Values and citizenship: The Australian constitution
The following clips have teachers’ notes related to this topic:
Fraser has the numbers from the television program The Dismissal (PG)
Malcolm Fraser (John Stanton) is being interviewed by journalist Stuart Littlemore (playing himself). The Liberal leader will not be drawn on his party’s plans for the Supply Bill in the Senate. His desire to block Supply is assisted when a Labor Senator from Queensland dies and is replaced by a conservative Jo Bjelke Petersen appointee, Albert Field. This flies in…
Is this a time for the reserve powers? from the television program The Dismissal (PG)
Sir John Kerr (John Meillon) has invited the Prime Minister (Max Phipps) to a celebratory drink with the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Raman (Peter Collingwood). The Tunku boldly brings up the issue of the Governor-General’s role in this time of constitutional crisis. Whitlam explains with great certainty that he expects the Governor-General to take his orders from the…
Into the history books from the television program The Dismissal (PG)
In the panic and confusion of the Labor government’s sacking and the packing up and the frenzied shredding of documents, Gough Whitlam stands alone, a tragic figure, before all his friends and colleagues. He is called to the steps of Parliament house by the milling and fast growing crowd and this is the moment that was captured by the news…
We Are Going from the documentary Dreamtime, Machinetime (PG)
Aerial views of Minjerriba (Stradbroke Island), and Oodgeroo Noonuccal (Kath Walker) walking along the beach with children. Oodgeroo tells us the inspiration for her poetry, and its role in personal and political resistance to white oppression.
Australia’s constitution from the documentary The Highest Court (PG)
The ‘separation of powers’ means that Australia is administered by the Parliament, the Executive comprising the Department of the Prime Minister and other departments, separate to the Judiciary.
