18 practice questions with detailed explanations
The Australian Constitution is the nation's founding legal document. It came into effect on 1 January 1901, when the six British colonies united to form the Commonwealth of Australia in an event known as Federation. The citizenship test includes questions about the Constitution, its purpose, and how it can be changed.
The Constitution establishes the structure of the federal government, defines the powers of parliament, the executive, and the judiciary, and sets out the relationship between the federal and state governments. It also includes certain protections for citizens, such as freedom of religion (Section 116) and the right to trial by jury for federal offences (Section 80).
One of the most important things to know about the Constitution is how it can be changed. Any change to the Constitution requires a referendum — a national vote by all Australian citizens. For a referendum to succeed, it must achieve a "double majority": a majority of voters nationally AND a majority of voters in at least four of the six states. This high bar ensures that constitutional changes have broad support across the nation. Since 1901, only 8 of 44 referendums have been successful.
Before 1901, Australia was
Before 1901, each colony
On 1 January 1901, the Australian colonies became
Which of these was established by the Australian Constitution?
In which referendum did over 90% of Australians vote 'Yes' for Aboriginal peoples to be counted in the Census?
To change the Constitution, a referendum needs
A double majority in a referendum means
Which of these statements about the Australian Constitution is correct?
The Australian Constitution divides power to
A constitutional monarchy is a country where