Parliamentary Government in AustraliaAlan J. Ward combines constitutional history and political science to compare all nine of Australia’s political systems, federal, state and territorial, from colonial times to the present. Guided by a model of parliamentary government drawn from comparative politics, he considers the following key topics: the selection of the government, the prime minister and cabinet; government control of the lower house; the primacy of the lower house in bicameral systems; the head of state; the influence of Australian federalism on parliamentary government; and the growth of executive democracy in Australia. Ultimately, Ward argues that as only one of Australia’s nine constitutions accurately describes parliamentary government as practiced in the country, it is a democratic imperative that the other eight be rewritten. |
Contents
Defining Parliamentary Government | 10 |
introducing Parliamentary Government to Australia | 25 |
Modern Parliamentary Government in Australia | 67 |
Fusion | 69 |
The Confidence of the Majority | 75 |
Political Parties | 101 |
The Prime Minister | 129 |
The Cabinet | 147 |
The Upper House 11 The Head of State | 176 |
Australian Federalism and Parliamentary Government | 252 |
Executive Democracy in Australia | 265 |
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agreement amendments appointed Australasian Federation Conference Australian constitutions Australian parliaments Australian political Australian Senate Australian upper houses Britain British caucus Chief Minister Clune and Griffith Commonwealth Constitution Commonwealth Parliament confidence Constitutional Convention constitutional law debate Democratic Department dismissed dissolve election electoral example Executive Council executive powers government in Australia Government’s Governor Governor-General Greens head house of Parliament House of representatives Howard John Julia Gillard Kevin rudd Labor Party Legislative Assembly Legislative Council Liberal loose coalition lower house majority government Melbourne Minister and Cabinet minor parties monarch money bills national Party northern territory opposition parliamentary government parliamentary systems party discipline party leaders Premier President Prime Minister provides Queensland reform reject requires reserve powers resign role seats Section self-government South Australia South Wales Speaker standing orders supply of money Sydney Morning Herald tasmania term upper house Victoria vote Western Australia