Welcome to the 2016 PLEAWA Sundowner - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Welcome to the 2016 PLEAWA Sundowner

By Mike Filer

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PLEAWA Contacts

President

Mike Filer

mike.filer@wesley.wa.edu.au

Vice President

Ali Harris

aharris@stmarys.wa.edu.au

Secretary

Chris

Allanson

allanson.chris@trinity.wa.edu.au

Treasurer

Ros

Marshall

rosslyn.marshall@gmail.com

Webmaster

Sol Hanna

Slide3

SYLLABUS CHANGES – EFFECTIVE 2016

For Unit 3 and unit 4

Slide4

guidance

SCSA has released:Year 12 Politics and Law ATAR syllabus

Politics

and Law: ATAR - a summary of syllabus

changes

This second document explicitly states a

majority

of the changes made from the previous

3

AB syllabus and the new ATAR Unit 3 and Unit 4 syllabus, but not all.

Note: any text that appears in purple is commentary, suggestions and recommendations. I.E. It highlights the changes explicitly throughout the whole course.

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ASSESSMENT CHANGES OVERVIEW

WEIGHTINGS for each assessment type are fixedYou must follow these new weightings(including that school examinations are worth 40% of total school assessment weighting)

Requirement that school examinations must reflect the examination design brief

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CONTENT CHANGES OVERVIEW

Minor changes have been made to the content in Unit 3

with the

removal of methods of judicial interpretation (legalism and activism)

under political and legal systems AND

Delete Loans Council

Delete s86 and s105

Minor

changes have been made to the content in

Unit 4

in regard to providing clarity:

on the role of committees in relation to the accountability of the Executive and public servants

on the accountability of the Governor-General

and the Office of the Governor-General

 

, adding the ‘

Hollingworth

affair’

around the protection of human rights to include a charter of rights

with two existing examples in Australia

.

Delete Royal Commissions and Government Inquiries

Delete ‘exercising of power’ from the ways in which Australia and one other country can both uphold and/or undermine democratic principles

Delete ‘democracy’ from Essential to the understanding of accountability and rights are the practices of

governance

Delete ‘individual’ option from experience of a group study

In Unit 4, under Political and legal issues, the focus is now on the

changing

experience of a particular group

with respect to their political and legal rights in Australia

 

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UNIT 3

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UNIT 3 – POLITICAL & LEGAL POWER

THEN

roles and powers of the Governor General including Sections 61, 62, 63, 64, 68, 28 and 57

NOW

roles and powers of the Governor-General, including Sections 61, 62, 63, 64, 68, 28, 57,

72 , and ‘the 1975 crisis ’

NEW INCLUSION s.72

Explicit

mentioning of

1975 crisis

added

Slide9

UNIT 3 – POLITICAL & LEGAL POWER

THEN

role and powers of the High Court of Australia including Sections 71, 73, 74, 75, 76

methods of judicial interpretation:

legalism and activism

with reference to at least one common law decision and one constitutional decision.

NOW

roles and powers of the High Court of Australia, including Sections 71,

72

, 73, 75 and 76 with

reference to at least one common law decision and at least one constitutional decision

 

REPLACES

one e.g. activism common and constitutional

REPLACES one e.g. legalist common and constitutional

DELETED:

judicial interpretation (legalism and activism

)

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UNIT 3 – POLITICAL & LEGAL POWER

THEN

• federalism in Australia

constitutional

powers of state and commonwealth parliaments including exclusive, concurrent and residual powers, Sections 51, 52,

86

, 90, 107 and 109

financial

powers of the commonwealth parliament including taxation power,

Loans Council,

tied or special purpose grants including Sections 51(ii),

86

, 87, 90, 92, 96,

105A

change

in the balance of power since federation, including increasing commonwealth power due to:

High

Court decisions, external affairs power Section 51 (xxix), corporations power Section 51(xx)

NOW

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

DELETED:

s.86

financial

powers of the Commonwealth Parliament, including taxation power, tied or special purpose grants, including Sections 51(ii), 87, 90, 92 and 96 

DELETED:

loans

council, s.86

AND

s.105

change

in the balance of power since federation, with reference

to…

High

Court of Australia constitutional interpretation, including external affairs power Section 51(xxix), corporations power Section 51(xx),

and taxation powers  Section 51(ii) 

INSERTION ‘ TAXATION POWERS’

 No mention of ‘section 51(ii);but includes

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UNIT 3 – POLITICAL & LEGAL POWER

THEN

methods of constitutional change:

referendums including Section 128

High Court decisions

referral of powers

unchallenged legislation

NOW

formal and informal 

methods

of constitutional change

and their impact

 

referendums, including Section 128

High Court of Australia decisions

referral of powers

unchallenged legislation

 

INCLUSION

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UNIT 3 – POLITICAL & LEGAL POWER

THEN

at least one reform proposal to change the Commonwealth Constitution (Australia) such as the Republic; reference to indigenous Australians in the Commonwealth Constitution (Australia);

the Senate including Sections 24, 53, 57; a Charter of Rights*

NOW

at least one reform proposal to change the Commonwealth Constitution (Australia),

such as

the move to become a republic

reference to Indigenous Australians in the Commonwealth Constitution (Australia)

recognition of local government in the Commonwealth Constitution (Australia)

MODIFICATION of suggested reform proposals

Slide13

UNIT 4

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UNIT 4 – ACCOUNTABILITY & RIGHTS

THEN

Essential to the understanding of rights and governance are the practices of governance including

democracy

, participation, the rule of law, rights, open government, consensus, effectiveness, accountability, natural justice and equity.

NOW

Essential to the understanding of accountability and rights are the practices of governance, including participation, the rule of law, human rights,

including civil, political, economic, social and cultural ,

open government, consensus, effectiveness, accountability, natural justice and equity.

RELOCATION

OF TYPES OF RIGHTS = now overarching

DELETED

democracy

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UNIT 4 – ACCOUNTABILITY & RIGHTS

THEN

the accountability of parliament

through elections to the House of Representatives and the Senate

through the

committee system including the

Privileges Committee

within the procedures and processes of parliament

through judicial review

NOW

the accountability of the

Commonwealth

Parliament

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

through judicial review

Delete

‘committees’ and make specific to privileges in both houses

Slide16

UNIT 4 – ACCOUNTABILITY & RIGHTS

THEN

the accountability of the executive and public servants

through collective and individual ministerial responsibility

within parliament’s role including

Senate Estimates,

Standing Committees, Government Inquiries

through

other methods of accountability including the

Commonwealth Auditor General and

Royal Commissions

through tribunals including

the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT)

through judicial review

NOW

the accountability of the Executive and public servants 

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

DELETED

Royal

commissions DELETED

Government

inquiries

 IE. STANDING OR SELECT COMMITTEE (IN

SENATE/HOR)

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UNIT 4 – ACCOUNTABILITY & RIGHTS

THEN

the accountability of the Governor General including ‘the 1975 crisis’

NOW

the extent of the accountability of the Governor-General

and the

Office of the Governor-General

 

through appointment

through removal

‘the 1975 crisis’

and ‘the

Hollingworth

affair’ 

New

OFFICE OF GG = NEW

CONTENT?

New

dot points to provide elaboration

Explicit addition of HOLLINGWORTH

AFFAIR

Slide18

http://

www.hcourt.gov.au/cases/case_b47-2013

Slide19

UNIT 4 – ACCOUNTABILITY & RIGHTS

THEN

the accountability of the courts

through the appeals process

through parliamentary scrutiny and legislation

through transparent processes and public confidence

through the censure and removal of judges

NOW

the accountability of the courts

through the appeals process

through parliamentary scrutiny and legislation

through transparent processes and public confidence

through the censure and removal of judges,

including Section 72 

EXPLICIT

INCLUSION S72

Slide20

UNIT 4 – ACCOUNTABILITY & RIGHTS

THEN

the

ways of protecting rights in Australia including

constitutional

, common law and statutory rights and in one other country

NOW

the ways human rights are protected in Australia, including in

the Constitution

, common law, statutory rights,

and charter of rights, such as the

Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006

(Victoria) and the

Human Rights Act 2004

(Australian Capital Territory )

Explicitly

mentioned and assessable

the ways human rights are protected in one other country

  

Separated

out – suggest country with at least TWO ways of protecting rights

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UNIT 4 – ACCOUNTABILITY & RIGHTS

THEN

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

representation

popular participation

the rule of law

judicial independence

natural justice

exercising of power

NOW

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 

DELETE “exercising

of

power”

Slide22

THEN

the experience of one

individual or

group in the

Australian

political and legal system

NOW

the

changing

experience of a particular group

with respect to their political and legal rights

in Australia .

NO INDIVIDUAL OPTION

RIGHTS made explicit

Emphasis of

“changing

”

Slide23

Changes to wace

examinationsUNIT 3 AND UNIT 4

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What could this mean for examinations?

No more requirement for students to answer at least one question from each unit in Section 1 or Section 3. Simply answer 3 out of 4 short answers and 2 out of 4 essays.

There never was a requirement that Section 2 have a 3A and 3B section, though this was convention and practice.

The terms “assess” and “evaluate” have been removed from Section 1 questions leaving:

Questions can require the candidate to define, describe, identify, discuss, explain and/or compare.

It is hoped the convention and practice of the examination panel to ensure equal weighting of the units in all sections of the

examination

will continue, but this can not be guaranteed by the new structure.

It is possible that the writers could now blur some questions to utilise parts of Unit 3 & Unit 4 knowledge in the same short answer/source analysis question or within essays

It is possible that the writers could change the balance of Unit 3 and Unit 4 questions between the sections of the examination (I.E. more unit 3 questions in section 1, and more both sources on unit 4..

etc

).

This would be highly unorthodox and it would be expected that teachers would be informed well in advance (at least a year) of any changes like this.

Please contact SCSA for further clarification should you desire.

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TEXTBOOK update

For Unit 3 and unit 4

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TEXTBOOK UPDATE

The text is written specifically for the new Unit 3 and Unit 4 syllabus Activities within this are reflective of examination styled questions.

Writing and editing of the textbook is progressing well. We have currently completed Unit 3 chapters and are beginning work on Unit 4.

We are planning for release by the conclusion of 2016 in time for the 2017 academic year.

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EVENTS 2016

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Events already confirmed

Tuesday 10th May – JOHN BUTTON at 5pm-6.30pm in the SMAGS Lecture Theatre.

Saturday 10

th

September – Year 12 WACE revision student seminar at Notre Dame University

HTAWA 3 September; GAWA 15 October; ETAWA yet to be determined