The Oxford Handbook of Australian Politics

"BOOK Abstract: The Oxford Handbook of Australian Politics is a comprehensive collection that considers Australia's distinctive politics-both ancient and modern-at all levels and across many themes. It examines the factors that make Australian politics unique and interesting, while firmly placing these in the context of the nation's Indigenous and imported heritage and global engagement. The book presents an account of Australian politics that recognizes and celebrates its inherent diversity by taking a thematic approach in six parts. The first theme addresses Australia's unique inheritances, examining the development of its political culture in relation to the arrival of British colonists and their conflicts with First Nations peoples, as well as the resulting geopolitics. The second theme, improvization, focuses on Australia's political institutions and how they have evolved. Place-making is then considered to assess how geography, distance, Indigenous presence, and migration shape Australian politics. Recurrent dilemmas centre on a range of complex, political problems and their influence on contemporary political practice. Politics, policy, and public administration cover how Australia has been a world leader in some respects, and a laggard in others when dealing with important policy challenges. The final theme, studying Australian politics, introduces some key areas in the study of Australian politics and identifies the strengths and shortcomings of the discipline. This Handbook is an opportunity for others to consider the nation's unique politics from the perspective of leading and emerging scholars, and to gain a strong sense of its imperfections, its enduring challenges, and its strengths. Key Words: Australia, politics, policy, Indigenous heritage, colonial settlement, political institutions, place-making, political dilemmas, policy, and public administration, studying politics"-- Provided by publisher Cover Australian Politics Copyright Contents List of Contributors Acknowledgements Foreword A Voice from the Heart Close the Gap Australian Politics and Policy Biographical note References Chapter 1: Towards a New Vision for Australian Politics: Seeing, Not Seeing, and What We Can Now See ‘Not Being Able to See’: Dispossession and the Beginning of Colonized Australia Attempting to Show: Opportunities for Recognition and Reframing Australia’s Politics and Identity The Ambition of this Volume The Case for a Thematic Approach Notes References Part I: Inheritances Chapter 2: Governing Ideas and Collective Expectations: The Australian Cases Autocracy, Bureaucracy, and Settlement Democratization, Interest Aggregation, and the Formation of a Core Culture The Settlement in Transition Decisive Reform: the Australian Moment? Resilience References Chapter 3: Myth and Myth-making Terra Nullius: the Myth of an Unoccupied Continent Anzac and ‘the Australian Way of Life’: Egalitarianism, Exclusion, and the Birth of a Nation Comfortable and Relaxed: National Myths in a Global Australia Conclusion References Chapter 4: Ideas of Nationhood Democracy by Degree Independent Australian-Britons Colonial Identities Colonial Imperialism Sentimental Nation? Martial Nationhood Conclusion References Chapter 5: Australia’s Electoral Innovations Women’s Suffrage The Secret Ballot Continuous Enrollment Maintenance and Direct Enrollment and Update Preferential Voting Innovations for Ease of Voting Compulsory Voting Electoral Management Conclusion Notes References Part II: Improvisations Chapter 6: Not-Minster? Australia’s Bespoke System of Government Westminster in Theory Westminster in Australia Westminster in 2018 Conclusions and Future Research References Chapter 7: Australia’s Federal Framework: Constitutional Fundamentals, Federal Institutions, and Intergovernmental Balance Constitutional Fundamentals Federal Institutions Intergovernmental Balance Conclusions Notes References Chapter 8: Australian Political Parties: Evolution and Adaptation The Genesis of the Australian Party System A Century of Australian Party Politics Representation: the Structure of Party Competition and Policy Debate Australian Party Organizations and Participation Australian Political Parties and Representation: the Parliamentary and Executive Arenas Australian Party Politics into the Future Conclusion References Chapter 9: Social Protection and Vulnerability: Australia’s Distinctive Public Policy Profile Key Elements of the Australian Settlement The Politics of Domestic Defence Historical Institutionalism Challengers Within and Without Ruins and Renovations References Part III: Place-Making Chapter 10: Australian Politics in Local Government: Place-Making in Town and Country Top-Down Approach: The Institutional Features of Local and Regional Governance Regional Australia in Federal and State Elections Decision-Making for Regions at the Federal and State Levels Summary: Governing Regions from the Centre Bottom-Up Approach: Local Identities and Regional Narratives Local Identity in Australia: Evidence from the ACVS The Political Value of Regional Narratives of Australian National Identity Challenges to Attachment and Identity Summary: Can Strong Identities Overcome Weak Institutions? Conclusion Notes References Chapter 11: Divided Against Itself: Plural Sovereignties and the Australian State Into the Void Out of the Void Conclusion Notes References Chapter 12: Settlement and Migration: Shaping Australian Political Identity Convicts and the Detritus of Empire Gold, Labour Migration, and an Emerging Nation Fear and Anxiety in ‘White Australia’ Filling the Country: Identity, Political Economy, and Belonging Migration and Contested Multiculturalism: Vietnam and its Aftermath Reconciliation and New Racisms? Conclusion References Chapter 13: Refugees, Asylum Seekers, and Emotions The Politics of Asylum Seekers and Refugees in Australia August to December 2001 October 2009 to September 2011 Approaching the Issue of Refugees Through Images The Emotional Power of Close-ups: Humanizing Asylum Seekers Dominant Visual Patterns: Dehumanizing Asylum Seekers Dominant Depictions of Asylum Seekers: Diluting Compassion and Cultivating Fear Conclusion: The Spatial and Moral Delineation of Australian Politics References Chapter 14: Australia’s Pursuit of Place in the World Perspectives on Australian Foreign Policy Australia’s Evolving Place in the World Anxious Outpost (1901–1942) Active, Allied, and Engaged (1942–2000) An Outward Orientation: Australian in the United Nations Building the Alliance: Australia and the United States Engaging Asia Australia in an Uncertain World (2001 to the Present) Contemporary Issues and Innovations in Australian Diplomacy Conclusion Notes References Part IV: Recurrent Themes Chapter 15: The Politics of the environment in Australia Still Settling the Frontier The State of the Environment The Politics of Protection Environmental Policy Rollback and Failure Learning from Failure Conclusion Notes References Chapter 16: The Politics of Australia’s Economic Development The Colonial Era and the ‘Australian Settlement’ The Keynesian Welfare State The Collapse of the Golden Age The Era of Market Liberalism The New Demand-side Challenges Political Challenges for Inclusive Economic Growth Conclusion Note References Chapter 17: Gender and Sexuality in Australian Politics Early Days of Australia’s White Settlement Gender and Sexuality in Parliament Equality and Same-sex Marriage Conclusion References Chapter 18: Religion and Politics Whose Religion? Sacred and Secular Law and Politics Sacred and Secular Ideas of the Nation Religion and Party Religious and Political Responsibilities: Who Cares for Citizens? How do Religion and Politics Shape One Another? Notes References Chapter 19: Indigenous–Settler Relationships: Policy, Rights, Reconciliation, and Sovereignty Policy Rights Reconciliation Sovereignty Conclusion References Chapter 20: Disrupting Media and Politics: When the Old Rules Break, How Can the Public Interest be Served? A Changing Environment Disruption, Adaptation, and Deals Media Reform to Entrench Oligopoly Public Interest Journalism Conclusion: Social Contract in the Digital Domain References Part V: Politics, Policy and Pubic Administration Chapter 21: New Public Management and Service Privatization in Australia The Origins and Principles of New Public Management The Central Principles of NPM NPM as a Response to Traditional Bureaucracies NPM and the Pursuit of Efficiencies Critical Voices The Privatization of Welfare-to-Work in Australia From Public Employment Service to Full Privatization Maintaining Control and the Problem of Standardization Conclusions References Chapter 22: Policy Learning in the Australian Public Service Navigating the Minefield: A Typology of Policy-learning Australian Policy-learning Successes Policy-learning Issues: a Single-loop Learning Culture in the Australian Public Service Conclusion: Weighing the Positives and the Negatives References Chapter 23: Integrity and Accountability in Australian Government and Politics A Brief History of Corruption and Anti-corruption in Australia Corruption in the Early Years (1900–1975) Emergence of an Anti-corruptionSystem (1975–2010) The Performance of the Anti-corruption Commissions The New Frontier of Corruption Control Money in Party Politics Evaluating the Anti-corruptionSystem Conclusion Notes References Chapter 24: Performance in the Public Sector What is Performance? Span of Performance Depth of Performance What is Performance Management? Why Performance Management? Benchmarking Australia’s Report on Government Services Challenges of Performance Management Performance Management in the Australian Public Service Conclusion References Chapter 25: Innovating the Public Sector in Australia Innovation in the Public Sector :What’s the Problem? Innovation and Other Public Sector Reform Ideas A Brief History of Public Sector Innovation in Australia Public Sector Innovation Labs Conclusions Acknowledgement References Part VI: Studying Australian Politics Chapter 26: The Field and Study of Deliberative Democracy in Australia Deliberative Democracy Scholarship in Australia Deliberative Practice in Australia Why has Australia Become a Global Hotspot for Deliberative Democracy? An Australian School of Deliberative Democracy? Deliberative Democracy as a Lens for Studying Australian Politics The Frontiers and Challenges of Australia’s Deliberative Democracy Field Conclusion Notes References Chapter 27: Political Organizations and Participation New Models of Participation Changing Repertoires of Action Digital Political Participation The Digital Crowd in Australian Politics The Distinctive History of Australian Political Organizations The Australian Study of Political Organizations The Growth of Hybrid Campaigning Organizations Conclusion References Chapter 28: Political Psychology and Experimentation What is Political Psychology? The Melbourne School After the Melbourne School Experiments and Behavioural Public Policy Experiments in Australian Politics Conclusion: From the Melbourne School to Behavioural Public Policy Notes References Chapter 29: Political Leadership Studying Australian Political Leadership in the Twentieth Century Into the Twenty-first Century: Catalysts to Inquiry A Belated Debate: Prime-ministerial Dominance in Australia? Chief executives: New and Old Directions Gender and Leadership The Challenge of Leadership in the Twenty-first Century The Way Forward Note References Chapter 30: Beyond ‘Structured Inattention: ’Towards Australian Indigenous Political Studies? Framing the Study of Indigenous Politics The Self-Determination Era Fractured Politics, Fractured Knowing Conclusion Note References Chapter 31: Teaching Australian Politics: Thirty Years of Civics and Citizenship Education in Australia Australia’s Rights and Freedoms: the Hawke Government (1983–1991) Redefining Australia: the Keating Government (1991–1996) Discovering Democracy: the Howard Government (1996–2007) An Australian Curriculum: the Rudd, Gillard, and Rudd Governments (2007–2013) The Current Approach: the Abbott , Turnbull, and Morrison Governments (2013 onwards) The Challenges of a National Approach to Teaching Australian Politics Structural Political Pedagogical Conclusion Notes References Index The Oxford Handbook of Australian Politics is a comprehensive collection that considers Australia's distinctive politics-- both ancient and modern-- at all levels and across many themes. It examines the factors that make Australian politics unique and interesting, while firmly placing these in the context of the nation's Indigenous and imported heritage and global engagement. The book presents an account of Australian politics that recognizes and celebrates its inherent diversity by taking a thematic approach in six parts. The first theme addresses Australia's unique inheritances, examining the development of its political culture in relation to the arrival of British colonists and their conflicts with First Nations peoples, as well as the resulting geopolitics. The second theme, improvization, focuses on Australia's political institutions and how they have evolved. Place-making is then considered to assess how geography, distance, Indigenous presence, and migration shape Australian politics. Recurrent dilemmas centres on a range of complex, political problems and their influence on contemporary political practice. Politics, policy, and public administration covers how Australia has been a world leader in some respects, and a laggard in others, when dealing with important policy challenges. The final theme, studying Australian politics, introduces some key areas in the study of Australian politics and identifies the strengths and shortcomings of the discipline. The Oxford Handbook of Australian Politics is an opportunity for others to consider the nation's unique politics from the perspective of leading and emerging scholars, and to gain a strong sense of its imperfections, its enduring challenges, and its strengths. This Handbook provides a comprehensive examination of Australia's distinctive politicsboth ancient and modernacross multidisciplinary subjects. It examines the factors that make Australian politics unique and interesting, while firmly placing these in the context of the nation's Indigenous and imported heritage and global engagement.