Tasmanian Dams Case Quiz

What did the Tasmanian government want to do with the Franklin River?

• Divert it for urban water supply

• Use it for irrigation

• Turn it into a national park

• Build a dam to generate hydroelectricity

Why did the Commonwealth government want to stop the Tasmanian government from building the dam?

• The dam would cause flooding

• The dam was too expensive

• The area was declared a world heritage site

• The dam would disrupt local communities

Which international treaty did the Commonwealth government sign that was relevant to this case?

• Paris Agreement

• Kyoto Protocol

• Convention on Biological Diversity

• Convention for the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage

What piece of legislation did the Commonwealth pass in 1983?

• Hydroelectricity Regulation Act

• National Parks Act

• Environmental Protection Act

• World Heritage Properties Conservation Act

What was the main argument of the Tasmanian government in court?

• The Commonwealth did not have specific powers over the environment or electricity production

• The dam was necessary for economic development

• The dam would not harm the environment

• The Commonwealth had no jurisdiction over Tasmanian rivers

Under which section of the Constitution did the Commonwealth argue it had the power to pass the law?

• Section 44

• Section 128

• Section 109

• Section 51, Clause 29 (External Affairs)

What was the High Court's decision in the Tasmanian Dams case?

• The decision was postponed

• In favor of the Commonwealth

• In favor of the Tasmanian government

• The case was dismissed

What did the High Court say about the external affairs power?

• It should be interpreted to give the Commonwealth the power to legislate over anything of legitimate international concern

• It is limited to trade agreements

• It only applies to foreign policy

• It cannot be used to override state laws

What was a significant political outcome of the Tasmanian Dams case?

• The collapse of the Tasmanian government

• The end of hydroelectric projects in Australia

• The creation of new national parks

• The birth of the Greens Party in Australia

What did the Commonwealth's victory in the case allow it to do?

• Legislate on any matter covered by a treaty, even if it is usually a state responsibility

• Cancel all state laws

• Build the dam themselves

• Take over all environmental laws from the states