What is the relationship between Parliament and the Judiciary in Australia?

• A. Parliament makes laws; the judiciary interprets and applies them; courts can strike down unconstitutional laws.
• B. Parliament interprets and applies laws; the judiciary makes laws.
• C. The executive writes laws; Parliament enforces them.
• D. The judiciary writes all constitutional amendments.

Answer: (B)

Parliament makes laws; the judiciary interprets and applies them, and can strike down laws that are unconstitutional. This separation keeps law-making with elected representatives while giving independent courts the job of clarifying what those laws require and ensuring they fit the Constitution. In Australia, Parliament passes Acts, and the judiciary—especially the High Court—reviews laws and government actions for constitutional validity, resolving disputes and developing legal principles through decisions. The idea that the judiciary writes laws or that Parliament interprets them isn’t correct, and constitutional amendments aren’t written by the judiciary—they involve Parliament and a referendum.