Spring and fall: to a young child Student activity 14
Margaret, are you grieving 1. Explain how, in fourteen FIGURE 3.58 Student
Over Goldengrove unleaving? brief lines, the poet is able activity 14
Leaves, like the things of man, you to communicate the whole
With your fresh thoughts care for, can you? cycle of life.
Ah! As the heart grows older
It will come to such sights colder 2. What poetic symbols are
By and by, nor spare a sigh used to convey the ideas
Though worlds of wanwood leafmeal lie; birth and death?
And yet you will weep and know why.
Now no matter, child, the name: 3. What point is being made
Sorrow’s springs are the same. about the nature of sorrow
Nor mouth had, no nor mind, expressed and loss with regard to its
What heart heard of, ghost guessed: origins and effects?
It is the blight man was born for,
It is Margaret you mourn for. 4. How successfully has the poet combined the link
Gerard Manley Hopkins. between humans and all creation? Explain.
Source: <http://www.poemtree.com/poems/SpringAndFall.htm>. 5. Was this poem worth reading? Why or why not.
Source: Kovalchek, F Martinz, A 2007, viewed
2010, viewed 5 5 December 2013,
December 2013, <http:// <http://en.wikipedia.org/
www.flickr.com/photos/ wiki/
72213316@N00/5516798 File:Colorful_spring_gard
276/sizes/z/in/ en.jpg>.
photostream/>.
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The road not taken FIGURE 3.59
Robert Frost Viewed 13 November 2013. <http://www.geograph.ie/photo/795914>.
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I —
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Source: http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-road-not-taken/
Student activity 15 FIGURE 3.60 Student
activity 15
1. This poem is an extended metaphor. Explain how this
metaphor works to convey its meaning.
2. Identify the feelings that are expressed by the poet and
support your response using examples from the poem.
3. What mood is reflected in this poem? Substantiate your
answer by referring to the poem.
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Endnotes
1. First published in the Rosehill race book, 9 November 1894; and later in The Man From Snowy River and other verses by
A.B. Paterson, 1895; The collected verse of A.B. Paterson by A.B. Paterson, 1982; Singer of the bush, A.B. (Banjo)
Paterson: Complete works 1885-1900 compiled by Rosamund Campbell and Philippa Harvie, 1983; My country:
Australian poetry and short stories, Two hundred years edited by Leonie Kramer, 1985; A.B. Paterson's off down the
track: racing and other yarns by A.B. Paterson, 1986; Favorite Australian poems, 1987; A vision splendid: The complete
poetry of A.B. 'Banjo' Paterson by A.B. Paterson, 1990; Selected poems: A. B. Paterson compiled by Les Murray, 1992;
and A. B. "Banjo" Paterson: bush ballads, stories and journalism edited by Clement Semmler, 1992.
Author reference sites: Austlit, Australian Dictionary of Biography, Australian Poetry Library
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CHAPTER 4
Text as a daily cultural social activity
The aim of this chapter is to understand and interpret the 5. evaluate the substance of a text in terms of its origin,
texts that are necessary for the development and context, motive, audience and reliability
maintenance of our culture, and to examine these texts in
the context of ongoing development over a broad expanse 6. write about a range of important issues that have been
of time. reflected in Australian texts, and
Suggested chapter duration 7. use critical and analytical research skills.
4 hours Reading resources
Target learning outcomes Texts and Communication iBook, UWSCollege, Sydney
Texts andCommunication vUWS Site
At the completion of this chapter students should be able
to: !!!!!!!!!!! 202
1. demonstrate knowledge of a wide range of texts drawn
from the Australian story from its Aboriginal cultural
origins through to its present multicultural form
2. explore and identify the ways that Australians have
communicated and created text over its history
3. recognise, understand and interpret a wide range of
texts including academic texts, advertisements,
cartoons, diaries, editorials, electronic texts, essays,
film and documentaries, historical documents, legal
documents, newspaper and magazine articles, opinion
pieces, prose varieties and song lyrics
4. analyse theme, content and writer’s intent in a wide
variety of genres
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Chapter 4: Text as a daily cultural social
activity: Study tools
FIGURE 4.1 Text as a daily cultural FIGURE 4.2 Text as a daily cultural FIGURE 4.3 Text as a daily cultural
social activity checklist social activity notes social activity feedback
Use this checklist to prepare for Use this widget to create study notes Provide your tutor with feedback
assessments. for this chapter. about your knowledge and
understanding of the chapter.
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Genres in writing Type of writing Beginning
Student activity 1 The following chart sets out the do’s and don’ts of…
1. From the words below, match the appropriate phrases The storm struck with an appalling ferocity…
or words that indicate the type of writing with the
examples of ‘beginnings’ printed in the table which Once you leave the great city and go inland, you will
follows. observe that people’s lives are quite different.
advertising; autobiography; descriptive writing; CLUB MEMBERS, PLEASE NOTE the following
epitaph; prayer; school story; film review; regulations:...
argumentative writing; ballad; detective genre; notice;
recipes/cook book, fairytale/fantasy; history text; love Guy Morrison was pouring himself a cup of coffee
story/romance; instructions; letter of complaint; when the door of his office opened. A woman entered,
western genre; TV soapie; travel guide She was in her mid-thirties and very attractive. “I want
to find my husband,” she said.
Joanne gazed into the soft blue eyes of the man who
was sitting beside her…
One of the most important events in Australian
history took place in…
Type of writing Beginning Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with a
Once upon a time, in a town called Whatever You product I recently purchased in your store…
Choose, there lived…
Sheriff Bart Henderson stared down the dusty street
Weep not for me friends, of Tombstone City…
Though death do us sever.
I am going to do nothing, “Calling Dr Heart Throb…”
For ever and ever.
Want a great body?
The latest film to draw a large crowd to the cinema
is… It is arguable whether or not…
The recipes chosen for this book are those which 2. Choose one of the types of writing from the list and
best represent traditional Greece… write your own sample of
that genre.
Lord, give me the strength to be a messenger for
peace... FIGURE 4.4 Chapter 4:
I was born in a small town in central New South Student activity 1
Wales…
A strapping young stockman lay dying,
His saddle supporting his head;
His two mates around him were crying,
As he rose on his elbow and said…
Jenny Osborne was scribbling busily in he
notebook, but what she was writing had little to do
with Miss Reiffer’s lesson in Ancient History,
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Newspaper glossary Word Definition
Student activity 2 Advertisements with sections for buying,
selling, employment. births, deaths,
1. From the following list, write the word that best messages …
matches the definition from the table below.
The section for sudden last minute news-
index; late news; banner; masthead; by-line; caption; breaking items
tabloid; column; classifieds; scoop; cadet; broadsheet;
lead story; editorial; feature articles; journalist; Reuters; A person who writes for a newspaper
entertainment; weather
An international news agency supplying
Word Definition news to other sources all over the world
A headline stretching across an entire page Items, photos about famous people, events,
films, music, shows, TV guide, comics
The name of the writer as it appears between
the headline and the story Maps, reports about rain, snow,
The information below the photograph temperature, surf, tide, sunrise/sunset
A series of articles or stories written by the
same person FIGURE 4.5 Student
A small size newspaper activity 2
The name, date, price and logo of the
newspaper
A large size newspaper
A trainee journalist
A front page guide of where to find what in the
newspaper
The publishing of a story before anyone else
The main story on the front page
An article expressing the opinion of the
newspaper or its owner(s)
Stories which are of special interest to the
public
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Student activity 3 FIGURE 4.6 Student Story summaries
activity 3 1. Three small children are saved from a burning house.
Match the headline with the 2. Police are looking for the owners of stolen goods.
summary of the story. Write the 3. A small fire breaks out at a local school.
number of the summary in the 4. A fire starts in a car on the motorway.
space next to the matching 5. A local man was run over by a bus.
headline. 6. A local woman died on Norfolk Island.
7. A girl was knocked off her bike by a car.
Headlines 8. Students from a local school go on a sponsored bike
Blaze damage to moving car! ! ! ______
Skullduggery!! ! ! ! ! ! ______ ride.
Blaze in bin! ! ! ! ! ! ______ 9. A magpie attacked babies in their prams.
Any of this loot yours?! ! ! ! ______ 10. An old lady has her bag stolen on the bus.
Man hurt in road mishap! ! ! ! ______ 11. A 14 year old youth stole some tools. _
Cyclist hurt in collision! ! ! ! ______ 12. A search starts for a man who attacked a shop keeper.
Bully bird zaps babies! ! ! ! ______ 13. A woman dug up a human skull in her garden.
Pedal power pays! ! ! ! ! ______ 14. A house painter was taken to court for attacking a
HANDBAG SNATCH! ! ! ! ______
Man tipped can of paint over woman! ______ woman.
POLICE HUNT KNIFE RAIDER! ! ______ 15. The barman at a local pub did a parachute jump to
Three are saved from choking smoke! ______
‘Bored’ boy broke into workshop! ! ______ earn money for charity.
$300 in pub para-leap! ! ! ! ______
Island holiday ends in death! ! ! ______ Reference: http://www.theguardian.com/uk/shortcuts/2012/dec/05/royal-
pregnancy-strangest-stories
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Vocabulary extension
Student activity 4
1. Choose the appropriate word from the box to complete,
correctly, the sentences that appear below.
speaker, addressing, mood, metaphor, level, intimate,
second person, colloquial, vernacular, familiarity,
literal, empathy, expletives, succinct, impartial, tone,
challenge, imperative, perspective, text, setting.
a. The ______________________ in the speaker’s
voice indicated that his patience had all but
disappeared.
b. The newly engaged couple shared an
_________________________ dinner in the candle-
lit dining room.
c. “Today we will try to get to the heart of the matter,” said the barrister as he was _______________________________
the court.
d. Newly acquainted people should avoid treating each other with too much ____________________________.
e. The barrister made a __________________________ summation for the jury which clearly and briefly reviewed his
most important pieces of evidence.
f. It is ___________________________ that I meet with you without further delay.
g. The teacher asked the student whether he was speaking on a ____________________ level or whether he was 207
referring to the imagery in the poem.
h. During his abuse of the old man, the uncouth youth poured out a volley of ____________________________
i. The capable student was able to recognise the fact that the poet was operating on more than one
___________________ of understanding.
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j. The poet’s voice is often a _________________________ of truth on many and varied issues.
k. It is not difficult to change your ___________________________ on an issue when you find out a lot more facts about
that issue.
l. The _________________________ of a speech can influence the reader’s emotional response to what the speaker is
saying.
m. Plot, characterisation, theme, __________________ and language are all important elements of many texts.
n. Students are discouraged from using ___________________ language when they write formal essays.
o. Using sophisticated language confidently is a __________________ for all contemporary students.
p. The actual wording of anything that is printed or written is called its _______________.
q. You, whether it is expressed as a singular or plural word, is always referred to in the ___________________
_____________________.
r. When someone has an appreciative perception or understanding of another person’s position, he is demonstrating
____________________.
s. When a writer uses a literary device that suggests something that they are writing FIGURE 4.7 Student
resembles something else, he is using a ____________________________. activity 4
t. When a text is written in the local language, it is said to be written in the
__________________________.
2. Choose any five words from the box and write a complex sentence that includes all of
them.
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FIGURE 4.8 Chapter 4: Tiddalick The Frog
YouTube: Dreamtime stories
- Tiddalick the frog Before you begin this section, refer back to the article “Why the stories are told” by Aunty
Beryl Carmichael in Chapter 2.
FIGURE 4.9 Chapter 4:
YouTube: QR code
Long ago in the Dreamtime, Tiddalik, the largest frog ever known, awoke one morning with a
<http://www.youtube.com/watch? huge thirst. He started to drink and drank until there was no fresh water left in the world. Soon
v=0y3Ta5xcKV4> creatures everywhere were dying and trees were wilting because of the lack of moisture.
All the animals pondered about their terrible plight until a wise old wombat suggested that if
Tiddalik could be made to laugh then maybe all the water would flow out of his mouth. This
was a good idea the animals agreed.
The animals gathered by Tiddalik's resting place and tried for a long time to make him laugh, but it was in vain. The
kookaburra told his funniest story, the kangaroo jumped over the emu and the lizard waddled up and down on two legs
making his stomach stick out but Tiddalik was not amused.
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Then when the animals were in despair, Nabunum the eel who
was driven from his favourite creek by the drought slid up to
the unresponsive frog and began to dance. As the dance got
faster Nabunum wriggled and twisted himself into all sorts of
knots and shapes to the amusement of Tiddalik. Tiddalik's eyes
lit up and burst out laughing. As he laughed the water gushed
out from his mouth and flowed away to replenish the lakes,
swamps and rivers again.
References: Michael J Connolly
Munda-gutta Kulliwari
Dreamtime Kullilla-Art
www.kullillaart.com.au
© 2009 Dreamtime Kullilla-Art all rights reserved
http://www.kullillaart.com.au/?PageID=46
Another Dreaming site in the Hunter Region is that of the often
related Tiddalik the Frog story. The story has been published in
several different versions, and as with many traditional beliefs
there are different levels of understanding depending on the levels of learning one has encountered.
Tiddalik was a giant frog in the Creation era who lived in the Wollombi Valley and was overcome one day by a great thirst. He
began to satisfy this thirst by drinking from the Wollombi Brook, but instead of drinking only his fill, he continued to gulp the
water, not caring for the needs of others. The result was that he was full to the point where his tummy was near bursting and
he could only move a short way away from what had now become an empty, dry stream. The other animals quickly became
alarmed at the loss of water and realised that they would have to get Tiddalik to bring some of the water back up. If he didn’t
they knew that all the living creatures would die. They got together and eventually made Tiddalik laugh. In doing so he
brought the water back up. All the living creatures could now survive and enjoy life once more. Tiddalik though, was punished
for his greed. He was turned into stone and we can visit the site near Wollombi and relive the event. And remember that
greed, and neglecting the needs of others, can lead us to suffer in the same way that Tiddalik still does.
Reference: <http://www.miromaa.org.au/Culture/Tiddalik-the-Frog.html>
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The thirsty frog
As we continue on our journey, we come to Australia. It is a
country on the other side of the world full of beautiful
colours.
The first inhabitants of Australia -the aborigines - relate
how their land was a marvellous island, many, many years
ago. It was a land where the rivers and lakes shimmered in
many shades of blue. It was also a green land where many
trees grew.
The legend tells of a frog called Tiddalik, who lived in As you can imagine, the land just got drier and drier until
Australia. The frog was always thirsty. One morning, there was nothing left but desert. The trees lost all their
Tiddalik woke up feeling parched. In fact, he was so thirsty leaves. What a disaster! Since there was no water, all the
that he started drinking and drinking and drinking until he animals were as thirsty as thirsty could be. It looked like
had dried up all the rivers and lakes. He drank so much that Tiddalik would be the only one to live through the terrible
he left the land without a drop of fresh water. drought. His belly had enough water in it to last him for
years!
One day, the wise old bat said he had an answer to the
problem. His idea was to make Tiddalik the frog laugh so
that he would cough up all the water he had swallowed.
Then all the rivers and lakes would fill up again with water.
The animals all agreed that it was a very good idea.
Kiwi - a very determined bird – was the first to try to make
the frog laugh. Kiwi started telling funny stories of when he
was a little chick. Like the day it fell from a branch and his
beak wedged in an ants nest so that his brothers had to
pull him out feet first. Kiwi told stories that were so funny,
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Then Kangaroo had a go. Kangaroo started bouncing
around like a rubber ball. Boing! boing! boing! He jumped
high in the air and did somersaults like a circus acrobat.
The Kangaroo’s antics soon had all the animals clapping
and cheering. “Bravo! Bravo!” they shouted. Well, not all of
them.
Tiddalik didn’t even so much as bat an eyelash.Worn out by
so much leaping around, Kangaroo let Emu - a big feathery
bird - try his luck.
everyone split their sides laughing. Everyone laughed,
except Tiddalik the frog.
Emu started playing the clown. He made some really funny
faces and contorted his long neck so that he almost tied
himself in a knot. The animals laughed themselves silly at
Emu’s twists and turns. But it was all to no avail. The fact is
Tiddalik the frog looked just as sour and bored as ever.
There wasn’t a flicker of a smile on his froggy lips. The
animals were desperate. They had no idea how to find a
solution. They knew that none of them would last long
without water.
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He was a wonderful dancer. A ballet dancer couldn’t have
done better. He rippled his body from head to tail. He
stretched out and shrivelled up like a party streamer.
Tiddalik the frog gazed attentively at him. But he didn’t let
out as much as a titter.
It was just then, when Eel was really getting into his snake
routine, that he got so close to the frog, the tip of his tail
tickled Tiddalik’s belly. “Ha, ha, ha...” laughed Tiddalik. “Ha,
ha, ha… Stop it! Stop it! You’re tickling me!” begged the
frog.
Soon, they started squabbling among themselves about
the best way to get Tiddalik to laugh. Then came the eel’s
turn to try. Eel was a thin, long fish with a snake-like body
which never seemed to stay still. Eel began a snake dance.
Finally, Tiddalik the frog burst into a side-splitting laughter.
He laughed so hard that water started pouring out of his
mouth. Soon it became a torrent. And that was how the
rivers and lakes throughout the land filled up again. The
sap rose in the trees and soon they were covered with
green leaves. Australia went back to being as beautiful as it
had always been.
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Tiddalik the frog shrank and shrank as the water gushed Student activity 5
out of his mouth. He ended up being just this tiny. That’s
why the aborigines believe that every time there is a flood There are four different versions of the story in the material
it’s because Tiddalik the frog is having a good laugh. above.
1. Briefly explain the story, and suggest how it may have
FIGURE 4.10 The thirsty frog
originated.
2. Have you ever encountered a similar story from your
own reading or experience? Explain.
3. Identify the differences in each of the versions of the
story.
4. Why do you think these differences have developed?
5. One story was created outside the Australian
continent. What evidence can you find to sustain that
statement?
6. Could the story still have currency today? Explain.
FIGURE 4.11 Chapter 4:
Student activity 5
Viewed 15 January 2014. <http://www.ecb.org/guides/pdf/drawmeastory/
ThristyFrog.pdf>.
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The settlement at Port Jackson by Watkin Tench
Chapter X: The arrival of the Supply from Batavia; the State of the Colony in November, 1790
FIGURE 4.12 Watkin Tench Joy sparkled in every countenance to see our old friend the ‘Supply’ (I hope no reader
will be so captious as to quarrel with the phrase) enter the harbour from Batavia on the
19th of October. We had witnessed her departure with tears; we hailed her return with
transport.
Captain Ball was rather more than six months in making this voyage, and is the first
person who ever circumnavigated the continent of New Holland. On his passage to
Batavia, he had discovered several islands, which he gave names to and, after fighting
his way against adverse elements and through unexplored dangers, safely reached his
destined port. He had well stored his little bark with every necessary and conveniency
which he judged we should first want, leaving a cargo of rice and salt provisions to be
brought on by a Dutch snow, which he had hired and freighted for the use of the
settlement. While at Batavia, the ‘Supply’ had lost many of her people by sickness, and
left several others in the general hospital at that place.
As the arrival of the ‘Supply’ naturally leads the attention from other subjects to the
state of the colony, I shall here take a review of it by transcribing a statement drawn
from actual observation soon after, exactly as I find it written in my journal.
Cultivation, on a public scale, has for some time past been given up here, (Sydney) the
Viewed 22 January 2014, <http:// crop of last year being so miserable, as to deter from farther experiment, in
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Watkin_tench.jpg>. consequence of which the government-farm is abandoned, and the people who were
fixed on it have been removed. Necessary public buildings advance fast; an excellent
storehouse of large dimensions, built of bricks and covered with tiles, is just completed; and another planned which will
shortly be begun. Other buildings, among which I heard the governor mention an hospital and permanent barracks for the
troops, may also be expected to arise soon. Works of this nature are more expeditiously performed than heretofore, owing, I
apprehend, to the superintendants lately arrived, who are placed over the convicts and compel them to labour. The first
difficulties of a new country being subdued may also contribute to this comparative facility.
Vegetables are scarce, although the summer is so far advanced, owing to want of rain. I do not think that all the showers of
the last four months put together, would make twenty-four hours rain. Our farms, what with this and a poor soil, are in
wretched condition. My winter crop of potatoes, which I planted in days of despair (March and April last), turned out very
badly when I dug them about two months back. Wheat returned so poorly last harvest, that very little, besides Indian corn,
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has been sown this year. The governor’s wound is quite at hand. He says that the bricks are such as would be
healed, and he feels no inconveniency whatever from it. called in England, moderately good, and he judges they
With the natives we are hand and glove. They throng the would have fetched about 24 shillings per thousand at
camp every day, and sometimes by their clamour and Kingston-upon-Thames (where he resided) in the year
importunity for bread and meat (of which they now all eat 1784. Their greatest fault is being too brittle. The tiles he
greedily) are become very troublesome. God knows, we thinks not so good as those made about London. The stuff
have little enough for ourselves! Full allowance (if eight has a rotten quality, and besides wants the advantage of
pounds of flour and either seven pounds of beef, or four being ground, in lieu of which they tread it.
pounds of pork, served alternately, per week, without either
pease, oatmeal, spirits, butter, or cheese, can be called so) King (another master bricklayer) last year, with the
is yet kept up; but if the Dutch snow does not arrive soon it assistance of sixteen men and two boys, made 11,000
must be shortened, as the casks in the storehouse, I bricks weekly, with two stools. During short allowance did
observed yesterday, are woefully decreased. what he could. Resumed his old task when put again on full
allowance and had his number of assistants augmented to
The convicts continue to behave pretty well; three only twenty men and two boys, on account of the increased
have been hanged since the arrival of the last fleet, in the distance of carrying wood for the kilns. He worked at
latter end of June, all of whom were newcomers. The Hammersmith, for Mr. Scot, of that place. He thinks the
number of convicts here diminishes every day; our principal bricks made here as good as those made near London,
efforts being wisely made at Rose Hill, where the land is and says that in the year 1784, they would have sold for a
unquestionably better than about this place. Except guinea per thousand and to have picked the kiln at thirty
building, sawing and brickmaking, nothing of consequence shillings.’
is now carried on here. The account which I received a few
days ago from the brickmakers of their labours, was as Such is my Sydney detail dated the 12th of November,
follows. Wheeler (one of the master brick-makers) with two 1790. Four days after I went to Rose Hill, and wrote there
tile stools and one brick stool, was tasked to make and the subjoined remarks.
burn ready for use 30,000 tiles and bricks per month. He
had twenty-one hands to assist him, who performed every November 16th. Got to Rose Hill in the evening. Next
thing; cut wood, dug clay, etc. This continued (during the morning walked round the whole of the cleared and
days of distress excepted, when they did what they could) cultivated land, with the Rev. Mr. Johnson, who is the best
until June last. From June, with one brick and two tile farmer in the country. Edward Dod, one of the governor’s
stools he has been tasked to make 40,000 bricks and tiles household, who conducts everything here in the
monthly (as many of each sort as may be), having twenty- agricultural line, accompanied us part of the way, and
two men and two boys to assist him, on the same terms of afforded all the information he could. He estimates the
procuring materials as before. They fetch the clay of which quantity of cleared and cultivated land at 200 acres. Of
tiles are made, two hundred yards; that for bricks is close these fifty-five are in wheat, barley, and a little oats, thirty in
maize, and the remainder is either just cleared of wood, or
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is occupied by buildings, gardens, etc. Four enclosures of FIGURE 4.13 A convict ploughing team - Port Arthur
twenty acres each, are planned for the reception of cattle,
which may arrive in the colony, and two of these are Viewed 22 January 2014, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
already fenced in. In the centre of them is to be erected a File:Convict_labourers_in_Australia_in_the_early_20th_century.jpg>.
house, for a person who will be fixed upon to take care of
the cattle. All these enclosures are supplied with water; and than ever of opinion that without a large supply of cattle
only a part of the trees which grew in them being cut down, nothing can be done. They have not at this time either
gives to them a very park-like and beautiful appearance. horse, cow, or sheep here. I asked him how the stock they
had was coming on. The fowls he said multiplied
Our survey commenced on the north side of the river. Dod exceedingly, but the hogs neither thrived or increased in
says he expects this year’s crop of wheat and barley from number, for want of food. He pointed out to us his best
the fifty-five acres to yield full 400 bushels. Appearances wheat, which looks tolerable, and may perhaps yield 13 or
hitherto hardly indicate so much. He says he finds the 14 bushels per acre**. Next came the oats which are in ear,
beginning of May the best time to sow barley,* but that it though not more than six inches high: they will not return
may continue to be sown until August. That sown in May is as much seed as was sown. The barley, except one patch
reaped in December; that of August in January. He sowed in a corner of a field, little better than the oats. Crossed the
his wheat, part in June and part in July. He thinks June the river and inspected the south side. Found the little patch of
best time, and says that he invariably finds that which is wheat at the bottom of the crescent very bad. Proceeded
deepest sown, grows strongest and best, even as deep as and examined the large field on the ascent to the
three inches he has put it in, and found it to answer. The westward: here are about twenty-five acres of wheat, which
wheat sown in June is now turning yellow; that of July is
more backward. He has used only the broad-cast !!!!!!!!!!! 217
husbandry, and sowed two bushels per acre. The plough
has never yet been tried here; all the ground is hoed, and
(as Dod confesses) very incompetently turned up. Each
convict labourer was obliged to hoe sixteen rods a day, so
that in some places the earth was but just scratched over.
The ground was left open for some months, to receive
benefit from the sun and air; and on that newly cleared the
trees were burnt, and the ashes dug in. I do not find that a
succession of crops has yet been attempted; surely it
would help to meliorate and improve the soil. Dod
recommends strongly the culture of potatoes, on a large
scale, and says that were they planted even as late as
January they would answer, but this I doubt. He is more
UWSCollege Pty Ltd! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
from its appearance we guessed would produce perhaps Jackson abounds with red corrosive gum, which
seven bushels an acre. The next patch to this is in maize, contributes its share of mischief.]
which looks not unpromising; some of the stems are stout,
and beginning to throw out large broad leaves, the surest The main street of the new town is already begun. It is to
sign of vigour. The view from the top of the wheat field be a mile long, and of such breadth as will make Pall Mall
takes in, except a narrow slip, the whole of the cleared land and Portland Place “hide their diminished heads.” It
at Rose Hill. From not having before seen an opening of contains at present thirty-two houses completed, of
such extent for the last three years, this struck us as grand twenty-four feet by twelve each, on a ground floor only,
and capacious. The beautiful diversity of the ground (gentle built of wattles plastered with clay, and thatched. Each
hill and dale) would certainly be reckoned pretty in any house is divided into two rooms, in one of which is a fire
country. Continued our walk, and crossed the old field, place and a brick chimney. These houses are designed for
which is intended to form part of the main street of the men only; and ten is the number of inhabitants allotted to
projected town. The wheat in this field is rather better, but each; but some of them now contain twelve or fourteen, for
not much, than in the large field before mentioned. The want of better accommodation. More are building. In a
next field is maize, inferior to what we have seen, but not cross street stand nine houses for unmarried women; and
despicable. An acre of maize, at the bottom of the marine exclusive of all these are several small huts where convict
garden, is equal in luxuriancy of promise to any I ever saw families of good character are allowed to reside. Of public
in any country. buildings, besides the old wooden barrack and store, there
is a house of lath and plaster, forty-four feet long by sixteen
[*The best crop of barley ever produced in New South wide, for the governor, on a ground floor only, with
Wales, was sown by a private individual, in February 1790, excellent out-houses and appurtenances attached to it. A
and reaped in the following October.] new brick store house, covered with tiles, 100 feet long by
twenty-four wide, is nearly completed, and a house for the
[**As all the trees on our cleared ground were cut down, store-keeper. The first stone of a barrack, 100 feet long by
and not grubbed up, the roots and stumps remain, on twenty-four wide, to which are intended to be added wings
which account a tenth part of surface in every acre must be for the officers, was laid to-day. The situation of the barrack
deducted. This is slovenly husbandry; but in a country is judicious, being close to the store-house, and within a
where immediate subsistence is wanted, it is perhaps hundred and fifty yards of the wharf, where all boats from
necessary. None of these stumps, when I left Port Jackson, Sydney unload. To what I have already enumerated, must
showed any symptoms of decay, though some of the trees be added an excellent barn, a granary, an inclosed yard to
had been cut down four years. To the different qualities of rear stock in, a commodious blacksmith’s shop, and a most
the wood of Norfolk Island and New South Wales, perhaps wretched hospital, totally destitute of every conveniency.
the difference of soil may in some measure be traced. That Luckily for the gentleman who superintends this hospital,
of Norfolk Island is light and porous: it rots and turns into and still more luckily for those who are doomed in case of
mould in two years. Besides its hardness that of Port sickness to enter it, the air of Rose Hill has hitherto been
UWSCollege Pty Ltd! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !!!!!!!!!!! 218
generally healthy. A tendency to produce slight one to take his bread; it is left entirely to every body’s own
inflammatory disorders, from the rapid changes* of the option to consume his flour as he pleases. Divine service is
temperature of the air, is most to be dreaded. performed here, morning and afternoon, one Sunday in
[*In the close of the year 1788, when this settlement was every month, when all the convicts are obliged to attend
established, the thermometer has been known to stand at church, under penalty of having a part of their allowance of
50 degrees a little before sunrise, and between one and provisions stopped, which is done by the chaplain, who is a
two o’ clock in the afternoon at above 100 degrees.] justice of the peace.
FIGURE 4.14 1988 commemorative Australian ‘For the punishment of offenders, where a criminal court is
Polymer $10.00 note depicting HMS 'Supply' in not judged necessary, two or more justices, occasionally
Sydney Cove assemble, and order the infliction of slight corporal
punishment, or short confinement in a strong room built for
Viewed 15 January 2014, <http://bit.ly/1kAHiM3>. this purpose. The military present here consists of two
subalterns, two sergeants, three corporals, a drummer, and
‘The hours of labour for the convicts are the same here as twenty-one privates. These have been occasionally
at Sydney. On Saturdays after ten o’clock in the morning augmented and reduced, as circumstances have been
they are allowed to work in their own gardens. These thought to render it necessary.
gardens are at present, from the long drought and other
causes, in a most deplorable state. Potatoes, I think, thrive Brick-kilns are now erected here, and bricks manufactured
better than any other vegetable in them. For the public by a convict of the name of Becket, who came out in the
conveniency a baker is established here in a good last fleet, and has fifty-two people to work under him. He
bakehouse, who exchanges with every person bread for makes 25,000 bricks weekly. He says that they are very
flour, on stipulated terms; but no compulsion exists for any good, and would sell at Birmingham, where he worked
about eighteen months ago, at more than 30 shillings per
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Nothing farther of public nature remaining to examine, I
next visited a humble adventurer, who is trying his fortune
here. James Ruse, convict, was cast for seven years at
Bodmin assizes, in August 1782. He lay five years in prison
and on board the ‘Dunkirk’ hulk at Plymouth, and then was
sent to this country. When his term of punishment expired,
in August 1789, he claimed his freedom, and was permitted
by the governor, on promising to settle in the country, to
take in December following, an uncleaned piece of ground,
with an assurance that if he would cultivate it, it should not
!!!!!!!!!!! 219
be taken from him. Some assistance was given him, to fell the store, like all other people. My opinion of the soil of my
the timber, and he accordingly began. His present account farm, is, that it is middling, neither good or bad. I will be
to me was as follows. bound to make it do with the aid of manure, but without
cattle it will fail. The greatest check upon me is, the
I was bred a husbandman, near Launcester in Cornwall. I dishonesty of the convicts who, in spite of all my vigilance,
cleared my land as well as I could, with the help afforded rob me almost every night.
me. The exact limit of what ground I am to have, I do not
yet know; but a certain direction has been pointed out to The annexed return will show the number of persons of all
me, in which I may proceed as fast as I can cultivate. I have descriptions at Rose Hill, at this period. On the morning of
now an acre and a half in bearded wheat, half an acre in the 17th, I went down to Sydney.
maize, and a small kitchen garden. On my wheat land I
sowed three bushels of seed, the produce of this country, !!!!!!!!!!! 220
broad cast. I expect to reap about twelve or thirteen
bushels. I know nothing of the cultivation of maize, and
cannot therefore guess so well at what I am likely to gather.
I sowed part of my wheat in May, and part in June. That
sown in May has thrived best. My maize I planted in the
latter end of August, and the beginning of September. My
land I prepared thus: having burnt the fallen timber off the
ground, I dug in the ashes, and then hoed it up, never
doing more than eight, or perhaps nine, rods in a day, by
which means, it was not like the government farm, just
scratched over, but properly done. Then I clod-moulded it,
and dug in the grass and weeds. This I think almost equal
to ploughing. I then let it lie as long as I could, exposed to
air and sun; and just before I sowed my seed, turned it all
up afresh. When I shall have reaped my crop, I purpose to
hoe it again, and harrow it fine, and then sow it with turnip-
seed, which will mellow and prepare it for next year. My
straw, I mean to bury in pits, and throw in with it every thing
which I think will rot and turn to manure. I have no person
to help me, at present, but my wife, whom I married in this
country; she is industrious. The governor, for some time,
gave me the help of a convict man, but he is taken away.
Both my wife and myself receive our provisions regularly at
UWSCollege Pty Ltd! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Here terminates the transcription of my diary. It were vain to The journey from telegraph to Twitter in
suppose, that it can prove either agreeable or interesting to Queensland
a majority of readers but as this work is intended not only
for amusement, but information, I considered it right to Student activity 7
present this detail unaltered, either in its style or
arrangement. Visit the website and look at the video clip, read the
information and answer the following questions:
[*Of these labourers, 16 are sawyers. The rest are variously
employed in clearing fresh land; in dragging brick and FIGURE 4.16 Chapter 4: The FIGURE 4.17 Chapter
timber carts; and a great number in making a road of a mile
long, through the main street, to the governor’s house.] journey from telegraph to 4: Web link: QR code
Reference: Viewed 15 January 2014, <http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/t/tench/ twitter in Queensland: Web link
watkin/settlement/chapter10.html>.
Student activity 6 FIGURE 4.15 Chapter 4:
Student activity 6
1. List ten facts that you
learned about the Sydney
Cove settlement in 1790.
2. What can you learn about <http://ab.co/1eCmVXy>
Watkin Tench from his
writings? 1. Explain the importance of the development of the
telegraph system.
3. Applying the OCMAR
analysis, evaluate the 2. What were the positive
merit of Tench’s writings. outcomes of its
development?
4. How important are documents like this one in assisting FIGURE 4.18 Chapter
current students to understand the circumstances of 3. What were the negative 4: Student activity 7
early colonial life in Sydney? aspects of this form of
communication?
5. What are some of the elements in the writing that
might present difficulties to 21st century students? 4. Why is the telegraph no
longer used by Australians?
6. How important is it to have other sources of
information when trying to write an accurate account
of historical events?
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Go to the the website and answer the question below: Australian suffragettes
5. Find out how Alan McGilvray was able to produce The term suffrage refers to the mobilisation of the suffrage
cricket commentary in Australia of matches in movement in America, England, Australia and New Zealand
England before there was any telephony between between 1880s and 1920s. The first wave of feminism
Australia and the Northern Hemisphere. created a new political identity for women with legal and
political advances and social emancipation.
FIGURE 4.19 Chapter 4: FIGURE 4.20 Chapter 4:
Commentators in cricket Web link: QR code A number of women's organisations were instrumental in the
history: Web link women's struggle for vote. The Australian Women's Suffrage
Society was formed in 1889. The aims of the society were to
<http://bit.ly/1dp4asE> obtain the same rights for women as were possessed by
male voters. The Society argued for equal justice, equal
privileges in marriage and divorce, rights to property and the
custody of children in divorce. Another key association in the
struggle for equal voting rights has been The Women's
Christian Temperance Union formed on the 16th November
1887. The Society sought social reforms which included
establishing equal moral standards for both sexes.
In 1891 a women's suffrage petition with 30,000 signatures
was presented to the Victorian Parliament by various
Christian and suffrage societies. Here was the unusual
spectacle of women uniting across class and political lines.
Australian women's political activity centred around the
various states in Australia and involved vigorous campaigns
for the right to vote.1
"A woman's opinions are useless to her, she may
suffer unjustly, she may be wronged, but she has
no power to weightily petitions against man's
laws, no representatives to urge her views, her
only method to produce release, redress, or
change, is to ceaselessly agitate."
Reference: Louisa Lawson, speech to the inaugural meeting of the Dawn Club.
Published in Dawn, July 1889.
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The vote rights such as contraception and abortion, and family
allowances, equal employment opportunities, education,
New Zealand women had become the first in the world to respect for women's domestic labour aimed to improve
gain the right to vote in the national election. In 1894 South women's domestic and public sphere. The campaign for
Australian Women were granted the right to vote followed the vote in the nineteenth century later embraced wider
by Western Australia in 1899, NSW in 1902 and finally issues such as women's rights as workers, mothers, and
Victoria in 1908. Australian women (except Aboriginal women as citizens.
women) were enfranchised for the new Commonwealth
Parliament in 1901. Women first voted in second Federal FIGURE 4.21 Vida Goldstein
election in 1903. 2. However, women were not eligible for
election to the State parliaments until the end of the First ! Viewed 22 January 2014, <http://bit.ly/1eCozbL>. 223
World War. !!!!!!!!!!!
Vida Goldstein was the first woman in the British Empire to
nominate for the Australian Parliament. This was in 1902
when Goldstein unsuccessfully ran for the Australian
Senate. Another key figure in the campaign for women's
suffrage was Mary Lee. Edith Cowan became the first
woman parliamentarian in Australia in 1921.
Women argued for enfranchisement on the basis of
individual rights. The first wave of feminists were
concerned with obtaining equality for women in the public
sphere. They lobbied for political and civil rights equal to
those of men and were concerned with the general
emancipation and advancement of women. They were also
concerned with the franchise, access to parliaments as
votes and candidates. They also demanded justice and
freedom from a range of restrictions which were limiting
their lives. Suffragists organised around many questions of
social reform and matters affecting women at home and at
work. Women attempted to speak for themselves and
argue for full legal and civil equality, and for the personal
freedom. They were concerned with the social and political
changes necessary to provide a more equitable society.
The struggle for the vote, and later battles for reproductive
UWSCollege Pty Ltd! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
The first leaflet issued by the Victorian Women's Anti-suffragist movement
Suffrage Society.
The anti-suffragist movement dwelt upon the supposed
defects of intellect and temperament. Images of women
politicians in the media attempted to portray women as
absorbed with the trivial and domestic, and as emotional,
selfish, and bad mothers. Anti-suffragists argued that women
were too emotional and lacked broader political vision. They
attempted to picture politics as unsuitable for women.
Australian women were often depicted in the popular press as
weak, and intellectually incapable of political decision making.
The following cartoons are an example of the type of press
coverage that Australian suffragettes received prior and after
winning the right to vote.
Reference: "The Petticoat In Politics-Suggested By Recent Maoriland Events",
The Bulletin, 3/2/1894 p 11
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"The Petticoat In Politics-Suggested By Recent The first woman's newspaper The Dawn started by Louisa
Lawson employed all female labour and continued for 17
Maoriland Events" The Bulletin, 3/2 years. Australian women first voted in a federal election on
16 December 1903. The above article from Dawn describes
"To cry for female suffrage was simply a some of the emotions associated with this event.
sign to him [Mr. Grainger] of the great
degeneracy of the race. We were
becoming effeminate, and wanted to
shift the blame and responsibilities upon
women. It was the Adam and Eve game
over again. Of all the intelligent women-
and he knew a good many in this
colony-not one had yet propounded
satisfactory financial scheme say for the
consolidation of public debt or taxation."
Extract from Parliamentary debates, Register 18th
December 1894
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Endnotes Student activity 8 FIGURE 4.22 Chapter 4:
Student activity 8
1. Clarke, J & White, K 1983,Women in Australian 1. What is suffrage and who
Politics, Fontana/Collins, Sydney, pp. 9-36 are the suffragettes?
2. State Library of South Australia, Introduction of 2. What is a double
women's suffrage in each state in Australia, <http:// standard? Cite four
www.slsa.sa.gov.au/int_pubs/women/suffr4.htm>. examples of double
standards identified in the
Bibliography opening paragraphs.
Bomford, J 1994, That dangerous and persuasive 3. Who was Louisa
woman: Vida Goldstein, Melbourne University Press. Lawson? Why was her
Fabian, S & Loh, M 1983,The changemakers: ten voice able to be heard by so many with such notable
significant Australian women, Jacaranda Press, Milton. success?
Kociumbas, J 1988, “The best years?”, in Verity
Burgmann and Jenny Lee (eds), Making a life, part of A 4. Why did it take so long for women across Australia to
people's history of Australia, McPhee Gribble, Fitzroy. all obtain the same voting rights?
Oldfield, A 1992, Woman suffrage in Australia: a gift or a
struggle?, Cambridge University Press, Melbourne. 5. Summarise the main issues about which women were
Sawer, M & Simms, M 1984, A woman's place: women interested in having the right to vote.
and politics in Australia, Allen and Unwin, Sydney,
<http://www.abc.net.au/ola/citizen/women/women-home- 6. Why is the pro-suffragette leaflet so potent?
vote.htm>.
7. What were the arguments of the anti-suffragette
movement? How were they communicated? Do you
think any of them were valid? Explain.
8. What do you think of the page from The Dawn in terms
of being an effective piece of communication?
9. What forms of communication would be used today if
this issue were being resolved now Would they be
more effective? Why or why not?
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The Australian constitution Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as
follows:
Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act
1. This Act may be cited as the Commonwealth of
Viewed 15 January 2014. <http://bit.ly/1d4wxHV>. Australia Constitution Act.
An Act to constitute the Commonwealth of Australia 2. The provisions of this Act referring to the Queen shall
[9th July 1900] extend to Her Majesty’s heirs and successors in the
Whereas the people of New South Wales, Victoria, South sovereignty of the United Kingdom.
Australia, Queensland, and Tasmania, humbly relying on the
blessing of Almighty God, have agreed to unite in one 3. It shall be lawful for the Queen, with the advice of the
indissoluble Federal Commonwealth under the Crown of Privy Council, to declare by proclamation that, on and
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and under after a day therein appointed, not being later that one
the Constitution hereby established: year after the passing of this Act, the people of New
And whereas it is expedient to provide for the admission South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland
into the Commonwealth of other Australasian Colonies and and Tasmania, and also, if Her Majesty is satisfied that
possessions of the Queen: the people of Western Australia have agreed thereto,
Be it therefore enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent of Western Australia, shall be united in a Federal
Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Commonwealth under the name of the Commonwealth
Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present of Australia. But the Queen may, at any time after the
proclamation, appoint a Governor-General for the
UWSCollege Pty Ltd! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Commonwealth.
4. The Commonwealth shall be established, and the
Constitution of the Commonwealth shall take effect,
on and after the day so appointed. But the Parliaments
of the several colonies may at any time after the
passing of this Act make any such laws, to come into
operation on the day so appointed, as they might have
made of the Constitution had taken effect at the
passing of this Act.
5. This Act, and all laws made by the Parliament of the
Commonwealth under the Constitution, shall be
binding on the courts, judges, and people of every
State and of every part of the Commonwealth,
!!!!!!!!!!! 227
notwithstanding anything in the laws of any State; and The constitution
the laws of the Commonwealth shall be in force on all
British ships, the Queen’s ships of war excepted, This Constitution is divided as follows:-
whose first port of clearance and whose port of
destination are in the Commonwealth. Chapter I – The Parliament:
Part I – General:
6. The Commonwealth” shall mean the Commonwealth Part II – The Senate:
of Australia as established under this Act. “The States” Part III – The House of Representatives:
shall mean such of the colonies of New South Wales, Part IV – Both Houses of the Parliament:
New Zealand, Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria, Part V – Powers of the Government:
Western Australia, and South Australia, including the Chapter II – The Executive Government:
northern territory of South Australia, as for the time Chapter III – The Judicature:
being are parts of the Commonwealth, and such Chapter IV – Finance and Trade:
colonies or territories as may be admitted into or Chapter V – The States:
established by the Commonwealth as States; and Chapter VI – New States:
each of such parts of the Commonwealth shall be Chapter VII – Miscellaneous:
called “a State”. “Original States” shall mean such Chapter VIII – Alteration of the Constitution.
States as are parts of the Commonwealth at its The Schedule.
establishment.
Viewed 15 January 2014. <http://tenrandomfacts.com/wp-content/uploads/
7. The Federal Council of Australasia Act, 1885, is hereby 2013/10/Parliment-of-Australia.jpg>.
repealed, but so as not to affect any laws passed by
the Federal Council of Australasia and in force at the !!!!!!!!!!! 228
establishment of the Commonwealth. Any such law
may be repealed as to any State by the Parliament of
the Commonwealth, or as to any colony not being a
State by the Parliament thereof.
8. After the passing of this Act the Colonial Boundaries
Act, 1895, shall not apply to any colony which
becomes a State of the Commonwealth; but the
Commonwealth shall be taken to be a self-governing
colony for the purposes of that Act.
9. The Constitution of the Commonwealth shall be as
follows:
UWSCollege Pty Ltd! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Australian Constitution – Chapter 1, Part 1 Section 4 – Provisions relating to Governor-General
The Parliament – General The provisions of this Constitution relating to the Governor-
General extend and apply to the Governor-General for the
Sections 1-6 time being, or such person as the Queen may appoint to
administer the Government of the Commonwealth; but no
Section 1- Legislative Power such person shall be entitled to receive any salary from the
Commonwealth in respect of any other office during his
The legislative power of the Commonwealth shall be vested administration of the Government of the Commonwealth.
in a Federal Parliament, which shall consist of the Queen, a
Senate, and a House of Representatives, and which is Section 5 – Sessions of Parliament – Prorogation and
herein-after called “The Parliament,” or “The Parliament of dissolution
the Commonwealth.”
The Governor-General may appoint such times for holding
Section 2 – Governor-General the sessions of the Parliament as he thinks fit, and may
also from time to time, by Proclamation or otherwise,
A Governor-General appointed by the Queen shall be Her prorogue the Parliament, and may in like manner dissolve
Majesty’s representative in the Commonwealth, and shall the House of Representatives.
have and may exercise in the Commonwealth during the
Queen’s pleasure, but subject to this Constitution, such After any general election the Parliament shall be
powers and functions of the Queen as Her Majesty may be summoned to meet not later than thirty days after the day
pleased to assign to him. appointed for the return of the writs.
Section 3 – Salary of Governor-General The Parliament shall be summoned to meet not later than
six months after the establishment of the Commonwealth.
There shall be payable to the Queen out of the
Consolidated Revenue fund of the Commonwealth, for the Section 6 – Summoning Parliament
salary of the Governor-General, an annual sum which, until
the Parliament otherwise provides, shall be ten thousand There shall be a session of the Parliament once at least in
pounds. every year, so that twelve months shall not intervene
between the last sitting of the Parliament in one session
The salary of the Governor-General shall not be altered and its first sitting in the next session.
during his continuance in office.
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Student activity 9 Part II The senate
1. What do the following words mean?
7. The Senate shall be composed of senators for each
Constitution State, directly chosen by the people of the State,
Parliament voting, until the Parliament otherwise provides, as one
Legislative electorate. But until the Parliament of the
Herein-after Commonwealth otherwise provides, the Parliament of
Commonwealth the State of Queensland, if that State be an Original
Governor-general State, may make laws dividing the State into divisions
Prorogation and determining the number of senators to be chosen
Dissolution for each division, and in the absence of such provision
Summoning the State shall be one electorate. Until the Parliament
2. After a careful reading of this document, cite three otherwise provides there shall be six senators for each
pieces of evidence from the text which demonstrate Original State. The Parliament may make laws
that the document must have been written before increasing or diminishing the number of senators for
1901. each State, but so that equal representation of the
3. Is this document being literally adhered to in 2014? several Original States shall be maintained and that no
Explain. Original State shall have less than six senators. The
4. Do you think the wording is in need of some revision or senators shall be chosen for a term of six years, and
updating? Explain. the names of the senators chosen for each State shall
be certified by the Government to the Governor-
FIGURE 4.23 Chapter 4: General.
Student activity 9
8. The qualification of electors of senators shall be in
UWSCollege Pty Ltd! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! each State that which is prescribed by this
Constitution, or by the Parliament, as the qualification
for electors of members of the House of
Representatives; but in the choosing of senators each
elector shall vote only once.
9. The Parliament of the Commonwealth may make laws
prescribing the method of choosing senators, but so
that the method shall be uniform for all the States.
Subject to any such law, the Parliament of each State
may make laws prescribing the method of choosing
the senators for that State. The Parliament of a State
!!!!!!!!!!! 230
FIGURE 4.24 The senate 12. The Governor of any State may cause writs to be
issued for elections of senators for the State. In case
Viewed 15 January 2014, <http://bit.ly/1amJzUB>. of the dissolution of the Senate the writs shall be
issued within ten days from the proclamation of such
may make laws for determining the times and places dissolution.
of elections of senators for the State.
13. As soon as may be after the Senate first meets, and
10. Until the Parliament otherwise provides, but subject to after each first meeting of the Senate following a
this constitution, the laws in force in each State, for dissolution thereof, the Senate shall divide the
the time being, relating to elections for the more senators chosen for each State into two classes, as
numerous House of the Parliament of the State shall, nearly equal in number as practicable; and the places
as nearly as practicable, apply to elections of senators of the senators of the first class shall become vacant
for the State. at the expiration of three years, and the places of
those of the second class at the expiration of six
11. The Senate may proceed to despatch of business, years, from the beginning of their term of service; and
notwithstanding the failure of any State to provide for afterwards the places of senators shall be vacant at
its representation in the Senate. the expiration of six years from the beginning of their
term of service.The election to fill vacant places shall
UWSCollege Pty Ltd! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! be made within one year before the places are to
become vacant. For the purpose of this section the
term of service of a senator shall be taken to begin on
the first day of July following the day of his election,
except in the cases of the first election and of the
election next after any dissolution of the Senate, when
it shall be taken to begin on the first day of July
preceding the day of his election.
14. Whenever the number of senators for a State is
increased or diminished, the Parliament of the
Commonwealth may make such provision for the
vacating of the places of senators for the State as it
deems necessary to maintain regularity in the rotation.
15. If the place of a senator becomes vacant before the
expiration of his term of service, the Houses of
Parliament of the State for which he was chosen,
! !!!!!!!!!!! 231
sitting and voting together, or, if there is only one House If the place of a senator chosen by the people of a
of that Parliament, that House, shall choose a person to State at the election of senators last held before
hold the place until the expiration of the term. But if the the commencement of the Constitution Alteration
Parliament of the State is not in session when the (Senate Casual Vacancies) 1977 became vacant
vacancy is notified, the Governor of the State, with the before that commencement and, at that
advice of the Executive Council thereof, may appoint a commencement, no person chosen by the House
person to hold the place until the expiration of fourteen or Houses of Parliament of the State, or appointed
days from the beginning of the next session of the by the Governor of the State, in consequence of
Parliament of the State or the expiration of the term, that vacancy, or in consequence of that vacancy
whichever first happens. Where a vacancy has at any and a subsequent vacancy or vacancies, held
time occurred in the place of a senator chosen by the office, this section applies as if the place of the
people of a State and, at the time when he was so senator chosen by the people of the State had
chosen, he was publicly recognised by a particular become vacant after that commencement.
political party as being an endorsed candidate, a
person chosen or appointed under this section in A senator holding office at the commencement of
consequence of that vacancy, or in consequence of the Constitution Alteration (Senate Casual
that vacancy and a subsequent vacancy or vacancies, Vacancies) 1977, being a senator appointed by the
shall, unless there is no member of that party available Governor of a State in consequence of a vacancy
to be chosen or appointed, be a member of that party. that had at any time occurred in the place of a
senator chosen by the people of the State, shall be
Where deemed to have been appointed to hold the place
until the expiration of fourteen days after the
a. in accordance with the last preceding paragraph, a beginning of the next session of the Parliament of
the State that commenced or commences after he
member of a particular political party is chosen or was appointed and further action under this
section shall be taken as if the vacancy in the
appointed to hold the place of a senator whose place place of the senator chosen by the people of the
State had occurred after that commencement.
had become vacant; and
Subject to the next succeeding paragraph, a
b. before taking his seat he cease to be a member of senator holding office at the commencement of
the Constitutional Alteration (Casual Senate
that party (otherwise than by reason of the party Vacancies) 1977 who was chosen by the House or
Houses of Parliament of a State in consequence of
having ceased to exist), he shall be deemed not to a vacancy that had at any time occurred in the
place of a senator chosen by the people of the
have been so chosen or appointed and the vacancy
shall be again notified in accordance with section
twenty-one of this Constitution.
The name of a senator chosen or appointed under
this section shall be certified by the Governor of the
State to the Governor-General.
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State shall be deemed to have been chosen to 17. The Senate shall, before proceeding to the despatch of
hold office until the expiration of the term of any other business, choose a senator to be the President
service of the senator elected by the people of of the Senate; and as often as the office of President
the State. becomes vacant the Senate shall again choose a senator
to be the President. The President shall cease to hold his
If, at or before the commencement of the office if he ceases to be a senator. He may be removed
Constitution Alteration (Senate Casual from office by a vote of the Senate, or he may resign his
Vacancies) 1977, a law to alter the Constitution
entitled “Constitutional Alteration (Simultaneous FIGURE 4.25 John Hogg, President of
Elections) 1977″ came into operation, a senator the Australian Senate, 2014
holding office at the commencement of that law
who was chosen by the House or Houses of Viewed 22 January 2014, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Parliament of a State in consequence of a File:John_Hogg_Australia_Senate_of_Poland_01.JPG>.
vacancy that had at any time occurred in the
place of a senator chosen by the people of the !!!!!!!!!!!! 233
State shall be deemed to have been chosen to
hold office:
a. if the senator elected by the people of the State
had a term of service expiring on the thirtieth day
of June, One thousand nine hundred and
seventy-eight – until the expiration or dissolution
of the first House of Representatives to expire or
be dissolved after that law came into operation;
or
b. if the senator elected by the people of the State
had a term of service expiring on the thirtieth day
of June, One thousand nine hundred and eighty-
one – until the expiration or dissolution of the first
House of Representatives to expire or be
dissolved after that law came into operation; or if
there is an earlier dissolution of the Senate, until
that dissolution.
16. The qualification of a senator shall be the same as
those of a member of the House of Representatives.
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office or his seat by writing addressed to the The house of representatives
Governor-General.
18. Before or during any absence of the President, the FIGURE 4.26 House of Representatives
Senate may choose a senator to perform his duties in
his absence. 1. Members of the government sit to the right of the
19. A senator may by writing addressed to the President, Speaker (House of Representatives) or President
or to the Governor-General if there is no President or if (Senate), while members of the opposition sit to the
the President is absent from the Commonwealth, left.
resign his place, which thereupon shall become
vacant. 2. Members of minor parties and Independents sit on the
20. The place of a senator shall become vacant if for two benches at the curve of the chamber.
consecutive months of any session of the Parliament
he, without the permission of the Senate, fails to 3. There is a seating area above the chambers called the
attend the Senate. press gallery, set aside for the media.
21. Whenever a vacancy happens in the Senate, the
President, or if there is no President or if the President 4. There are visitors' galleries where members of the
is absent from the Commonwealth the Governor- public can view proceedings.
General, shall notify the same to the Governor of the
State in the representation of which the vacancy has 5. There are sound-proofed sections in the public
happened. galleries for special interest groups.
22. Until the Parliament otherwise provides, the presence
of at least one-third of the whole number of the 6. TV cameras and microphones are used to broadcast
senators shall be necessary to constitute a meeting of proceedings.
the Senate for the exercise of its powers.
23. Questions arising in the Senate shall be determined by Viewed 15 January 2014. <http://www.peo.gov.au/students/cl/aph_place-for-
a majority of votes, and each senator shall have one parliament.html>.
vote. The President shall in all cases be entitled to a
vote; and when the votes are equal the question shall !!!!!!!!!!! 234
pass in the negative.
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24. The House of Representatives shall be composed of New South Wales:- twenty-three;
members directly chosen by the people of the
Commonwealth, and the number of such members Victoria:- twenty;
shall be, as nearly as practicable, twice the number of
senators. The number of members chosen in the Queensland:- eight;
several States shall be in proportion to the respective
members of their people, and shall, until the South Australia :- six;
Parliament otherwise provides, be determined,
whenever necessary, in the following manner: Tasmania:- five;
i. A quota shall be ascertained by dividing the Provided that if Western Australia is an Original State,
number of the people of the Commonwealth, as the numbers shall be as follows:
shown by the latest statistics of the
Commonwealth, by twice the number of senators: New South Wales:- twenty-six;
ii. The number of members to be chosen in each Victoria:- twenty-three;
State shall be determined by dividing the number
of people of the State, as shown by the latest Queensland:- nine;
statistics of the Commonwealth, by the quota;
and if on such division there is a remainder South Australia:- seven;
greater than one-half of the quota, one more
member shall be chosen in the State. But Western Australia:- five;
notwithstanding anything in this section, five
members at least shall be chosen in each Original Tasmania:- five.
State. 27. Subject to this Constitution, the Parliament may make
25. For the purposes of the last section, if by the law of laws for increasing or diminishing the number of the
any State all persons of any race are disqualified from members of the House of Representatives.
voting at elections for the more numerous House of
the Parliament of the State, then, in reckoning the 28. Every House of Representatives shall continue for
number of the people of the State or of the three years from the first meeting of the House, and no
Commonwealth, persons of the race resident in that longer, but may be soon dissolved by the Governor-
State shall not be counted. General.
26. Notwithstanding anything in section twenty-four, the 29. Until the Parliament of the Commonwealth otherwise
number of members to be chosen in each State at the provides, the Parliament of any State may make laws
first election shall be as follows: for determining the divisions in each State for which
members of the House of Representatives may be
UWSCollege Pty Ltd! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! chosen, and the number of members to be chosen for
each division. A division shall not be formed out of
parts of different States. In the absence of other
provision each State shall be one electorate.
30. Until the Parliament otherwise provides, the
qualification of electors of members of the House of
Representatives shall be in each State that which is
!!!!!!!!!!! 235
prescribed by the law of the State as the qualification ii. He must be a subject of the Queen, either natural-
of electors of the more numerous House of Parliament born or for at least five years naturalised under a
of the State; but in the choosing of members each law of the United Kingdom, or of a Colony which
elector shall vote only once. has become or becomes a State, or of the
Commonwealth, or of a State.
31. Until the parliament otherwise provides, but subject to
this Constitution, the laws in force in each State for the 35. The House of
time being relating to elections for the more numerous
House of the Parliament of the State shall, as nearly as Representatives shall, FIGURE 4.27 Bronwyn
practicable, apply to elections in the State of members before proceeding to the Bishop, Speaker, 2014
of the House of Representatives. despatch of any other
32. The Governor-General in Council may cause writs to business, choose a
be issued for general elections of members of the
House of Representatives. After the first general member to be the
election, the writs shall be issued within ten days from
the expiry of a House of Representatives or from the Speaker of the House,
proclamation of a dissolution thereof.
and as often as the office
33. Whenever a vacancy happens in the House of
Representatives, the Speaker shall issue his writ for of Speaker becomes
the election of a new member, or if there is no Speaker
or if he is absent from the Commonwealth the vacant the House shall
Governor-General in Council may issue the writ.
again choose a member
34. Until the Parliament otherwise provides, the
qualifications of a member of the House of to be the Speaker. The
Representatives shall be as follows:
Speaker shall cease to
i. He must be of the full age of twenty-one years,
and must be an elector entitled to vote at the hold his office if he
election of members of the House of
Representatives, or a person qualifies to become ceases to be a member.
such elector, and must have been for three years
at the least a resident within the limits of the He may be removed from
Commonwealth as existing at the time when he
was chosen: office by a vote of the
UWSCollege Pty Ltd! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! House, or he may resign
his office or his seat by
writing addressed to the Viewed 22 January 2014, <http://
Governor-General. bit.ly/1duf5Nd>.
36. Before or during any absence of the Speaker, the
House of Representatives may choose a member to
perform his duties in his absence.
37. A member may by writing addressed to the Speaker,
or to the Governor-General if there is no Speaker or if
the Speaker is absent from the Commonwealth, resign
his place, which there-upon shall become vacant.
!!!!!!!!!!! 236
38. The place of a member shall become vacant if for 44. Any person who
two consecutive months of any session of the
Parliament he, without the permission of the i. Is under any acknowledgement of allegiance,
House, fails to attend the House. obedience, or adherence to a foreign power, or is a
subject or a citizen or entitled to the rights &
39. Until the Parliament otherwise provides, the privileges of a subject or citizen of a foreign power: or
presence of at least one-third of the whole number
of the members of the House of Representatives ii. Is attained of treason, or has been convicted and is
shall be necessary to constitute a meeting of the under sentence, or subject to be sentenced, for any
House for the exercise of its powers. offence punishable under the law of the
Commonwealth or of a State by imprisonment for
40. Questions arising in the House of Representatives one year or longer: or
shall be determined by a majority of votes other
than that of the Speaker. The Speaker shall not iii. Is an undischarged bankrupt or insolvent: or
vote unless the numbers are equal, and then he
shall have a casting vote. iv. Holds any office of profit under the Crown, or any
pension payable during the pleasure of the Crown
Both Houses of the Parliament out of any of the revenues of the Commonwealth: or
41. No adult person who has or acquires a right to vote v. Has any direct or indirect pecuniary interest in any
at elections for the more numerous House of the agreement with the Public Service of the
Parliament of a State shall, while the right Commonwealth otherwise than as a member and in
continues, be prevented by any law of the common with the other members of an incorporated
Commonwealth from voting at elections for either company consisting of more than twenty-five
House of the Parliament of the Commonwealth. persons:
42. Every senator and every member of the House of shall be incapable of being chosen or of sitting as a
Representatives shall before taking his seat make senator or a member of the House of
and subscribe before the Governor-General, or Representatives. But sub-section iv. does not apply
some person authorised by him, an oath or to the office of any of the Queen’s Ministers of State
affirmation of allegiance in the form set forth in the for the Commonwealth, or of any of the Queen’s
schedule to this Constitution. Ministers for a State, or to the receipt of pay, half pay,
or a pension, by any person as an officer or member
43. A member of either House of Parliament shall be of the Queen’s navy or army, or to the receipt of pay
incapable of being chosen or of sitting as a as an officer or member of the naval or military forces
member of the other House. of the Commonwealth by any person whose services
are not wholly employed by the Commonwealth.
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6. If a senator or member of the House of 49. The powers, privileges, and immunities of the Senate and
Representatives of the House of Representatives, and of the members and
the committees of each House, shall be such as are
i. Becomes subject to any of the disabilities declared by the Parliament, and until declared shall be
mentioned in the last preceding section: or those of the Commons House of Parliament of the United
Kingdom, and of its members and committees, at the
ii. Takes the benefit, whether by assignment, establishment of the Commonwealth.
composition, or otherwise, of any law relating
to bankrupt or insolvent debtors: or 50. Each House of the Parliament may make rules and orders
with respect to
iii. Directly or indirectly takes or agrees to take
any fee or honorarium for services rendered to i. The mode in which its powers, privileges, and
the Commonwealth, or for services rendered immunities may be exercised and upheld:
in the Parliament to any person or State: his
place shall thereupon become vacant. ii. The order and conduct of its business and
proceedings either separately or jointly with the
46. Until the Parliament otherwise provides, any other House.
person declared by this Constitution to be
incapable of sitting as a senator or as a member of Powers of the Parliament
the House of Representatives shall, for every day
on which he so sits, be liable to pay the sum of one 51. The Parliament shall, subject to
hundred pounds to any person who sues for it in this Constitution, have power
any court of competent jurisdiction. to make laws for the peace,
order, and good government of
47. Until the Parliament otherwise provides, any the Commonwealth with
question respecting the qualification of a senator or respect to:
member of the House or Representatives, or
respecting a vacancy in either House of the i. Trade and commerce
Parliament, and any question of a disputed election with other countries,
to either House, shall be determined by the House and among the States:
in which the question arises.
ii. Taxation; but so as not
48. Until the Parliament otherwise provides, each to discriminate between
senator and each member of the House of States or parts of States:
Representatives shall receive an allowance of four
hundred pounds a year, to be reckoned from the iii. Bounties on the production or export of goods, but
day on which he takes his seat. so that such bounties shall be uniform throughout
the Commonwealth:
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iv. Borrowing money on the public credit of the xx. Foreign corporations, and trading or financial
v. Commonwealth: corporations formed within the limits of the
vi. Commonwealth:
Postal, telegraphic, telephonic, and other like
vii. services: xxi. Marriage:
viii.
ix. The naval and military defence of the xxii. Divorce and matrimonial causes; and in relation
x. Commonwealth and of the several States, and thereto, parental rights, and the custody and
xi. the control of the forces to execute and guardianship of infants:
xii. maintain the laws of the Commonwealth.
xiii. xxiii. Invalid and old-age pensions:
Lighthouses, lightships, beacons and buoys:
xiv. xxiv. The provision of maternity allowances, widows’
Astronomical and meteorological observations: pensions, child endowment, unemployment,
xv. pharmaceutical, sickness and hospital benefits,
xvi. Quarantine: medical and dental services (but not so as to
xvii. authorise any form of civil conscription),
xviii. Fisheries in Australian waters beyond territorial benefits to students and family allowances:
xix. limits:
xxv. The service and execution throughout the
Census and statistics: Commonwealth of the civil and criminal
process and the judgments of the courts of the
Currency, coinage, and legal tender: States:
Banking, other than State banking; also State xxvi. The recognition throughout the Commonwealth
banking extending beyond the limits of the of the laws, the public Acts and records, and
State concerned, the incorporation of banks, the judicial proceedings of the States:
and the issue of paper money:
xxvii. The people of any race, for whom it is deemed
Insurance, other than State insurance; also necessary to make special laws:
State insurance extending beyond the limits of
the State concerned: xxviii. Immigration and emigration:
Weights and measures: xxix. The influx of criminals:
Bills of exchanging and promissory notes: xxx. External Affairs:
Bankruptcy and insolvency: xxxi. The relations of the Commonwealth with the
islands of the Pacific:
Copyrights, patents of inventions and designs,
and trade marks: xxxii. The acquisition of property on just terms from
any State or person for any purpose in respect
Naturalisation and aliens:
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of which the Parliament has power to make Parliaments the matter is referred, or which
laws: afterwards adopt the law:
xxxiii. The control of railways with respect to transport
for the naval and military purposes of the xxxix. The exercise within the Commonwealth, at the
Commonwealth: request or with the concurrence of the
xxxiv. The acquisition, with the consent of a State, of Parliaments of all the States directly concerned,
any railways of the State on terms arranged of any power which can at the establishment of
between the Commonwealth and the State: this Constitution be exercised only by the
xxxv. Railway construction and extension in any Parliament of the United Kingdom or by the
State with the consent of that State: Federal Council of Australasia:
xxxvi. Conciliation and arbitration for the prevention
and settlement of industrial disputes extending xl. Matters incidental to the execution of any
beyond the limits of any one State: power vested by this Constitution in the
xxxvii. Matters in respect of which this Constitution Parliament or in either House thereof, or in the
makes provision until the Parliament otherwise Government of the Commonwealth, or in the
provides: Federal Judicature, or in any department or
xxxviii. Matters referred to the Parliament of the officer of the Commonwealth.
Commonwealth by the Parliament or
Parliaments of any State or States, but so that 52. The Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have
the law shall extend only to States by whose exclusive power to make laws for the peace, order,
and good government of the Commonwealth with
UWSCollege Pty Ltd! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! respect to
i. The seat of government of the Commonwealth,
and all places acquired by the Commonwealth for
public purposes:
ii. Matters relating to any department of the public
service the control of which is by this Constitution
transferred to the Executive Government of the
Commonwealth:
iii. Other matters declared by this Constitution to be
within the exclusive power of the Parliament.
53. Proposed laws appropriating revenue or moneys, or
imposing taxation, shall not originate in the Senate.
But a proposed law shall not be taken to appropriate
revenue or moneys, or to impose taxation, by reason
!!!!!!!!!!! 240
only of its containing provisions for the imposition or passed unless the purpose of the appropriation has in
appropriation of fines or other pecuniary penalties, or the same session been recommended by message of
for the demand or payment or appropriation of fees for the Governor-General to the House in which the
licences, or fees for services under the proposed law. proposal originated.
The Senate may not amend proposed laws imposing
taxation, or proposed laws appropriating revenue or 57. If the House of representatives passes any proposed
moneys for the ordinary annual services of the law, and the Senate rejects or fails to pass it, or
Government. The Senate may not amend any passes it with amendments to which the House of
proposed law so as to increase any proposed charge Representatives will not agree, and if after an interval
or burden on the people. The Senate may at any stage of three months the House of Representatives, in the
return to the House of Representatives any proposed same or the next session, again passes the proposed
law which the Senate may not amend, requesting, by law with or without any amendments which have been
message, the omission or amendment of any items or made, suggested, or agreed to by the Senate, and the
provisions therein. And the House of Representatives Senate rejects or fails to pass it, or passes it with
may, if it thinks fit, make any of such omissions or amendments to which the House of Representatives
amendments, with or without modifications. Except as will not agree, the Governor-General may dissolve the
provided in this section, the Senate shall have equal Senate and the House of Representatives
power with the House of Representatives in respect of simultaneously. But such dissolution shall not take
all proposed laws. place within six months before the date of the expiry of
the House of Representatives by effluxion of time. If
54. The proposed law which appropriates revenue or after such dissolution the House of Representatives
moneys for the ordinary annual services of the again passes the proposed law, with or without any
Government shall deal only with such appropriation. amendments which have been made, suggested, or
agreed to by the Senate, and the Senate rejects or
55. Laws imposing taxation shall deal only with the fails to pass it, or passes it with amendments to which
imposition of taxation, and any provision therein the House of Representatives will not agree, the
dealing with any other matter shall be of no effect. Governor-General may convene a joint sitting of the
Laws imposing taxation except laws imposing duties members of the Senate and of the House of
of customs or of excise, shall deal with one subject of Representatives. The members present at the joint
taxation only; but laws imposing duties of customs sitting may deliberate and shall vote together upon the
shall deal with duties of customs only, and laws proposed law as last proposed by the House of
imposing duties of excise shall deal with duties of Representatives, and upon amendments, if any, which
excise only. have been made therein by one House and not agreed
to by the other, and any such amendments which are
56. A vote, resolution, or proposed law for the affirmed by an absolute majority of the total number of
appropriation of revenue or moneys shall not be
!!!!!!!!!!! 241
UWSCollege Pty Ltd! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
the members of the Senate and House of Representatives Student activity 10 FIGURE 4.28 Chapter 4:
shall be taken to have been carried, and if the proposed Student activity 10
law, with the amendments, if any, so carried is affirmed by 1. Which parliament
an absolute majority of the total number of the members enacted the Australian
of the Senate and House of Representatives, it shall be Constitution? Why?
taken to have been duly passed by Houses of the
Parliament, and shall be presented to the Governor- 2. Skim read the sections
General for the Queen’s assent. on the Senate and the
House of
58. When a proposed law passed by both Houses of the Representatives. What
Parliament is presented to the Governor-General for the do you notice about the
Queen’s assent, he shall declare, according to his language used to
discretion, but subject to this Constitution, that he assents describe and explain
in the Queen’s name, or that he withholds assent, or that their functions? Why do you think this is so?
he reserves the law for the Queen’s pleasure. The
Governor-General may return to the house in which it 3. Is any reference made to political parties in the
originated any proposed law so presented to him, and Constitution? Does this mean they are not really
may transmit therewith any amendments which he may legal in our country?
recommend, and the Houses may deal with the
recommendation. 4. Identify the formal features of the Senate and House
of Representatives’ Chambers from the photos in
59. The Queen may disallow any law within one year from the Figure 4.25 and Figure 4.27.
Governor-General’s assent, and such disallowance on
being made known by the Governor-General by speech or 5. Why do you think most Australians would not have
message to each of the Houses of the Parliament, or by read the Australian Constitution?
Proclamation, shall annul the law from the day when the
disallowance is so made known. 6. Even though its contents are not common
knowledge, why is it important to have this law?
60. A proposed law reserved for the Queen’s pleasure shall
not have any force unless and until within two years from 7. Who do you think would be very conversant with
the day on which it was presented to the Governor- the text of the Constitution? Why is this important?
General for the Queen’s assent the Governor-General
makes known, by speech or message to each of the 8. Can you explain why there might be a division in
Houses of the Parliament, or by Proclamation, that it has Australian society between monarchists and
received the Queen’s assent. republicans based on your reading of this
document?
http://australianpolitics.com/constitution-aus/text/complete
!!!!!!!!!!! 242
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The hungry mile On ships from all the seas they toil, that others
of their kind,
Sydney suffered in the Great Depression as much, if not
more than the other capital cities in Australia and more May never know the pinch of want nor feel the
than much of the world. High numbers of unemployed misery blind;
meant that many families were destitute. Men who wanted
to work were unable to obtain employment, resulting in That makes the lives of men a hell in those
hungry stomachs for themselves, wives and children, conditions vile;
evictions, marital breakups and suicides.
That are the hopeless lot of those who tramp the
They tramp there in their legions on the hungry mile.
mornings dark and cold
Each morning large crowds of unemployed and desperate
To beg the right to slave for bread from men gathered at the gates on the wharves to be available
Sydney's lords of gold; for selection for the small number of jobs available that day.
As a ship came in and had to be loaded or unloaded, the
They toil and sweat in slavery, 'twould make stevedoring agents selected those they wished to employ
the devil smile, for the day. The numbers of men who gathered at the gates
was always much larger than the small number of jobs
To see the Sydney wharfies tramping down available.
the hungry mile.
The slaves of men who know no thought of
Reference: The Hungry Mile by Ernest Antony anything but gain,
The Hungry Mile was the name that the wharfies and Who wring their brutal profits from the blood
maritime workers gave during the Great Depression to the and sweat and pain
mile long area of wharves between Darling Harbour and
Miller’s Point, near the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Of all the disinherited that slave and starve
the while,
“It was to this mile of wharves that maritime labourers in
the nineteenth century and on into the 1940s, tramped Upon the ships beside the wharves along the
each day regardless of the weather to find casual, low hungry mile.
paid work, because that was the nature of waterfront work
in those days, meaning you had to live nearby to be on The scarce number of jobs available and the soul-destroying
hand whenever work became available, in whatever walk from wharf to wharf was compounded by the “bull”
lodgings you could afford and arrange, rented premises, system that also prevailed. The stevedoring agents preferred
shared housing, rooming houses, sublet rooms…..” to select the big, muscular men, or “bulls”, who worked
harder and longer than the others. This system also
Reference:Rowan Cahill at <http://unionsong.com/hungry_mile.html> favoured compliant men and those who supported the
employers. Bribery for jobs was also carried out.
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In 2006 Arthur Brown recalled those hard days: "To be developed. Historian Winnifred Mitchell has described the
honest, sometimes it felt like you were going over bloody lives of families within this community as being “like those
Mount Everest," Mr Brown, 91, says of his early days on in a coal-mining village”. It was in this urban geography
the wharves west of Sydney's CBD. "But we considered close to the Hungry Mile that families lived, children were
ourselves lucky enough to get more than two shifts like that raised, and thousands of future workers learned about the
a week. The rest had to go home hungry, there were no world, how they related to it, and how it was to be faced.”
jobs for them. The bosses picked the bulls - the strong The Hungry Mile, with its hardship, injustice, corruption,
blokes who were known - the rest had to hope like hell. humiliation and exploitation became for many the face of
We'd get into the ship holds and lift out these bloody capitalism. For many workers for many years it inspired
enormous loads of wool, pig iron, soda ash, asbestos - militancy and radicalism.
that's another one. They've dropped like flies, the old
wharfies - dozens of them. They all got asbestosis. That The day will come, aye, come it must, when these
was their reward." same slaves shall rise,
(http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/blotting-out-the-memory-of-sydneys- And through the revolution's smoke, ascending to
hungry-mile/2006/09/15/1157827160832.html ) the skies,
But every stroke of that grim lash that sears The master's, face shall show the fear he hides,
the souls of men behind his smile.
With interest due from years gone by, shall Of these his slaves, who on that day shall storm
be paid back again the hungry mile.
To those who drive these wretched slaves Viewed 15 January 2014. <http://bit.ly/L23deQ>. ! 244
to build the golden pile. !!!!!!!!!!
And blood shall blot the memory out of
Sydney's hungry mile.
Rowan Cahill writes: “Alongside its industrial and political
roles, the Hungry Mile was an urban area, a site of working
class domesticity. Before the post-1945 rapid expansion of
suburban Sydney, before the end of the bull system,
generations of maritime workers and their families lived
within the geography of the Hungry Mile, so close they
were part of it. From the government built flats for the
families of maritime workers on Observatory Hill, to the
long rows of tenements in Kent Street, to the rooming
houses on Sussex Street, one of which in 1907 was
packing in 200 maritime labourers, a community
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Radical poet Ernest Antony (1894-1960) wrote of The FIGURE 4.29
Hungry Mile in his 1930’s poem of that name. Self-
educated and having experienced his share of hardship Viewed 15 January 2014. <http://janebennettartist.blogspot.com.au/
during a nomadic existence, he had variously worked at p/hungry-mile-and-barangaroo-paintings.html>.
different jobs and in 1930 had walked the Hungry Mile.
of this area's heritage and the contribution made by
And when the world grows wiser and all men at maritime workers," Mr Iemma said.
last are free There was no mention made of the irony of proposed multi-
million dollar residential apartments having an address at
When none shall feel the hunger nor tramp in The Hungry Mile.
misery In a further irony, the Hungry Mile was used as the site of
the Catholic Mass which opened World Youth Day in
To beg the right to slave for bread, the children Sydney in 2008. It was also the scene of Christ’s crucifixion
then may smile. in the re-enactment of Christ’s last days.
At those strange tales they tell of what was once http://bytesdaily.blogspot.com.au/2010_04_18_archive.html
the hungry mile.
As part of the Government’s redevelopment proposals for
the area and the creation of a new suburb, the area was
officially renamed in 2006 by the State Government from
Miller’s Point to Barangaroo, the name of a prominent
indigenous woman in the history of the area and the wife of
Bennelong, who has given his name to Bennelong Point.
Former PM Paul Keating, who was on the name selection
panel, described the name as “Aboriginal kitsch”. The
Maritime Union of Australia campaigned for the name The
Hungry Mile to be retained in recognition of the history and
hardship of the site. The public kept using the name The
Hungry Mile rather than Barangaroo.
In September 2006 Premier Morris Iemma bowed to the
pressure and announced that Hickson Road in Sydney was
to be re-named The Hungry Mile in honour of maritime
workers and their struggles during the Great Depression.
“The Hungry Mile will now take its rightful place on the map
of Sydney where it will live forever as a permanent reminder
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Student activity 11 FIGURE 4.30 Chapter 4: Telegrams were not always good news
Student activity 11
1. How does this piece Pink telegram informing relatives of a death
of text link the
hardships of the
Depression in Sydney
with the modern
developments in this
city?
2. Do poets still write,
and have published,
commentary on social
and economic problems experienced by citizens?
3. How important is the photo in helping you to
understand the message of the text?
4. Why was the “Hungry Mile” given its name and COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA Form No 144
what impact did it have on city dwellers during the Postmaster-General's Department, New South Wales
Depression? URGENT TELEGRAM
This Message has been received subject to the Post and
5. Are the memories of people who experienced it and Telegraph Act and Regulations. All Complaints to be
the poetry that was inspired by it important in the addressed in writing to the Deputy Postmaster-General
21st Century?
Station From, No. of Words, and Check
6. What are the ironies associated with the “Hungry Victoria Battacks 69 5/5 12 40 RP section 9 5 Rev Elwin Manly
Mile”?
Br 29 Officially reported that Number (Br 29) (3003 Pte RB
7. Should the name be retained in this renewed urban Allen) 13th Battalion previously reported missing now killed in
area, or should the past stay in the past? Justify action 14th August 1916. Please inform Mother (Mrs H Allen
your assertions. 63 Pittwater Rd Manly) and convey deep regret and sympathy
of their Majesties the King and Queen and the Commonwealth
Government in loss that she and Army have sustained by
death soldier reply paid, Col Luscombe 1 5H
Date stamp and received March 15th, 1917
Viewed 15 January 2014. <http://bit.ly/1dOExOi>.
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Telegams
by John • Documents, News, Telegrams • Tags: mia, pow, warnings on June 11, 2011
My father kept seven telegrams from the war years. Collectively they tell the story of his war experiences. They provide a
chronology of the critical moments in his life as a soldier of the 2/19th battalion, AIF. The original envelopes were also kept
and they are reproduced as an indicator of life on the home front.
FIGURE 4.31 Viewed 15 January 2014. <http://bit.ly/KhP90b>.
This telegram informs Francis Xavier Larkin Snr’s family that he has been reported missing.
1 of 11 247
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Student activity 12 FIGURE 4.33 Chapter 4: War in our lounge rooms
Student activity 12
1. How were telegrams The story behind the man who was killed in the
sent, processed and famous “Saigon Execution” photo
delivered?
Lauren Corona, 19 March, 2013
2. Why were so many
people apprehensive Perhaps one of the most iconic images to come out of the
when the “telegram boy” Vietnam War (see photo here), this photo depicts a
knocked on the door? uniformed South Vietnamese officer shooting a prisoner in
the head. When you look into it, however, there is much
3. Even during peace time, more to this photograph than first meets the eye. There is
the arrival of a telegram an undeniable brutality to this photo, but even Eddie
was something to be feared. Can you explain why? Adams – who won a Pulitzer Prize for capturing this shot –
later admitted that it didn’t tell the whole story and he
4. Under what circumstances would telegrams be stated that he wished he hadn’t taken it at all.
welcomed?
5. What means of communication have replaced
telegrams in our modern society?
6. What were the positive and negative features of
telegrams as methods of communication?
FIGURE 4.32 Chapter 4:
Shrine of remembrance
education program: PDF
Viewed 15 January 2014. <http://bit.ly/1d2Hddx>. 248
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Viewed 15 January 2014. <http://bit.ly/1eRBOpe>. 249
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Looking at this image out of context, it appears as though an officer is gunning down an innocent prisoner, perhaps even a
civilian. You are apparently witnessing a savage war crime. That is the reason this image was adopted by anti-war protesters
as an indictment against the Vietnam War. Without understanding the background, there is no reason to think that is not the
case. It seems like yet another image showing someone acting horrifically and immorally during war time. But, when you learn
the story behind the man who is being executed in this photo, the image and the reasoning behind the execution becomes a
little bit clearer.
This man’s name was Nguyen Van Lem, but he was also known as Captain Bay Lop. Lem was no civilian; he was a member
of the Viet Cong. Not just any member, either, he was an assassin and the leader of a Viet Cong death squad who had been
targeting and killing South Vietnamese National Police officers and their families.
Lem’s team was attempting to take down a number of South Vietnamese officials. They may have even been plotting to kill
the shooter himself, Major General Nguyen Ngoc Loan. It is said that Lem had recently been responsible for the murder of
one of Loan’s most senior officers, as well as the murder of the officer’s family.
According to accounts at the time, when South Vietnamese officers captured Lem, he was more or less caught in the act, at
the site of a mass grave. This grave contained the bodies of no less than seven South Vietnamese police officers, as well as
their families, around 34 bound and shot bodies in total. Eddie Adams, the photojournalist who took the shot, backs up this
story. Lem’s widow also confirmed that her husband was a member of the National Liberation Front (Viet Cong), and that he
disappeared before the beginning of the Tet Offensive.
After being captured with the bodies during the Tet Offensive, Nguyen Van Lem was taken to Major General Ngoc Loan. In a
street in Saigon, Loan executed Lem with his .38 caliber Smith & Wesson.
The photographer, Eddie Adams, had this to say of capturing the photo:
I just followed the three of them as they walked towards us, making an occasional picture. When they
were close – maybe five feet away – the soldiers stopped and backed away. I saw a man walk into my
camera viewfinder from the left. He took a pistol out of his holster and raised it. I had no idea he would
shoot. It was common to hold a pistol to the head of prisoners during questioning. So I prepared to make
that picture – the threat, the interrogation. But it didn’t happen. The man just pulled a pistol out of his
holster, raised it to the VC’s head and shot him in the temple. I made a picture at the same time…
The General then walked up to Adams and said, “They killed many of my people, and yours, too,” then walked away
Was this the right thing to do? As with so many things connected to war, the answer to that question is murky at best.
Military lawyers have not yet decided with complete certainty whether or not Loan’s actions violated the Geneva Conventions
relating to the treatment of prisoners of war, so there is no official decision on the matter. From Loan’s perspective, the man
before him was a cold blooded killer who not only killed some of his friends and colleagues, but their families and other
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innocent people. This was a dangerous man, who in the name of patriotism nonetheless FIGURE 4.34 Chapter 4:
believed his political stance justified his actions, as presumably did General Loan himself YouTube: The “Saigon
concerning the execution. The question is- how would you have reacted, on both sides of the Execution” photo
coin?
This may have been the end of Lem’s life, but it was not the end of the story. The image of Lem’s
execution, and public reaction to it, played a small role in bringing the Vietnam War to an end.
Although that is no bad thing, it also demonized General Nguyen Ngoc Loan, which was
something Eddie Adams was extremely sorry for. He was quoted as saying,
The General killed the Viet Cong; I killed the general with my camera. Still photographs FIGURE 4.35 Chapter 4:
are the most powerful weapon in the world. People believe them; but photographs do YouTube: QR code
lie, even without manipulation. They are only half-truths. What the photograph didn’t
say was, “What would you do if you were the General at that time and place on that hot <http://bit.ly/1m606OO>
day, and you caught the so-called bad guy after he blew away one, two or three
American soldiers?”
Adams felt that, by taking the photo, he had ruined Loan’s life. He felt Loan was a good man, in
a bad situation, and he deeply regretted the negative impact that the photo had on him. In fact,
Major General Loan later moved to the United States. When he arrived, the Immigration and
Nationalization Services wanted to deport him partially because of the photo taken by Adams.
They approached Adams to testify against Loan, but Adams instead testified in his favor and
Loan was allowed to stay. When Loan died of cancer in 1998, Adams stated, “The guy was a
hero. America should be crying. I just hate to see him go this way, without people knowing
anything about him.”
Bonus Facts:
After emigrating to the U.S. in 1975, the former General, Nguyen Loan, opened a pizza parlor
in Washington D.C., which he ran until 1991, when his identity was discovered and he was forced to retire after receiving
many threats.
Nguyen Van Lem’s secret Viet Cong name, Captain Bay Lop, came from his wife, whose first name was Lop.
For many years, Lem’s widow and children lived in extreme poverty. A Japanese TV crew found them living in a field, and it
was only then that the Vietnamese government offered them housing.
This photo won the Pulitzer Prize for Spot News Photography in 1969, as well as the World Press Photo Award. Despite
this, Adams thought he had taken much better and more important photographs, and was sorry that this was the one that
had received all the recognition.
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Student activity 13 FIGURE 4.36 Chapter 4:
Student activity 13
The images in this section are very confronting. They portray the execution of an individual and a
YouTube commentary from the photographer. This was an example of the graphic images and
stories that were broadcast via television during the decade of the Vietnam War.
1. How is context shown to be very important when people view images and are not provided
with the story behind what was happening?
2. How is the conflict of interests explained in this article?
3. Why is it important for readers to seek more than one source of information about issues
that are raised both in daily press releases and history books, no matter what their vintage?
4. Why is it important to ask for both sides of any story or look for whose story is told and whose story is not told?
5. Access the site at the beginning of the section and look at some of the other stories. Apply OCMAR and evaluate the
credibility of the site.
Australia’s multicultural success
A new book by Dr Soutphommasane offers an unflinching and informed defence of cultural diversity.
A new book boldly stakes a claim for the overwhelming success of multiculturalism in Australia.
Don’t Go Back to Where You Came From, written by Dr Tim Soutphommasane, a Lecturer in Monash University’s National
Centre for Australian Studies, shows that multiculturalism is more than laska, kebabs and souvlaki.
The book is a product of the political theorist and commentator’s research into patriotism, citizenship and political ideologies.
“I wrote Don’t Go Back to Where You Came From because recent years have seen something of a retreat from
multiculturalism,” Dr Soutphommasane said.
“Many have suggested that the troubled experience in Europe with migrant integration would be replicated in Australia, but
this is not the case. Australia has a very different model of multiculturalism and this book is an attempt to articulate what the
Australian model involves.”
Dr Soutphommasane hopes the book will help Australians recognise the success of multiculturalism in their country and
appreciate why the Australian model has worked.
He mentions the recent Sydney protests by Muslim youth as an interesting case study.
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“Some commentators saw this as evidence of
multiculturalism’s failure in Australia. But the response to
the violent protests by Muslim communities has, if
anything, demonstrated its robust success,” Dr
Soutphommasane said.
“It was a clear signal that extremism wasn’t the
representative face of Australian multiculturalism.”
The book shows that multiculturalism doesn’t automatically
spell cultural relativism, ethnic ghettos or reverse racism.
“There is nothing more important to those of immigrant
background than to be able to participate fully in the life of
the nation. On this measure, Australian multiculturalism has
been a national success story,” Dr Soutphommasane said.
Dr Soutphommasane will be discussing why
multiculturalism could be Australia’s greatest success story
from 6.30pm on Monday, 22 October 2012 at Readings,
309 Lygon St Carlton. Bookings are required for this free
event. Visit the Readings website for more information.
The official ‘Don’t Go Back to Where You Came From’ book
launch will be in held in Canberra on Monday, 12 November
2012 with Senator Penny Wong in attendance, hosted by
ACT Fabians. RSVP through the Fabians website.
The National Centre for Australian Studies is part of the
School of Journalism, Australian and Indigenous Studies at
Monash University.
Don’t Go Back to Where You Came From is available
through New South Books.
http://monash.edu/news/show/australias-multicultural-
success
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Finding hope in social change Street is a buzzing mix of restaurants, cafes and specialty
food stores.
Rachel Browne, Sydney Morning Herald, 17 August 2013, <http://bit.ly/
1eCDra1>. ''Think of how quickly this place has changed,'' he says.
''Ethnic ghetto one day, tourist destination the next.''
The new Race Discrimination Commissioner wants all
Australians to think about their national identity. Tim The evolution of Cabramatta gives him hope for his new
Soutphommasane, speaking in Freedom Plaza, role at the Australian Human Rights Commission, where he
Cabramatta, has been announced as the new race has been tasked with addressing racial discrimination in
discrimination commissioner, starting in August. Australia. His five-year term starts on Monday.
Sipping a coffee at an outdoor cafe in Cabramatta, Tim He points to Cabramatta's famous Freedom Gate, quoting
Soutphommasane considers how much his old stomping one of its inscriptions that urges readers ''to be renovative
ground has changed in two decades. and integrate''. ''For me that captures the civic journey of
this city and the social contract of multiculturalism,'' he
The philosopher, academic, writer and new Race says.
Discrimination Commissioner spent his childhood in
Sydney's south-west when things were very different. ''On the other side of the gate you see the words liberty
and democracy. This is what people who come to Australia
It was a challenge to make sense of what it meant to be are signing up to. They will renovate their cultural ways with
Australian. the ultimate aim of integrating into Australian society as full
and equal citizens.
''We wouldn't have been sitting having a coffee outside,
nice and relaxed, back then,'' he says. ''It was a drug ''Twenty years ago this was a bad land consigned to
capital and hub of Asian crime as it was called in those permanent disadvantage. Now it's a success story. That
days. It's come a long way.'' gives me a lot of confidence and a source of optimism for
Australia's journey as a country.''
Tim, now 30, moved to Sydney with his parents as a
toddler, living in Carramar, Cabramatta West, Canley Vale His own path as a first generation migrant is typical in many
and Bonnyrigg. He recalls making his way to school, ways. His parents fled Laos in 1975 after the Communist
stepping over syringes and puddles of vomit and regularly revolution, spending time in a refugee camp in Thailand
being offered drugs in what was Australia's heroin capital. before being resettled in France and starting a new life in
So prevalent was the problem that the train line from Montpellier, where Tim was born in 1982. Three years later,
Central to Cabramatta became known as the ''smack they relocated to Sydney under the family reunion program
express''. and his parents, who had both been studying medicine in
France, found work as registered nurses.
The scene today could not be more different. Mothers
wheel children in prams, elderly people go about their ''One thing I remember is just how hard my father worked
shopping and the vicinity around Freedom Plaza and John to get up to speed on his English,'' he says. ''He'd open up
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The Sydney Morning Herald and he'd have a French to A contemplative type with a PhD in political theory from
English dictionary by his side so he could build his Oxford, Tim intends to use his five years as Race
vocabulary. That's the unseen hard work that goes on Discrimination Commissioner to encourage others to think
behind the journey of immigration.'' similarly deeply about national identity.
He also recalls his parents stressing the importance of ''I would like to have a shift in our thinking on racism and
integrating into their new home. ''I still remember the day we racial discrimination,'' he says. ''If you take the long view
became citizens. My parents were keen to emphasise the of how far Australia has come on race relations, we're
importance of becoming an Australian citizen. They said, performing quite well. We don't accept notions of racial
'You're an Australian now.' That always stayed with me.'' hierarchy are acceptable any more. When it comes to
public episodes of vilification there is near universal
He did not give the issue of national identity much further condemnation of that as well. Where perhaps more needs
thought until he went to the selective Hurlstone Agricultural to be done is on casual racism.''
High, which he recalls as a sea of white faces. At the same
time as he was playing cricket and learning to spot the That low level racism - infamously illustrated by Eddie
difference between Hereford and Ayrshire cattle, Pauline McGuire's suggestion that Adam Goodes promote the
Hanson's One Nation Party was gaining traction, pushing musical King Kong, the week after Goodes was labelled
the perception that Australia was being swamped by Asians. an ape by a teenage Collingwood supporter - needs to be
tackled head on but he acknowledges that shifting those
''There were episodes where I was called names or copped attitudes is a difficult task and that those who censure
racial slurs,'' he says. ''I was fortunate not to have racist jokes can become targets.
experienced any physical attacks based on racism. It was
low level racism. In some ways all that formative experience ''People will respond, 'come on, have a bit of a laugh, it
made me think about national identity and multiculturalism was just a joke, I didn't mean it, you're taking yourself too
for the first time.'' But there were other experiences at seriously, get off your soapbox,' and that's certainly an
school that informed his views, in particular an Anzac Day obstacle to having mature conversations about this
ceremony where a Vietnamese student stated: ''We pause issue,'' he says. ''I have no illusions about how hard it will
today to reflect on the sacrifices made by our forebears so be to start having those conversations. That first
that we can enjoy the Australian way of life.'' conversation is always the biggest challenge.''
''It didn't quite make sense because I knew her forebears As he sees it, racism not only has the potential to hurt
didn't fight for Australia. My forebears didn't fight for people's feelings and offend them, it undermines society
Australia. I know there are many Australians who fought in as a whole. ''We don't often think about just how harmful
wars perhaps motivated by a desire to keep my forebears racism is,'' he says. ''It's a very civic harm. Belittling
out. It was a challenge for me to make sense of what it someone or making someone feel like they're a second
meant to be Australian.'' class citizen detracts from our social cohesion and
harmony as a community.''
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Student activity 14 FIGURE 4.37 Chapter 4:
Student activity 14
Tim Soutphommasane followed up the release of his book by being appointed Race
Discrimination Commissioner.
1. How and why is the photograph so effective?
2. Which countries gave us laska, kebabs and souvlaki?
3. What were the key issues identified in this book review?
4. Would reading this book review persuade you to read the book? Why or why not?
Read the news article and watch the film clip that goes with it.
5. How effective is the presentation made by Tim Soutphommasane? Does it help you understand the issue more clearly?
Why or why not?
6. Why is the appointment of a new Race Discrimination Commissioner an important event for Australians?
7. How has Cabramatta changed in the past two decades?
8. In what ways is Tim Soutphommasane qualified to take on the position of Race Discrimination Commissioner?
9. Explain why the celebration of ANZAC Day could become a source of confusion for some young Australians who are
trying to form an Australian identity?
10. Tim Soutphommasane says, “It was a challenge to make sense of what it meant to be Australian”. To what extent has
the development of multicultural Australia made it a challenge for all Australians to make sense of what it means to be
Australian?
11. Why was Eddie McGuire’s comment perceived to be racist and offensive?
12. In what ways have Australians improved in their thinking and acting in relation to racial discrimination?
13. Is it possible to form and maintain an Australian identity in the 21st century? Explain your answer, giving examples.
14. Assess the importance of book reviews and news articles as methods of communication, especially with reference to
your further academic development.
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Australia’s multicultural failings
Sydney protests have damaged Australia's multicultural reputation: Barry O'Farrell
by Lanai Vasek, The Australian. 16 September 2012 3:42PM.
Police have charged six men in relation to the protests turned violent in Sydney's CBD yesterday.
The NSW premier says the violence at a Sydney Islamic protest is an “unacceptable face of multiculturalism”.
FIGURE 4.38 A protester carries a sign urging violence in response to anti-Islamic film that has
sparked demonstrations around the world.
Picture: Simon Bullard Source: The Sunday Telegraph 257
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AUSTRALIAN political leaders have condemned violent Footage of the clashes showed a young child carrying a
Islamic protests in Sydney as the "unacceptable face of placard calling for people to be beheaded.
multiculturalism" and warned they could inflame
community sentiment. “I do not want to see in the hands of anyone, particular
children, offensive signs that call for the killing of others,”
They also said the protesters, apparently angered by an Ms Gillard said.
anti-Islamic film, were not representative of Australia's
Muslim community. “This is not the Australian way.”
But in response to the violence in Sydney, and to similar NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell said he was “horrified” by the
outbreaks across the world, Foreign Minister Bob Carr said street battles and clashes with police yesterday.
he had asked all Australian diplomatic posts to “redouble
their efforts” in closing the gap between Islamic and He said such protests undermined Australia's successful
western societies. multicultural society.
Six men have been charged following the protests in which “We don't need to bring from overseas ethnic protest to
around 200 Muslims marched from Sydney's Town Hall to this country, we certainly shouldn't bring from overseas
Martin Place yesterday afternoon before confronting police religious conflicts.
outside the US consulate.
“We've got 200 different nationalities in this city but what
Some protesters allegedly threw glass bottles and other we saw yesterday was the unacceptable face of
missiles at police, forcing officers to use capsicum spray multiculturalism,” Mr O'Farrell said.
during the violence that led to six police and 17 others
being injured. “The Islamic community understands the damage that has
been done not just to their religion but to Australia's
Julia Gillard described the film, which has sparked anti- multicultural reputation.”
American violence across the globe and which portrays the
prophet Mohammed as a womaniser and pedophile, as Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Julie Bishop said
“repulsive”. the protests had “no place in Australia”.
“But the making of that video does not condone violent “This will have the capacity to inflame community
conduct and I absolutely condemn the violence that we sentiment,” she told Network Ten.
have seen on Sydney's streets,” Ms Gillard said.
Tony Abbott said the ugly scenes did not fairly reflect the
“To anybody who wants to replicate that behaviour today, I Islamic people of Australia.
just want to say very strongly that this kind of conduct has
no place on the streets of our country,” the Prime Minister The Opposition Leader said newcomers to Australia were
said. not expected to surrender their heritage, but were expected
to surrender their hatreds.
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“I think that's the message that has got to go from every
Australian to those people on the streets of Sydney
yesterday,” he told reporters in Sydney.
!!!!!!!!!!! 258
“I don't believe we saw an acceptable face of Islam He said those involved in the violent protests were not
yesterday.” doing anything to progress the Muslim cause.
Nationals senator Barnaby Joyce said politicians should “The most disturbing thing is the harm this may cause to
speak out to protect Australia “from what we might the vast majority of Muslims in Australia who go to work,
become years down the track”. pay their taxes and accept all the workings of Australian
multiculturalism.”
“It's not xenophobic to ask what is in your national interest
and what values we support and what actions we will Ms Gillard appeared unlikely to act on Mr Abbott's call for
condone,” Senator Joyce told the Nationals' federal Australia to revoke the visa of visiting British Muslim leader
conference in Canberra. Taji Mustafa, who the Coalition leader called a “preacher of
hate”.
“The structure of the nation we have here is something that
just will not work if that type of behaviour was to be Mr Mustafa was the star guest at Muslim organisation Hizb
replicated across every city.” ut-Tahrir's annual conference at Bankstown in Sydney
today.
Senator Carr deplored yesterday's protests and said those
who started the clashes “want more hatred in the air”. Ms Gillard warned Australia had tight laws on people who
urge violence, and very tight laws on people who incite
“I have asked Australia's diplomatic posts around the world terrorism, but didn't say she would act against Mr Mustafa.
to redouble their efforts to bridge the gap between
civilizations to encourage the overlap of cultures and the “The organisation that he has come to visit is not a
dialogue between faiths,” the Foreign Minister said. proscribed terrorist organisation, not here in Australia, not
here in the United States, not in the United Kingdom, and
was not under the Howard government,” she said.
Mr O'Farrell said he was not familiar with Mr Mustafa.
“What I do know is that federal authorities in the past have
sought to deny visas to people who are prepared to travel
the world and come to Australia, to preach bigotry, to
preach hatred,” he told Sky News.
“We don't need them in this country.
“We don't want to import into this country the problems we
see elsewhere.”
Reference: <http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/sydney-protests-
have-damaged-australias-multicultural-reputation-barry-ofarrell/story-
e6frg6nf-1226475010678>
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Student activity 15 Sydney 2000 Olympic games and the
Wandjina
1. Can this incident be seen as a failure of
multiculturalism? Explain. FIGURE 4.40 Chapter 4: FIGURE 4.41 Chapter 4:
YouTube: Sydney 2000 YouTube: QR code
2. What is the tone of the article? Opening Ceremony Part
04 Fire
3. What is the agenda of this publication?
<http://bit.ly/1fwCDsq>
4. How does the reporter support her arguments?
Student activity 16 FIGURE 4.42 Chapter 4:
5. If you were making a study of the causes, course and Student activity 16
outcomes of this event, what other sources would you 1. Make a list of all the
use? How important would this article be to your forms of communication
research? that were employed to
make this piece of
6. Does the article make valid points? Explain. communication.
7. Who benefits from the publication of this article? Who 2. Explain how this piece of
does not benefit? communication reaches
out to a wide audience
8. How does this contrast with the views propounded in and succeeds in making
the previous reading about Tim Soutphommasane? its story and message
understood?
FIGURE 4.39 Chapter 4:
Student activity 15
3. Apply the Three Level Guide and write your
understanding of the communication.
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Social media "A lot of people feel the sites are replacing face-to-face
interaction, but they’re just an addition. And for some,
The pros and cons of social media they’re a wonderful addition", he said.
By Mike Urban, Reading Eagle Others see more cons than pros. “That’s especially true for
teens, who might not understand the dangers of sharing
Dr. Carrie Fitzpatrick is frequently amazed at the private personal details so publicly”, said Dr. Avidan Milevsky, a KU
details she sees people share on Facebook, Twitter and Associate Professor of Psychology.
other social networking sites.
Some arguments for and against the sites:
"I’m shocked almost on a daily basis by what people put
out there," said Fitzpatrick, an Alvernia University Assistant Pros
Professor of Communications and English.
They allow those who are shy or have trouble making
But while that oversharing can be risky, Fitzpatrick believes friends to socialise more easily. That’s also true for those
that if such sites were used more carefully, their benefits with disabilities.
would outweigh the drawbacks. They provide another option for those looking to date but
are unable to find the right person.
"They are where everybody congregates now, so I They allow those with similar interests to connect and
reluctantly embrace them", she said. converse.
They allow professionals to network more easily.
Dr. Timothy O’Boyle hardly uses the sites, but sees how They allow businesses and public entities to share
they benefit students at Kutztown University, where he is an information with customers and clients, and to market
Associate Professor of Sociology. themselves inexpensively.
They allow people to reacquaint with old friends or those
who live far away.
They allow for grass-roots causes to organise, recruit
new members and spread their messages.
Cons
They give hackers an opportunity to steal and misuse
personal information, especially if users don’t correctly
install privacy filters. And even with those safeguards,
posted information is never fully secure.
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Online interaction can become a substitute for actual Student activity 17 FIGURE 4.45 Chapter 4:
meetings, which can hurt social development and isolate Student activity 17
users. Visit the Are Social
Networking Sites Good for
They destroy marriages by providing covert connections Our Society? website.
with others that lead to infidelity.
Write an article for Stage 4
They waste time, especially for those who compulsively (Years 7 and 8) students that
check or update them. For employers that means lost can be included in a school
productivity. handbook. In your article
mention the good/useful
They let bullies spread destructive information, photos or aspects of internet use and
lies about others. some dangerous/stupid
behaviour that should be avoided. Remember to keep your
They allow unscrupulous people to misrepresent language level appropriate, clear and interesting. You may
themselves, take advantage of others or spread false use examples to illustrate the points you are making.
news.
FIGURE 4.43 Chapter 4: FIGURE 4.44 Chapter 4:
They can be costly to those who post regrettable Are social networking Web link: QR code
information or photos that are discovered by colleagues sites good for our
or prospective employers. Once information goes online, society?: Web link
it never goes away.
They bring out the nastiest conversation, because
participants feel anonymous, or at least have some
distance from those they are insulting.
They cause users to spend less time outdoors and to be
less active.
Sources: Fitzpatrick; O’Boyle; Milevsky; Dana German,
Albright College Chief Technology Officer
Reference: <http://www2.readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=412755>
<http://bit.ly/1m6dbaL>
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