Work in small groups for this activity.

Many of the activities require you to look at Acts of Parliament. It is important that you know what these acts look like and why we have them. These activities will help you better understand this.

Activity 1: What does an Act of Parliament look like?

Look at or download the following two Acts of Parliament:

• An Act to impose a Land Tax
• Land Tax (Amendment) Act, No 3 of 2004.

Browse these two acts. Find what is similar and what is different about these two acts, the way they are set out and the language each uses. Annotate or make notes about these two acts to show their similarities and differences. You may wish to illustrate your findings on a chart.

To make sure you have completed the task, provide answers to the following questions:

• Does the act identify the king or queen living at the time of the act? If so, who is it?
• All acts are numbered. What number does each act have?
• In what year was each act passed? How did you know this?
• What is the title of the act?
• What do you think is the main purpose of this act?
• Is each act divided into parts? If so, why do you think this was done?
• Each section of the act is numbered. How has the numbering system changed over time? Why do you think this has been done?
• Each numbered section is called a clause. What do you think is the purpose of a clause:
1. they like to break things into pieces
2. to present one main idea about the purpose of the act and how it shall be organised and made to work
3. to make it easier to read
4. to make it more difficult to read
5. to tell you what the king or queen is thinking.

Activity 2: What is legal language?

Lawyers write the Acts of Parliament.

Here are two clauses from two Acts of Parliament about the right to vote. These acts are:

• An Act to provide for the Election of Member to service in the legislative Council and Legislative Assembly of Victoria respectively (clause XXXV)
• An Act to provide for Adult Suffrage (clause 3)

Read each clause and discuss what you think it is trying to say. Now try and write the clause in language that everyone can understand.

Exchange your written pieces with another group and compare responses. Ask:

• Did you agree about what each clause was trying to explain or say?

Share responses for each clause as a class and if necessary, re-read the original clause and try to agree about the things this clause was saying.

Did you agree that the first act introduced the secret ballot and the second act gave women the vote?

Activity 3: Why do we need Acts of Parliament?

List as many laws as you can. Do not include school rules. Discuss:

• Why do you think we need laws?
• Why do you think we need Acts of Parliament?

Did you decide that Acts of Parliament:

• record the major decisions of the government?
• make up the law of the state or country?
• need to be written down so everyone is clear about what to do and how to behave in this situation (for example when voting, driving a car, buying something on credit, attending school, buying land or property)?
• help the courts and police make sure the law is being obeyed?

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• Introductory activities

• An Act to impose a Land Tax
• Land Tax (Amendment) Act, No 3 of 2004.
• An Act to provide for the Election of Member to service in the legislative Council and Legislative Assembly of Victoria respectively
• An Act to provide for Adult Suffrage