September 3-16, 2015 Current Event Lesson Plan
Current Event: Out with Abbott, in with Turnbull
Malcolm Turnbull was recently elected as the leader of the Liberal Party of Australia and the country’s new prime minister. The Liberal Party is generally conservative on social issues. It favors limited government control over the country’s economy. Turnbull replaced Tony Abbott who had become prime minister following a 2013 general election. Abbott’s approval rating fell this year, and Turnbull called a party election to challenge for the leadership role. Turnbull accused Abbott of not successfully guiding Australia’s economic policies. Liberal Party members of Parliament voted 54-44 in favor of Turnbull, who had previously led the party from 2008 to 2009.
Objective:
Malcolm Bligh Turnbull was born in Sydney on Oct. 24, 1954. After graduating from the University of Sydney, Turnbull received a Rhodes Scholarship and studied at the University of Oxford in England. He soon achieved success as a lawyer and later as a businessman. Through most of the 1990’s, Turnbull was a leading figure in Australia’s republican movement, which sought to make Australia a republic, with a president replacing the British monarch as head of state. However, in a 1999 referendum, Australian voters rejected the plan for becoming a republic. Turnbull was first elected to Australia’s Parliament in 2004. He was elected leader of the Liberal Party in September 2008. The following year, Tony Abbott replaced Turnbull as leader of the Liberals. In September 2015, Turnbull successfully challenged Abbott for the leadership of the Liberal Party and replaced him as prime minister. The Behind the Headlines news story and related World Book articles explore Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull, and other famous Australians.
Words to know:
- Australia
- Government of Australia
- Liberal Party
- Malcolm Turnbull
- Parliament
- Prime minister
- Rhodes Scholarship
- Tony Abbott
Discussion Topics:
1. Ask your students what they know about Australia. (Students might say that it is the only country that is also a continent; Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere; Sydney is the largest city and Canberra is the national capital; Australia is famous for its kangaroos, koalas, platypuses, wombats, and other unusual animals; the Aboriginal people were the first humans to arrive in Australia.)
2. Ask your students to name some famous Australians besides Abbott and Turnbull. (Students might say Julian Assange [founder of WikiLeaks], Cate Blanchett [actress], Graeme Clark [doctor and inventor], Mel Gibson [actor], Julia Gillard [former prime minister], Steve Irwin [wildlife expert], Hugh Jackman [actor and singer], Ned Kelly [bushranger], Nicole Kidman [actress], Kylie Minogue [pop singer and actress], Rupert Murdoch [media executive], Greg Norman [golfer], Banjo Paterson [poet and lawyer], Kevin Rudd [former prime minister]).
3. In a parliamentary government, the legislature elects the executive. By contrast, in the United States, the legislature and executive are elected separately. (For example, in the United States, the people, not Congress, elect the president.) Ask your students what are some advantages and disadvantages of both systems.
4. Ask your students to use the World Book’s Timelines feature to view or add to the History of Australia timeline. (Students may wish to use World Book’s History of Australia article for help.)