Negotiate in National Cabinet

Getting started

• Review key concepts.
  • Refresh your students’ knowledge of the three levels of government with this game and/or quiz.
  • Explain how the federal government gives money to the states and territories. 
    • Consider the Main Roads Development Act, 1923 on the PEO History milestone timeline for the first example of this arrangement in Australia.
• Introduce the concept of federalism and National Cabinet in Australia. 
  • The federal and state levels of government share the power to make laws in some areas (concurrent powers). This means they often need to work together to decide how to deal with national issues. One way they do this is through a meeting known as National Cabinet.
  • Explore the National Cabinet website and/or our factsheet.
• Explain to students that the class will be becoming the National Cabinet for the lesson. 
• Support: consider current or recent topics discussed by National Cabinet.
  • Current priorities include housing reform and disability reform.
  • Past priorities have included bushfire recovery and climate change. 
• Extension: allow students to choose their own topic for discussion.
• Assign roles according to the meeting chart. Use a random draw or assign based on group dynamics.  
  • Additional roles could include officials e.g. timekeeper, minute taker, journalists if doing extension activity.
• Position planning: Give the teams time to meet (10-15 mins) to discuss and consider the issue and the challenges and opportunities facing their state or territory. Hand out the student worksheet to define their stance.
  • Support: use state/territory fact sheets.
  • Extension: get students to do their own research to define their position.

Activity (60 minutes)

1. Arrange the room. Organise the desks/chairs to represent a meeting space with a clearly identifiable Chair (the Prime Minister) such as a U shape, oval or circle where premiers and chief ministers are equal. Advisors may sit behind/near their premier/chief minister.

2. Begin the meeting. 

• Prime Minister opens the meeting following the script.
• Each state/territory presents their position. (15 mins)

3. Negotiation: teams then negotiate with other states and territories with the aim of agreeing on an approach (20 mins). As part of the negotiations, state and territory representatives may negotiate with the federal government for grant money and make other agreements with other states and territories or the federal government.

• Option 1: Speed meeting.
  • states/territories pair up (e.g. NSW with VIC, QLD with WA, etc.) after 2–3 minutes, they rotate to a new state/territory
  • use a timer or bell to signal rotations
  • each state/territory should speak to at least 3–4 other jurisdictions.
• Option 2: Small group negotiations.
  • divide students into 3–4 mixed groups (2–3 jurisdictions per group)
  • each group discusses possible compromises
  • after 10-15 minutes, reconvene for whole-class decision.

Teams can keep track of their agreements using the student worksheet. The Australian government can keep track of the grant requests using the federal government worksheet.

• Negotiation facilitation tips:
  • encourage students to use their worksheet to track deals and offers
  • remind them that compromise is key—no one gets everything they want
  • float between groups to prompt students or clarify misunderstandings

4. Vote: the Prime Minister asks National Cabinet if the federal government’s approach is supported and holds a vote to see if there is an agreed approach. (5 mins)

5. The meeting is closed. 

Discussion Questions

• Reflection questions on the student worksheet can be used for group discussion or student journalling.

Going further

• Each state/territory prepares a media release summarising their position based on influencing factors from their state or territory.
• Examples of media releases can be found on the National Cabinet website.
• Hold a press conference where students acting as journalists can ask questions of the Prime Minister, premiers and chief ministers to explain and justify their positions. 

• Government
• Three levels of government
• Years 7+8
• Years 9+10