Thirteen Year 12 Legal Studies students recently undertook an education tour of the national capital - the Year 12 Legal Studies Canberra Study Tour. Students departed Adelaide airport at 6.15am on Monday 17 April. They spent their days visiting Parliament House, viewing the Magna Carta, the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery, Old Parliament House (Our Voices, Our Choices Gough Whitlam dismissal - Malcolm Fraser - Refugee Crisis - Behind the Lines at the Museum of Australian Democracy), the Australian War Memorial, the High Court of Australia, Reconciliation Place, and the National Film and Sound Archive. Students were given opportunities to participate in a variety of educational programs with a focus on Australia’s legal system, history, culture, heritage and democracy and more importantly the tour aligned directly with the Year 12 SACE Legal Studies course relating to the three topics being studied: Sources of Law, Dispute Resolution and the Constitution.

The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the national capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education. To assist families in meeting the cost of the excursion, the Australian Government contributed funding of $90 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program towards those costs. The rebate is paid directly to the school upon completion of the excursion and made up part of the subsidised costs that parents incurred for the study tour.

A special thanks to Rachael Bennett for her expertise, guidance and for giving up three days of her Term 1 holidays to accompany the class to Canberra.

Rick Sommariva
Canberra Study Tour Coordinator