Income tax and welfare in Australia, then and now
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Introduction
Students explore continuity and change in relation to tax collection and the provision of welfare since Federation. They consider the historical significance of the Commonwealth’s introduction of income tax during World War I, including its relationship to the welfare system Australia currently enjoys. Students write an evidenced-based explanation and a bibliography.
Achievement standard
By the end of Year 9, students explain the historical significance of the period of the early modern world up to 1918. They explain the causes and effects of events, developments, turning points or movements globally, in Australia and in relation to the First World War or in an Asian context. They describe the social, cultural, economic and/or political aspects related to the changes and continuities in a society or a historical period. Students explain the role of significant ideas, individuals, groups and institutions connected to the developments of this period and their influences on the historical events.
Students develop and modify questions about the past to inform historical inquiry. They locate, select and compare primary and secondary sources, and use information in sources as evidence in historical inquiry. They explain the origin, content, context and purpose of primary and secondary sources. Students compare sources to determine the accuracy, usefulness and reliability of sources as evidence. They explain causes and effects, and patterns of continuity and change connected to a period, event or movement. Students compare perspectives of significant events and developments, and explain the factors that influence these perspectives. They analyse different and contested historical interpretations. Students use historical knowledge, concepts and terms to develop descriptions, explanations and historical arguments that acknowledge evidence from sources.
Content descriptions
Historical Knowledge and Understanding
The effects of World War I on Australian society, such as the role of women, political debates about conscription, relationships with the British Empire, and the experiences of returned soldiers. (AC9HH9K11)
Historical Skills
Analyse cause and effect, and evaluate patterns of continuity and change. (AC9HH9S05)
Create descriptions, explanations and historical arguments, using historical knowledge, concepts and terms that incorporate and acknowledge evidence from sources. (AC9HH9S08)
Teacher resources
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Writing paragraphs in History
Student learning resources
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Tax and welfare on the home front - Sources
Sources recording table
Writing a bibliography in History
Bibliography example for History
Writing paragraphs in History
Other resources you might like
Suggested activity sequence
This sequence is intended as a framework to be modified and adapted by teachers to suit the needs of a class group.
Part A: Exploring continuity and change
- Use a grouping strategy to organise students into groups of 4.
- Groups read source Q and identify the:
- impact of World War 1 on the role of tax revenue collection in Australia
- extent to which income tax has changed or remained the same since World War I.
- Groups read source R and compare welfare payments that now exist with those that existed in World War I. Ask:
- What differences exist?
- What has changed in relation to Australia’s provision of welfare since World War I?
- Think-pair-share: What is the historical significance of the introduction of Commonwealth income taxes in Australia during World War I?
Part B: Writing an evidence-based historical explanation
- Students develop a bibliography based on the sources in Tax and welfare on the home front. To do this, they will need:
- Explicitly teach how paragraphs are structured using the Writing paragraphs in History – Visualiser and/or refer students to Writing paragraphs in History – Model.
- Students write 1-2 paragraphs explaining the historical significance of the introduction of income tax in 1915.