Passport to Democracy

Map Search: Melbourne

Module 1Lesson 2

Local Councils The state of Victoria

is divided up into 79 local government areas which are referred to as councils or municipalities.

They have different names; either a city, rural city, shire or borough.

Which one is yours?

There are some small parts of Victoria which lie outside the boundaries of those 79 council areas and therefore have no local government.

Can you find out where they are??

Whose on the council?

People who are elected by their local community

The councillors will have a view of the future they wish to achieve for their community and make plans and policies to achieve this.

Council staff

They deliver services, and help to put into action the policies and plans.

Wards(nothing to do with hospitals... ) A ward is a sub division of a council. Wards help to make sure that councillors are

able to represent particular groups or areas within the municipalities.

Decisions about the number of councillors and ward boundaries are part of the VEC’s job. These are reviewed about every 12 years.

No ward can have 10% more or less voters than any other ward.

If your council has wards, your vote will help to elect the councillor(s) who represent your neighbourhood.

Map Search: Melbourne local councils

My local council is...

My ward is...

My councillors are...

State Parliament Parliament is the place

where our elected representatives, the Members of Parliament (MPs),speak for the people they represent by proposing, debating and passing laws (legislation) affecting all Victorians.

The name Parliament comes from the French word ‘parlez’, to speak.

Parliament’s job is to:

• represent the people of Victoria and raise their concerns publicly;

• form a Government;

• make laws which help the State to work efficiently and fairly;

• check up on the working of the Government ministers;

• authorise and approve a Budget

State districts•The state of Victoria has 88 districts.

•1 Member of Parliament (MP) is elected to represent each district.

•Government is formed by the party or parties which have a majority of these 88 elected Members.

•The Opposition is made up of the largest party or group that does not support the Government.

•There are about 40,000 electors in each district.

I live in the state district of...

My Member of Parliament (MP) is...

Map search: State Legislative Assembly – Melbourne metropolitan area

State regions•5 members of the Legislative council are elected to represent each region.

•There are 8 regions in Victoria – they cover the area of 11 districts.

•There are about 440,000 electors in each region.

•Legislative Council acts as a house of review, providing the opportunity for Parliament to consider bills from the Legislative Assembly again.

Map Search: State Legislative Council – Melbourne metropolitan area

I live in the State electoral region of...

The Members of the Legislative council (MLCs) who represent my region are:

The Federal Parliament The Federal Parliament is the body that makes

laws for Australia.  It has three distinct parts: the House of Representatives, the Senate and the Queen (represented in Australia by the Governor-General).

Parliament has four main functions:

legislation (making laws), representation (acting on behalf of voters and

citizens), scrutiny (examining the government), and formation of government. 

Federal divisions1 member of Parliament (MP) is elected to represent each division.

There are 150 divisions in the whole of Australia.

(37 of which are in Victoria)

The Federal Government is formed in the House of Representatives.

Map search: Melbourne Federal House of Representatives – Melbourne metropolitan area

I live in the Federal electoral division of....

My Member of Parliament (MP) is...

The SenateEach state is represented by 12 senators.

Both territories – the ACT and NT – are represented by 2 senators.

It shares the power to make laws with the other House of Parliament, the House of Representatives.

Map search: Federal Senate

The senators who represent Victoria are...