Parliament and Elections

THIS IS A TEST PAGE - Lesson overview

This session explores the electoral system, the make-up of Parliament, and the important role values and ideology play in shaping the political landscape. It also examines how widespread participation in elections is important for ensuring Parliament truly reflects the diverse views of the community (i.e. the range of views that make up public opinion).

 Included in the download (left), are a lesson plan, a powerpoint presentation and a teacher's guide.

Key inquiry questions

• How does the party vote determine the make-up of Parliament under the MMP system?
• What are the key features of Parliament and how are governments formed? I.e. Parliament, Government, Opposition, roles)
• How does public opinion translate into Parliamentary power though the MMP system? How does public opinion influence the policy decisions of governments and politicians?

Key civics knowledge:

• New Zealand is a representative democracy which operates under a MMP system.
• The party vote determines the number of seats a party has in parliament.
• Each party represents particular values and ideologies. Voters align with these values and ideologies. This is what gives the overall shape to the political landscape and Parliament.
• Parliament will broadly reflect public opinion if there is high voter turnout. If some groups to no vote Parliament may not reflect the diverse views of the community.
• Governments are usually formed by coalitions (rarely, majority governments), where several parties whose values and ideologies are most compatible agree to support each other for the duration of the parliamentary term.
• The role of government is to make laws and spend money. The role of opposition parties are to keep and eye on the governments actions, including making sure the public are aware of what is happening and proposing alternatives.