What is politics?Politics is about making decisions. It is the government, either at a local, state or federal level, that make decisions for us. However they are making decisions on behalf of the people as they are elected, voted in, by us. The decisions that are made have an impact on our everyday lives.
Political parties in Australia play an important role in the community. They draw together people who have similar ideas and beliefs. They meet together to organise and campaign for certain policies or decision to be made. People will generally vote for political parties as opposed to individuals as there is an understanding of what the party stands for. The party which wins the majority of seats in the House of Representatives, the Lower House, forms government. The party which wins the second largest number of seats becomes the opposition. Parties articulate philosophies and develop policies on issues such as health care and crime and punishment. Community groups and individuals can influence the decision-making process by working closely or by communicating with political parties. Many pressure groups also have close links with political parties, such as trade unions with the Australian Labor Party, business groups with the Liberal Party, farming organisations with the National Party and conservation groups with The Australian Greens. More…
Differences Use this sheet (.doc 30kB) to identify the major similarities and differences between political parties
Pressure groups are formed when people join together over a concern for a common issue in an attempt to try and influence government decisions. There are many types of pressure groups in society such as the Australian Conservation Foundation or the Business Council of Australia. They utilise strategies such protests, rallies, lobbying campaigns and by holding publicity campaigns.
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