VCE PoliticsPractice Examination 2

This paper covers

• Global economic instability (Unit 3 AoS1) — 2022 Russia-Ukraine war as short-term shock to energy and grain markets, globalisation/interconnectedness amplifying inflation worldwide, IMF Extended Fund Facility response to Sri Lanka's 2022 sovereign default, evaluation of multilateral effectiveness
• Mass movement of people (Unit 3 AoS2) — Rohingya displacement from Myanmar since 2017 as the core case study, competing actor interests (Myanmar military, Bangladesh, ASEAN, UNHCR), consequences for Cox's Bazar, and evaluation of the effectiveness of UNHCR/international responses including the stalled repatriation process
• USA (Unit 4 AoS1) — US national interest in Indo-Pacific security and economic primacy, hard power (AUKUS submarines, Indo-Pacific force posture) and smart power (IPEF, QUAD) as tools of statecraft, internal challenges (political polarisation, congressional gridlock) vs external challenges (China's rise, multipolar competition), evaluation of US effectiveness
• Australia in the Indo-Pacific (Unit 4 AoS2) — original embedded stimulus on AUKUS Pillar I submarine program and Pacific Step-up aid figures, Australia's national interests (security, economic prosperity, regional relationships, international standing), Australia's bilateral relationship with the USA and multilateral engagement via the Pacific Islands Forum
• Section C extended responses integrating both Unit 3 AoS (global economic instability causes/interconnectedness AND mass movement of people causes/response effectiveness) and both Unit 4 AoS (USA's power and national-interest effectiveness AND Australia's national interests and regional relationships)
• Contemporary evidence drawn exclusively from 2016–2026: Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, 2022 Sri Lanka default and IMF bailout, 2023 Fed/ECB rate hikes, Rohingya crisis 2017–ongoing, 2023 Cox's Bazar ration cuts, AUKUS September 2021 announcement and March 2023 San Diego pathway, 2022 IPEF launch, 2024 US Indo-Pacific force posture initiatives, Australia's Pacific Step-up since 2018, 2023 Falepili Union with Tuvalu, 2024 US election context

Students are permitted to bring into the examination the materials normally allowed for this subject. Answer all questions in the spaces provided.

This is an ATARMAxxing practice paper. It is not an official examination and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced by the VCAA, NESA or the QCAA.