Government issues involve the changes made to our laws, and their impact on society. Federal laws are changed by the introduction of a bill, or a suggested law. The stages of a bill are called ‘readings’. The first reading is where the bill is suggested. The second reading is the interesting one, where the issues surrounding the bill are debated. The third reading is where the bill is either accepted or rejected formally.
The bill must be passed by both of the two halves of federal government, the Senate and the House of Representatives, before it becomes an act of parliament, or an accepted law. Once a law is accepted, it affects our lives by changing what is legal or illegal for us to do, or by changing the way business, education, media, international affairs, or any other aspect of society is run. So it’s a good idea to know what’s going on!
1. Start with general media coverage: There are some great places to go to get direct information about what bills are being passed and what issues are being discussed in parliament. However, if you’re new to an issue, it’s probably a good idea to read some newspaper articles about the issue first, especially if it is a current media topic. ABC online: www.abc.net.au/news/ is a good site to get you started, but typing keywords into a search engine should bring you lots of media stories from various sources. Be aware that authors have their own opinions and put different slants on the issue. Media releases are the best type of article because they are usually short, well written, and likely to directly quote the politicians involved.
2. Use Hansard on parliamentary websites: Once you have a broad understanding of the issue, it’s time to seek out the official political records. Rather than jumping straight into reading the bills and legislation, try looking at the Hansard section of the website. Hansard is an official log of the speeches and second readings, or responses that politicians make in parliament. It’s a lot easier to relate to speeches and transcripts than dry legal language. On the federal parliament website, you can watch videos of parliament discussions. Many of these, including the program Question Time in Parliament are also televised on the ABC. For airing times check out: www.abc.net.au/tv/guide/.
3. Read the Explanatory Memoranda before reading the bill: Under the “Bills” section of parliamentary websites, you’ll find something called “Explanatory Memoranda” which is like a factual summary of a bill and the changes it makes. This will give you a reasonably plain English explanation of the point of the bill. Then, go on to read the bill itself. Keep in mind that you may have to refer to past events and bills in order to understand the impact of the one you are presently reading. Don’t worry if you find the language of the bill overwhelming, they are notoriously long-winded and boring!
Listed below are the parliamentary websites for Australia. These websites look a bit different but they have fairly similar content – they all have Hansard sections and Bills sections.
4. Now you have the official point of view, find alternative opinions: Whose opinion is worth having? Academic sources such as papers published by universities or research institutes can be a good place to look. Stories by the CSIRO can be found at www.csiro.au/. Other large bodies such as community organisations, unions, or industry groups may have alternative viewpoints on government policy. For a list of Australian and international unions go to: www.anu.edu.au/polsci/unions/unions.html. For really big issues, try the UN website, www.un.org/ or overseas-based organisations and media for an outside opinion.
5. Form your own opinion and promote it! Forming an opinion on government issues helps you to be a responsible and informed voter, but there’s more than one way to skin a policy. Find opportunities for action: talk to friends, use forums, write letters to the editor or write to a politician…get people thinking about the issue, and enjoy being part of the democratic process!
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© 2008. First published on actnow.com.au
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