Humanities and Social Science
Year 9 HASS Extension Excursion - Courts and Parliament House
Nishnata Chalisey (P7) – Year 10 Extension
On Wednesday 13 November, the Year 9 Humanities Extension class went to the Supreme Courts and Parliament House of Western Australia. When we first arrived, we went to the Old Court House Law Museum, one of the first buildings built in the Swan River Colony, dating 1836. Our guide Rose Fealy gave us an opportunity to do a mock court trial: each student played a fictional role, as lawyers, judges, judge's associate, ushers, witnesses, the accused and members of the jury. We got a script to read and eventually decided if the accused was guilty or not guilty, just like a real court trial. The whole experience was eye-opening as we learnt what an official criminal trial might be like. Everyone participated and enjoyed it so much that we were laughing about it for the rest of the day.
Hafsa Siddiqui (X3) – Year 9 Extension
When we walked from the magnificent Supreme Courts gardens to the David Malcolm Justice Centre on Barrack Street, the skyscraper stood high above us transmitting a feeling of power and seriousness. The trial we witnessed was to do with a case of defamation. Inside the building a strict code of silence and respect is omnipresent. The trial itself was very interesting, as it dealt with offences via emails, offending and undermining the reputation of colleagues. Although we did not have time to watch the full trial, this experience gave us a great insight into the role of lawyers, witnesses and the judge in order to make a fair decision on the matter. After returning to the Supreme Court Gardens, we finally had our lunch in Elizabeth Quay, where we could also enjoy some gelato in the sunshine.
Christine Buluran (P5) and Shannette Ndossi (M1) – Year 10 Extension
Our visit to Parliament House was one to remember! We had the opportunity to visit the Upper House of the Parliament (known as Legislative Assembly) and then attend 'Question Time' in the Lower House of the Parliament (Legislative Council) where politicians raised questions that enhanced their confidence and picked at weaknesses of the government. When we first walked into the room, we were expecting a formal exchange of questions between the politicians; however, what we witnessed was the use of rhetorical speech and sarcasm to depict each other’s faults. You don’t always get the opportunity to see the people who represent our state, step out of their boundaries and discuss matters informally right in front of your eyes, but we were lucky enough to be able to observe along the public viewing area one of the key-aspect of our democratic legislative system. By the end of the day, we had learnt a lot of information about our State Parliament and government… we even got treated with a box each of “Parlia-mints” as a gift!
It has been a pleasure to lead this group of students into our democratic institutions. Their approach, behaviour and engagement has been outstanding, as also noticed by our guides in both locations. The Humanities and Social Sciences teachers encourage each of our students to get involved actively in national and international politics, as this is the key for a healthy, inclusive, fair and long-lasting society.
I would like to thank Mr McGoorty for driving the group safely to our destination and back, as well as helping to ensure students gained the most out of this learning experience.
Dr A Runco (Head of Humanities and Social Sciences)