Y10W02WR How Australian Federal Elections Work
Part 1
How to Write
An explanatory text makes a concept, process or system understandable to a reader who is encountering it for the first time. It is written for someone who wants to genuinely understand how or why something works. The tone should be clear and patient — building understanding step by step without assuming prior knowledge.
- Ideas & content: Select the most important information needed to understand the topic. Focus on how and why — explanation is about building genuine understanding, not just describing what exists.
- Structure & cohesion: Move from the general to the specific. Introduce the concept, explain how or why it works, then give examples or consequences. Use cause-and-effect connectives to show relationships between ideas.
- Voice & audience: Write as a knowledgeable guide. Define terms as you introduce them. Avoid jargon without explanation. Your reader should feel guided through the topic, not overwhelmed by it.
- Language choices: Use precise vocabulary and define technical terms clearly. Write in the present tense for ongoing processes. Vary sentence length — shorter sentences help when ideas are complex.
- Conventions: Spell technical vocabulary accurately. Use commas, colons and semicolons to manage complex explanations. Keep sentences clear even when the ideas are demanding.
Common pitfalls: Describing what something is without explaining how or why it works — readers need to understand the mechanism, not just the label. Including too many facts without connecting them into a clear explanation that builds understanding progressively.
Part 2
Your Task Plan for Today
Question: Write a three-paragraph explanatory piece explaining how Australian federal elections work, what the difference between the voting systems for the House and Senate is and what the main arguments for and against compulsory voting are. Select the most relevant material from the notes, organise it clearly and write entirely in your own words. You will need to decide what to leave out.
Stimulus: Read the following notes carefully. They contain more information than you can use.
Preferential voting, also called ranked choice or instant-runoff voting, is the system used in Australian federal lower house elections. Voters number candidates in order of preference rather than selecting a single candidate. If no candidate receives more than 50 per cent of first preference votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and their votes are redistributed according to the second preferences marked on those ballots. This process continues until one candidate holds a majority of the remaining votes. Preferential voting is intended to ensure the winning candidate has the broad support of the electorate rather than winning on a minority of votes in a crowded field. It also allows voters to support minor parties or independents without wasting their vote if that candidate is eliminated. The Australian Senate uses proportional representation through the single transferable vote system. Senators are elected from each state as a group, and seats are allocated proportionally to reflect the overall distribution of votes. This makes it more likely that minor parties and independents will win Senate seats, which is why the Senate is often more politically diverse than the House of Representatives. The Senate’s role includes reviewing legislation passed by the House. This review function means the government of the day frequently needs to negotiate with crossbench senators — those not from the major parties — to pass legislation. Compulsory voting has been a feature of Australian federal elections since 1924. Australia is one of a small number of countries with compulsory voting. Turnout in Australian federal elections consistently exceeds 90 per cent. Supporters argue compulsory voting produces more representative outcomes and reduces the influence of partisan mobilisation efforts. Critics argue it forces disengaged citizens to vote and may produce uninformed participation. Enrolment to vote is also compulsory for eligible Australians.
Task Analysis: This task asks you to explain a concept or system clearly and completely. You must select relevant material, organise it logically and write for a reader with no specialist knowledge. A strong response helps readers understand not just how something works, but why it matters.
Quick Plan
Plan your explanation:
- Your main concept — what are you explaining and why does it matter?
- Key parts or steps — what are the main elements?
- Why it works this way — what’s the logic or reason?
- Real examples — what concrete examples clarify the concept?
- Why readers should care — what real-world significance does this have?
Define the key concept
Begin by explaining your core concept clearly. Avoid jargon without explanation. Help readers understand exactly what you’re about to discuss.
Background/context
Help readers understand why this topic matters. What real-world problems or questions does it involve? What makes this worth knowing about?
Causes/effects
Show how things work and what their consequences are. Trace cause-and-effect relationships explicitly. This helps readers understand not just what happens but why.
Examples that teach
Use specific, concrete examples that illuminate the concept. Real scenarios and applications make abstract ideas tangible and memorable.
Limits/nuance
Acknowledge what’s complex, uncertain or contested about this topic. What don’t experts fully understand yet? This intellectual honesty builds credibility and prevents oversimplification.
Check before you submit: Have you explained the concept clearly without jargon? Have you included relevant examples? Have you answered why this matters? Is your explanation accessible?
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