Are you confused about our system of government and how its representatives are elected? In this course we will cover the structure of Federal Parliament and the SA Parliament including current representation. The voting systems used for both houses of those parliaments will be explained with simple examples. The course will conclude with an explanation of the major and minor political parties.

Introduction to Australian Politics

Course Description

Are you confused about how Australian politics actually works? 

This course is designed to give you a clear, practical understanding of how our democracy operates at both the federal and state level. 

Over three engaging sessions, you'll explore how parliament is structured, how voting systems function, and how political parties are organised and represented. Whether you're brushing up ahead of an election or just curious about how decisions are made, this course will help you make sense of it all, without the jargon.

No prior political knowledge is needed. We’ll explore everything from how laws are made and how governments are formed, to what terms like "two-party preferred" and "hung parliament" really mean. 

By the end of the course, you’ll have the tools to understand and engage more confidently with current political events and election coverage in Australia and South Australia.

Course Structure

In the first session, we’ll start by breaking down the structure of both Federal and South Australian parliaments – who’s who, what each house does, and how things currently stand. 

We’ll also take a quick look at the parliaments in other states and territories. 

In session two, we’ll dive into how elections actually work, using simple examples to explain the voting systems for each house, including terms like preferential voting, two-party preferred, and gerrymandering. 

In our final session, we’ll unpack the roles and structures of the major and minor political parties and explain how they operate within Australia’s political landscape.

Course Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Describe the structure and function of the Federal and South Australian parliaments.
• Identify the current makeup of both houses of parliament at state and federal levels.
• Understand the basic differences between state and territory parliaments across Australia.
• Explain how voting systems work in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, as well as in South Australia’s upper and lower houses.
• Define key terms such as preferential voting, two-party preferred, two-candidate preferred, gerrymandering, and hung parliament.
• Identify the major and minor political parties active in Australia and South Australia.
• Understand the internal organisation of the major parties, such as the Australian Labor Party and the Liberal Party.
• Feel more confident reading or watching political news and election coverage.