Year 9 Civics and Citizenship Achievement Standard
9 statements aligned to content descriptors and elaborations
Achievement standard (as ACARA publishes it)
Achievement standard
Click any sentence to jump to its statement and linked content descriptors.
By the end of Year 9, students analyse the role of the Australian Constitution, the federal system of government, and the process and reasons for constitutional change. They explain policy development and legislative processes in Australia’s democracy. Students identify the key features and jurisdictions of Australia’s court system and explain the role and processes of courts and tribunals. Students identify the reasons individuals and groups participate in and contribute to civic life nationally and globally. They explain the influence of the media on reflections of identity and diversity.
Students develop a range of questions and locate, select and compare information from sources to investigate political and legal systems, and contemporary civic issues. They analyse information to explain perspectives and challenges related to political, legal or civic issues. Students identify and evaluate the methods or strategies related to civic participation or action. Students use civics and citizenship knowledge, concepts and terms to develop descriptions, explanations and evidence-based arguments.
The 9 achievement standard statements
Open a statement to see the content descriptors ACARA links to it, then open a descriptor's elaborations.
By the end of Year 9, students analyse the role of the Australian Constitution, the federal system of government, and the process and reasons for constitutional change.
Content descriptorAC9HC9K01 Knowledge and understanding
the role of the Australian Constitution in providing the basis for Australia’s federal system of government and democratic processes, including institutions, and the process for constitutional change through a referendum
Elaborations (4)
- Elaboration understanding the aims of the founding fathers prior to Federation in writing the Australian Constitution, including the need for compromise
- Elaboration describing the process by which referendums to change the Australian Constitution are initiated and decided, including the role of the Australian Electoral Commission, and discussing the advantages and disadvantages of having a constitution that can only be amended by referendum
- Elaboration investigating the extent to which the Constitution upholds and enables democratic institutions and processes, including a constitutional monarchy, a federal parliamentary system with elected legislatures, protection of states’ rights and individual rights, and representation of the interests of all Australians
- Elaboration assessing the effectiveness of the process of constitutional change and the degree to which it supports popular sovereignty through examining selected referendum proposals; for example, the successful vote on the Constitution Alteration (Aboriginals) 1967 or the unsuccessful vote on the Constitution Alteration (Establishment of Republic) 1999
They explain policy development and legislative processes in Australia’s democracy.
Content descriptorAC9HC9K02 Knowledge and understanding
the legislative processes through which federal government policy is shaped, developed and implemented
Elaborations (3)
- Elaboration locating the areas of federal government responsibility as outlined in the Constitution and methods for resolving conflicts over federal/state/territory responsibilities
- Elaboration charting the process of development of a policy from initial idea to enacted legislation
- Elaboration using a specific federal policy to understand and analyse the influences on policy formulation and implementation, such as political parties, interest groups, citizens, international influences and the public service
Students identify the key features and jurisdictions of Australia’s court system and explain the role and processes of courts and tribunals.
Content descriptorAC9HC9K03 Knowledge and understanding
the key features and jurisdictions of Australia’s court system, and the operations of courts and tribunals
Elaborations (4)
- Elaboration locating information about the matters that some of the different courts and tribunals deal with and how they enact the law and resolve disputes, and developing a summary for a state jurisdiction and the federal jurisdiction; for example, the Magistrates Court is the first level of the court system and most criminal cases and civil actions commence at this court
- Elaboration creating a visual representation of the Australian court system and each court’s jurisdiction and place in the relevant hierarchy; for example, The High Court is the highest court in Australia and decides cases of special federal significance, including challenges to the constitutional validity of laws, and hears appeals from federal, state and territory courts' decisions
- Elaboration using sample cases to investigate the differences between civil and criminal law, and how the courts apply and interpret criminal laws and resolve civil disputes
- Elaboration exploring how court judgements impact on the development of law; such as the role of statutory interpretation and the creation of precedent; for example, the decision in the Mabo Case (1992) overturned the legal concept of terra nullius and established the concept of native title
Content descriptorAC9HC9K04 Knowledge and understanding
the role of courts, judges, lawyers and juries in trials, and the rights of the accused and the rights of victims
Elaborations (6)
- Elaboration investigating the roles of judges, lawyers, court officials and juries in criminal and civil trials
- Elaboration comparing the rights of the accused with the rights of victims in criminal trials, and the rights of the plaintiff and of a defendant in a civil case
- Elaboration understanding the role of the police, including state and federal police, in enabling equal access to justice and equal treatment under the law (the rule of law)
- Elaboration understanding the purpose of civil remedies and the rights of appeal in both criminal and civil cases, and evaluating whether they are applied equally and deliver just outcomes
- Elaboration investigating potential barriers to equality of access to justice, such as education and literacy, location and proximity to legal avenues, financial constraints, race or ethnicity, especially for First Nations Australians
- Elaboration exploring how legal aid operates and how it contributes to rights of the accused or victims
Students identify the reasons individuals and groups participate in and contribute to civic life nationally and globally.
Content descriptorAC9HC9K05 Knowledge and understanding
how and why individuals and groups, including community, religious and cultural groups, participate in and contribute to civic life in Australia and to global citizenship
Elaborations (3)
- Elaboration researching the work of an Australian non-government organisation (NGO), philanthropist, community group or religious group and the extent to which they contribute to the Australian community; for example, volunteers that support communities ravaged by natural disasters such as the State Emergency Service (SES), the Salvation Army, the Red Cross, Sikh Volunteers Australia
- Elaboration researching examples of young people who are acting as global citizens, such as Malala Yousafzai and Greta Thunberg, and Australia’s Amelia Telford, Mackinley Butson and Bassam Maaliki, or UNICEF Australia’s Young Ambassadors
- Elaboration collaborating with peers to plan a citizenship campaign on an issue related to sustainability or climate change
They explain the influence of the media on reflections of identity and diversity.
Content descriptorAC9HC9K06 Knowledge and understanding
the influence of a range of media, including social media, in shaping identity and attitudes to diversity
Elaborations (2)
- Elaboration analysing how media represent different groups in Australian society, such as First Nations Australians, immigrant groups, and male and female sporting figures, and people with disability, and assessing the impact those representations have on community cohesiveness
- Elaboration investigating a human rights campaign that uses social media and how members of the public have engaged with the issue
Students develop a range of questions and locate, select and compare information from sources to investigate political and legal systems, and contemporary civic issues.
Content descriptorAC9HC9S01 Skills
develop and modify questions to investigate Australia’s political and legal systems, and contemporary civic issues
Elaborations (2)
- Elaboration developing questions about Australia’s political and legal systems; for example, “How democratic is Australia’s system of government?” or “Does Australia’s legal system deliver justice?”
- Elaboration revisiting the questions based on further collection of information; for example, modifying “How democratic is Australia’s system of government” to “How representative is Australia’s system of government?”
Content descriptorAC9HC9S02 Skills
locate, select and compare information, data and ideas from a range of sources
Elaborations (2)
- Elaboration locating from a range of print and online sources, information, such as statistics, graphs, tables, maps, articles, blogs and advertisements to select relevant information or data about an issue; for example, the development of water policy in the Murray–Darling Basin, an aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic or First Nations Australians’ rights
- Elaboration identifying why some sources and information have greater accuracy and reliability than others
They analyse information to explain perspectives and challenges related to political, legal or civic issues.
Content descriptorAC9HC9S03 Skills
analyse information, data and ideas about political, legal or civic issues to identify and evaluate differences in perspectives and interpretations
Elaborations (3)
- Elaboration identifying the values, motivations and contexts that underpin different perspectives about political and legal systems and processes; for example, calls for constitutional recognition for First Nations Australians, First Nations Voice and Makarrata, or the impact of reducing or extending mining activity on particular communities
- Elaboration examining information that includes a diversity of perspectives about the effectiveness of a political or legal institution; for example, “Is Australia’s parliament representative of the Australian community?” or “Does the court system deliver justice for the victims of crime?”
- Elaboration investigating how the Australian Government responds to an issue and examining the process of policy development and implementation, such as the development of welfare changes and financial support in response to natural disasters or emergencies
Students identify and evaluate the methods or strategies related to civic participation or action.
Content descriptorAC9HC9S04 Skills
evaluate the methods or strategies related to making decisions about civic participation
Elaborations (3)
- Elaboration examining a government action plan, identifying the actions, the measures, and the intended and unintended effects of the plan; for example, a recycling program in a local community or a national campaign to improve post-school literacy
- Elaboration developing a plan of action to address a contemporary issue that incorporates a consultation process to ensure a range of views are heard and recorded, and participants are provided with opportunities to contribute; for example, planning a campaign to raise awareness about a personal or road safety issue at a local level; developing a strategy to aid a group in another region or country (a developing nation) with educational resources and opportunities
- Elaboration evaluating the government media campaigns and community supported activities that have been used over time to promote reduction in littering and disposal of waste, and determine if they have been effective
Students use civics and citizenship knowledge, concepts and terms to develop descriptions, explanations and evidence-based arguments.
Content descriptorAC9HC9S05 Skills
create descriptions, explanations and arguments using civics and citizenship knowledge, concepts and terms that incorporate evidence
Elaborations (2)
- Elaboration developing an evidence-based argument about a civics and citizenship issue, such as a need to reform youth justice arrangements in a particular jurisdiction
- Elaboration using terms and concepts such as “representative”, “jurisdictions”, “parliamentary majority” and “mandate”
This achievement standard describes the expected learning for Year 9 Civics and Citizenship. Use it to plan teaching and assessment with the Australian Curriculum v9.
At a Glance
| Strand | Substrand | CDs | Elaborations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knowledge and understanding | Government and democracy | 2 | 7 |
| Knowledge and understanding | Laws and citizens | 2 | 10 |
| Knowledge and understanding | Citizenship, diversity and identity | 2 | 5 |
| Skills | Questioning and researching | 2 | 4 |
| Skills | Analysis, evaluation and interpretation | 1 | 3 |
| Skills | Civic participation and decision-making | 1 | 3 |
| Skills | Communicating | 1 | 2 |
| Total | 11 | 34 | |