chair. The President: The Senate is now in session. I call Senator Liddell.
A student stands and speaks. Senator Liddell: Mr President, all animals are unique in their own way. Do we really need to dress them up in human clothes and make them do human things to truly respect them for what they are?
A student stands and speaks. Senator Mustard: Mr President, I don't think that the government side has thought this through. The animals have talent.
The Educator stands at the front of the room. Educator: That was a brilliant role-play. Everyone sit yourselves back down, give yourselves a clap.
Applause.

Parliamentary Education Office logo. 
Parliamentary Education Office website: www.peo.gov.au

Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2019.