Interest Groups

Collective action:
● While everybody in Australia, including those under the voting age, can because that is
the Australian law.
● While everyone is able to become a member of a political party, most people tend not to
join politics.
● More people feel comfortable about joining or supporting an interest group.

What are interest groups?

● Organisations that seek to influence the decision-making process of governments or
large corporations
● Interest groups are formed when a common interest or concern needs to be addressed
● Some of these groups can be very effective
● Size doesn’t matter
● Groups need to be engaging and direct
● Either focus on one main issue or multiple issues

How do interest groups differ from political parties?

● Political parties have the power to control government actions, whereas interest groups
do not
● Do not want to win elections
● Campaign continuously
● More issue-oriented compared to political parties

Types of interest groups

● 2 main interest group types; Sectional and Promotional
● Sectional groups promote interest in specific sections of the community
● Promotional groups promote a particular cause or issue

- Less than 1% of Australians are members of a political party

Types of Interest Groups
● Two main types of interest groups
● Sectional and Promotional groups
● Sectional Groups aim to promote the interests of specific section of the community

Flowchart

Comprehension- Q1-9