Australian Citizenship Responsibilities and Privileges
Practise what citizens must do and what citizenship allows, and read the reason for each answer.
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How to use the Australian Rights and Responsibilities Questions
- Open the Questions menu and choose 5, 10, 20, 30 or 50 questions.
- Click Start.
- Read the question and choose one of the four options.
- Compare your choice with the Correct answer shown below the options, then read the Why note.
- Click Next to move to the following question.
- When the set ends, read your final Score: x of y line.
- Click the button to practise the questions you missed, or click Run again to start a fresh set.
Reading the Why note after every answer is the quickest way to learn the reason behind each right and duty, since the note explains why the correct option is right. Questions are adapted from Our Common Bond, Commonwealth of Australia, CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). These are not the official test questions.
Short runs are easier to repeat, so start with 5 or 10 questions and increase the number once your score stays high. After a run, open the missed questions straight away while the explanation is fresh. Your progress panel shows how many questions you have seen, how many were right or wrong and how many are waiting for review, and it stays in this browser only.
Run the quiz twice: once before you read the tables below and once after, to see which responsibilities and privileges you already knew.
What are the responsibilities of Australian citizens?
Australian citizens must obey the law, vote in federal, state and territory elections and referendums, serve on a jury if called, and defend Australia if the need arises. Paying tax is not on the booklet’s list of citizenship responsibilities, but it is required by law (page 24), and the money funds services such as healthcare, education, defence, roads and social security.
| Responsibility | What the booklet says | PDF page |
|---|---|---|
| Obey the law | Listed as a responsibility of citizenship | 22 |
| Serve on a jury if called | Citizens aged 18 or over may be asked to serve | 22-23 |
| Defend Australia should the need arise | Joining the Defence Force is voluntary, but the duty to defend the nation stays with citizens | 22-23 |
| Vote in federal, state and territory elections and referendums | Compulsory in federal, state and territory elections | 23 |
Paying tax is also required by law, as an important way to contribute (page 24). Volunteering and other active participation are encouraged rather than required (page 24).
What are the privileges of Australian citizenship?
Australian citizenship gives you the right to vote, to apply for an Australian passport and re-enter Australia freely, and to ask Australian officials for help while overseas. Citizens can also apply for children born overseas to become citizens by descent, work in the Australian Public Service or Defence Force, and seek election to parliament if they are 18 or over and not dual citizens.
| Privilege | Detail | PDF page |
|---|---|---|
| Vote | Listed as both a responsibility and a privilege for citizens aged 18 or over | 23 |
| Apply for an Australian passport and re-enter freely | Citizens can return to Australia without a visa | 22, 24 |
| Consular help overseas | Officials at embassies, high commissions and consulates can help, including with emergency passports | 22, 24 |
| Apply for children born overseas to become citizens by descent | Applies to children born outside Australia | 22 |
| Work in the Australian Public Service or Defence Force | APS examples include Services Australia and the Australian Taxation Office; the ADF is the Army, Navy and Air Force | 22-24 |
| Seek election to parliament | Must be 18 or over and not a dual citizen | 22, 24 |
Citizens overseas must still obey the laws of the country they are in (page 24).
Sample questions and answers
Ten questions from this section, in booklet page order.
| Question | Correct answer | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Which of these is a privilege of Australian citizenship? | Apply for an Australian passport and re-enter Australia freely | Getting an Australian passport is a privilege; the others are responsibilities. |
| Which of these is a responsibility of Australian citizens? | Obey the laws of Australia | Obeying the law is a responsibility; the others are privileges of citizenship. |
| Which of these is something an Australian citizen can do as a privilege of citizenship? | Seek election to parliament | Standing for parliament is a privilege of citizenship. |
| Which Australian citizens can be called to serve on a jury? | Citizens who are on the electoral roll | Citizens who are enrolled to vote can be called for jury service. |
| Which appears in both the book’s list of responsibilities and its list of privileges? | Voting in federal and state or territory elections, and in a referendum | Voting is listed under both responsibilities and privileges for citizens aged 18 or over. |
| What does a jury do? | Listens to the evidence in a court case and decides if a person is guilty or not guilty | A jury is a group of ordinary citizens who hear the evidence and decide guilt. |
| Which is an example given in the book of working in the Australian Public Service? | Working for Services Australia | The Australian Public Service includes agencies such as Services Australia and the Australian Taxation Office. |
| While overseas, who can Australian citizens ask for help in times of need? | An Australian government official, for example at an embassy or consulate | Australian officials at embassies, high commissions and consulates can help citizens overseas. |
| Which agency collects tax in Australia? | The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) | Tax on income from jobs, businesses and investments is collected by the ATO. |
| What does the book say about Australian citizens returning from overseas? | They are free to return to Australia without the need for a visa | Australian citizens can come back to Australia freely without a visa. |
How this tool works and where the numbers come from
Every fact on this page comes from Our Common Bond (Home Affairs, testable section) or the Home Affairs citizenship pages named below, checked on 2026-10-26. Practice questions are original, adapted from Our Common Bond (CC BY 4.0), and are not the official test questions.
Sources
Check yourself: common questions
Is voting compulsory in Australia?
Yes, voting is compulsory in federal, state and territory elections, and citizens must also vote in referendums. Voting may not be compulsory in some states for local government elections.
Can an Australian citizen hold another citizenship?
Yes. Australia recognises dual citizenship, so an Australian citizen can also be a citizen of another country if the laws of that country allow it. The exception in this section is that dual citizens cannot stand for parliament.
From what age can citizens be called for jury service?
Citizens aged 18 or over may be asked to serve on a jury, and only citizens on the electoral roll can be called. A jury hears the evidence in a court case and decides whether a person is guilty or not guilty.
What is a referendum?
A referendum is a vote of the people on a proposed change to the Australian Constitution.
Can I redo only the questions I missed?
Yes. After a run, press the button to practise the questions you missed. They are saved in this browser only.
Is jury service the same as voting?
No. Voting and serving on a jury are separate responsibilities. The booklet lists both, and a jury hears the evidence in a court case and decides whether a person is guilty or not guilty.
Do the questions show which page of the booklet they come from?
No. The tool shows the correct answer and a Why note. The guide on this page gives the PDF page for each responsibility and privilege so you can check the booklet.
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