Participation and protest
About this module
This resource highlights sources from the National Library of Australia’s collection. A main research tool for this module was NLA Publishing’s Clive Hamilton’s What Do We Want? The Story of Protest in Australia (NLA Publishing, 2016).
The resource gives teachers flexibility and develops students’ skills by exploring how to effectively interpret, analyse and evaluate issues through a range of activities.
Copyright for teachers
You can download all collection materials in this resource for education purposes. For more information, go to copyright for teachers.
Topics in this module
Loui Seselja, [Section of the field of hearts display in close-up view, United Nations World Refugee Day and Field of Hearts event, Canberra, 20 June 2004], nla.gov.au/nla.obj-130944424
Sean Davey, Marriage Equality Ambassadors holding up 'Yes' signs in front of Parliament House, Canberra, 7 December 2017, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-735351644
Tim Aickin, A protester burns his draft card, standing in front of Jim Cairns, Vietnam War Moratorium Day, Melbourne, May 1970, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-138060747
Francis Reiss, [Anna Burke, Federal member for Chisholm, at the Chisholm Aged Care Forum, Mt. Waverly Community Centre, Melbourne, October or November, 2001], nla.gov.au/nla.obj-146654777
Module learning activities
Introductory activities
These initial activities aim to introduce students to the concepts explored in this resource, and to build an understanding of the rights and freedoms granted to Australian citizens. Australia is a representative democracy, meaning it values rights and freedoms such as:
- freedom of election and being elected
- freedom of assembly and political participation
- freedom of speech, expression and religious belief
- rule of law
- other basic human rights.
You can read this definition and more about democracy on the website of the Museum of Australian Democracy.
Throughout Australia’s history, peoples’ rights and freedoms have changed, in many cases through decisions made as part of the parliamentary process.
However, certain basic freedoms have endured: freedom of election, freedom of assembly and freedom of political participation. The ability for the public to have a say in who their representatives are, and to express freely their views on disputed issues, is not to be taken for granted.
Freedom of assembly and association can be defined as follows:
The right to peaceful assembly protects the right of individuals and groups to meet and to engage in peaceful protest. The right to freedom of association protects the right to form and join associations to pursue common goals.
Discuss
- Ask students how they think people exercise the rights and freedoms outlined above every day. For example, freedom of speech can be exercised by writing a public blog on a subject of interest, and freedom of religious belief by visiting places of faith.
- sk students specifically about freedom of assembly and association. How are these freedoms to be exercised? For example, by joining a trade union or non-government organisation.
Research
Have students conduct research using the Democracy Index, created by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). The index’s rankings are based on five categories: electoral process and pluralism, civil liberties, the functioning of government, political participation and political culture.
- What is the EIU? How does it get the data to create this index?
- Where is Australia ranked in this index? Is Australia included as a full democracy?
- What is the overall state of democracy in the Asian and Australasian region? What is the ratio of full democracies to authoritarian regimes around the world?
- Assign students countries at various positions in the rankings. Ask them to describe the regime classification of that country (for example, full democracy, flawed democracy) and to consider some of the country’s characteristics that might have contributed to their ranking.
Concluding activities
These activities are a reflective tool to encourage an understanding of what it means to participate in Australian democracy as an Australian citizen, and the freedoms and rights we have regarding political participation.
Make a request
Ask students to write a mock petition for delivery to you - their teacher - or the school principal. They should outline an issue in the classroom or at the school that they feel strongly about and want action on. They should articulate clearly why this issue is a problem, why it needs to be solved, and what may happen if it is not dealt with in a timely matter. Keep it civil and democratic!
Earning your democracy sausage
Have a class discussion about the following questions:
- How can individual citizens influence Australia’s democracy?
- What do you think are your roles and responsibilities in Australia’s democracy?
Curriculum links
This resource is aligned with the Australian Curriculum: Civics and Citizenship for Year 8 students, with specific reference to the two content descriptions on government and democracy. The resource supports cross-curriculum priorities and promotes civics and citizenship skills relating to questioning and research, and analysis, synthesis and interpretation.
The freedoms that enable active participation in Australia’s democracy within the bounds of law, including freedom of speech, association, assembly, religion and movement (ACHCK061)
- explaining how each freedom supports active participation in Australia’s democracy
- discussing how and why ‘the bounds of law’ can limit these freedoms
- considering the circumstances that can lead to dissent in a democracy
- debating how to manage situations when rights and freedoms are in conflict (for example, whether it should be a matter for parliaments or judges to resolve)
How citizens can participate in Australia’s democracy, including use of the electoral system, contact with their elected representatives, use of lobby groups, and direct action (ACHCK062)
- comparing the effectiveness of different forms of participation in Australia’s democracy
- exploring how elected representatives can advocate on behalf of citizens
- investigating examples where citizens have taken direct action such as organising a public demonstration or social media campaign
- exploring the different ways that citizens can participate in and support Australia’s democracy through their working lives, such as by serving in the armed services or as a reservist, teaching, representing Australia abroad as a diplomat or aid worker, or joining the police service or the public service
More to learn and do
Kathy Weeden reading her book Phonobet, illustrated by Kim Drane and published by NLA Publishing, at Enlighten at the Library 2024
