Laws
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This poster forms part of the Informed Playing Card Project, showing how laws are made, the different types of laws in Australia, and the features that make laws effective.
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Summary of the different roles of the Lower and Upper houses of Parliament in a Bicameral system of government. The resource pack considers the NSW Bicameral and the Federal Bicameral system and the different representatives, terms, law-making powers and responsibilities.
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A simple video explainer about why Parliament has two houses under the Westminster system of government, covering the roles of the Lower House (Legislative Assembly/House of Representatives) and Upper House (Legislative Council/Senate) in a bicameral Parliament. Learn why parliamentary scrutiny of laws, government decisions, and the Executive is essential for accountability, transparency, and effective democratic government.
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Delegated legislation allows Parliament to authorise government departments, councils and other bodies to create detailed rules—such as regulations, by‑laws and ordinances—under powers granted by an Act. It enables laws to be updated quickly, adapted to changing circumstances and informed by specialist expertise, but it also receives less direct democratic scrutiny than primary legislation. This video explores the benefits and risks of delegated law‑making, including concerns about executive overreach, limited public awareness and the use of “Henry VIII clauses” that permit delegated laws to amend Acts. It emphasises the need for strong parliamentary oversight, transparency and safeguards to ensure delegated legislation remains consistent with the rule of law and the separation of powers.
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This video explains the difference between rules and laws, why societies need them, and how they protect rights and maintain order. It introduces who makes laws, how they are enforced, and how rules and laws work together within Australia’s rule‑of‑law framework.
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This video explains the features of effective laws and uses the game of Monopoly to show how clear, fair and consistently applied rules create order. It highlights how good laws guide behaviour, prevent conflict and support a fair society.
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This video uses the Rule of Law Education Centre’s checklist to assess whether proposed hate‑speech laws are clear, fair, enforceable and protective of human rights. It explains how the laws aim to keep Australians safe while balancing freedom of speech, and shows how different types of hate speech attract different penalties depending on their seriousness.
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This PowerPoint introduces the features that make laws effective—clarity, consistency, fairness and enforceability—and shows how these qualities help laws protect rights, guide behaviour and support the rule of law. It is designed to help Years 9–10 students evaluate real laws using these criteria.
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This PowerPoint introduces the difference between rules and laws, why societies need them, and how they guide behaviour and keep communities safe. It explains who makes laws, how they are enforced, and how rules and laws work together within Australia’s rule‑of‑law framework.
Video: The role and types of delegated legislation
This video explains how delegated legislation works, showing how Parliament authorises government departments, councils and other bodies to create detailed rules such as regulations, by‑laws and ordinances.
It outlines how delegated legislation allows laws to be updated quickly and informed by specialist expertise, but also carries risks such as reduced scrutiny and executive overreach, including the use of Henry VIII clauses.
Key ideas covered include:
how delegated rules are made under powers granted by an Act
why delegated legislation can be efficient and flexible
risks such as limited public awareness and weaker democratic oversight
the importance of strong parliamentary checks to uphold the rule of law
The video emphasises the need for transparency and safeguards to ensure delegated law‑making remains consistent with the separation of powers and democratic accountability.
Related Resources
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This explainer outlines how statute law, common law and delegated legislation are created, changed and applied in Australia, outlining the parliamentary stages of law‑making, the development of common law through judicial decisions and precedent, and the role of executive bodies in making delegated legislation under enabling Acts. It connects directly to syllabus concepts such as the origin and development of common law, features of the doctrine of precedent, steps in the legislative process, parliamentary supremacy, and reasons for changes in the law, including social values, technology and community safety. By showing how each source of law operates within Australia’s democratic framework and the rule of law, the resource helps students understand how legal authority is exercised fairly, transparently and accountably.
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This factsheet outlines the key characteristics of effective laws in Australia’s representative democracy, explaining how laws must protect the rule of law, uphold human rights, and regulate behaviour in ways that are clear, known, accepted, consistent and fair. It highlights syllabus concepts such as accessibility, enforceability, stability, prospectivity, and the need for laws to be amendable as community values change. By showing how effective laws prevent arbitrary power and support equality before the law, the factsheet helps students understand why legal certainty and accountability are essential in Australia’s legal system.
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This factsheet provides a clear overview of how laws in Australia are created, applied and enforced, explaining the purpose of laws, the role of statute law, common law and legal precedent, and the importance of the rule of law in a democratic society. It outlines key syllabus concepts including effective law‑making, bicameral and unicameral parliaments, the doctrine of precedent, and major types of law such as criminal, civil, administrative and constitutional. Designed as a concise one‑page resource, it helps students understand how legal institutions operate across different jurisdictions and why fairness, accountability and legal certainty are essential in Australia’s legal system.
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