A Handbook of Australian Government and Politics, 1985-1999


Book Description

This handbook completes Emeritus Professor Colin Hughes' major reference work on Australian government and politics in the 20th century. It is a sequel to three earlier volumes published in 1968, 1977 and 1986, which have become standard research tools for Australian historians and political scientists.It details, firstly, all members of all Australian ministries, cabinets and portfolios, with dates and notes, and secondly, voting information (both upper and lower houses of Parliament) for all general elections, Commonwealth, State and Territory, held between 1985 and 1999. It thus gathers together in the one book information which is otherwise scattered through a number of official publications, some not widely available. This consolidation and annotation follows the format established in the three earlier volumes and will join them as an indispensable reference work. A NSW Sesquicentenary of Responsible Government publication.




Australian Politics and Government


Book Description

Table of contents




Historical Dictionary of Australia


Book Description

Australia’s development, from the most unpromising of beginnings as a British prison in 1788 to the prosperous liberal democracy of the present is as remarkable as is its success as a country of large-scale immigration. Since 1942 it has been a loyal ally of the United States and has demonstrated this loyalty by contributing troops to the war in Vietnam and by being part of the “coalition of the willing” in the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 and in operations in Afghanistan. In recent years, it has also been more willing to promote peace and democracy in its Pacific and Asian neighbors. This fourth edition of Historical Dictionary of Australia covers its history through a chronology, an introductory essay, appendixes, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 500 cross-referenced entries on important personalities, politics, economy, foreign relations, religion, and culture. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about Australia.




The Australian Study of Politics


Book Description

The Australian Study of Politics provides the first comprehensive reference book on the history of the study of politics in Australia, whether described as political studies or political science. It focuses on Australia and on developments since WWII, also exploring the historical roots of each major subfield.




The Liberals


Book Description

This book tells some of the story of the NSW Division of the Liberal Party, beginning with its prehistory and concluding with the constitutional changes in 2000. It looks at the role of leading figures such as John Carrick, Nick Greiner and John Howard, at the electoral record, at the Division’s recurring financial difficulties and occasional crises, at its habit of decapitating parliamentary leaders, and at the attempts to move beyond its Protestant, Anglo-Scottish and “North Shore” support base and male culture.




The Nationals


Book Description

The Nationals tells the story of the NSW National Party from its foundation in 1919 as The Progressive Party to the contemporary era under Andrew Stoner's leadership. Paul Davey, a former Federal Director and NSW General Secretary, writes with an insider's knowledge of the politics, policies and personalities that have shaped the modern party. His research is comprehensive including unfettered access to party archives. Emerging in the wake of World War I, The Progressive Party splits after only two years when seven of its 15 members refuse to join a coalition government. These dissidents become known as the True Blues and are the founding parliamentary members of the Country and subsequent National Party. The party grows into one of the largest political organisations in the country, boasting nearly 50,000 financial members in New South Wales in the 1980s. It fights off merger proposals and survives, despite constant predictions of impending doom, as the only party which exclusively represents rural and regional New South Wales. The State party is also highly influential in the national context; every Federal Leader since John McEwen's retirement in 1971 has come from New South Wales. The Nationals is as much about people as policies. Davey studied a myriad of documents and interviewed a wide cross-section of party figures including all surviving State and Federal leaders. The studies and candid comments shed new light on people, policies and incidents ranging from Mick Bruxner's and David Drummond's building of inland roads, railways and country education facilities to Charles Cutler's fight for State Aid for Independent schools; from the repulse of the Joh for Canberra campaign and Pauline Hanson's One Nation to the challenge of Independents; from sometimes poisonous relations with the United Australia and Liberal parties to the State's longest serving Coalition Government; from relations with the media, especially the country press, to the role of women and young people in the organisation; from the threats posed by changing demographics and electoral redistributions to the push by Doug Anthony to change the name from Country Party to National Country Party and later National Party. The Nationals tells the story of a unique organisation - a political party that is not factionalised and that, despite occasional defections (not new in any party) remains remarkably stable. It has had only nine State and 11 Federal parliamentary leaders in its entire history to date. Moreover, while at times recording an apparently small share of the vote, it consistently returns a forceful block of members to the New South Wales and Commonwealth parliaments and wields, some would say disproportionately so, a significant influence on Australia's political direction. A NSW Sesquicentenary of Responsible Government publication.




The A to Z of Australia


Book Description

The last continent to be claimed by Europeans, Australia began to be settled by the British in 1788 in the form of a jail for its convicts. While British culture has had the largest influence on the country and its presence can be seen everywhere, the British were not Australia's original populace. The first inhabitants of Australia, the Aborigines, are believed to have migrated from Southeast Asia into northern Australia as early as 60,000 years ago. This distinctive blend of vastly different cultures contributed to the ease with which Australia has become one of the world's most successful immigrant nations. The A to Z of Australia relates the history of this unique and beautiful land, which is home to an amazing range of flora and fauna, a climate that ranges from tropical forests to arid deserts, and the largest single collection of coral reefs and islands in the world. Through a detailed chronology, an introduction, appendixes, a bibliography, and cross-referenced dictionary entries on some of the more significant persons, places, and events; institutions and organizations; and political, economic, social, cultural, and religious facets, author James Docherty provides a much needed single volume reference on Australia, from its most unpromising of beginnings as a British jail to the liberal, tolerant, democracy it is today.




Ninety Not Out


Book Description

The Nationals, originally the Australian Country Party, is the second oldest political party in Australia. This is the first comprehensive study of the federal Nationals since 1963. Highlights the political fortunes of an organisation that is often disregarded by the mainstream media.




Politics in the Blood


Book Description

"Biography of three generations of the one family (Hubert, Doug and Larry Anthony), all of whom for over some 70 years held the Federal seat of Richmond in NSW for the National Party. Note that the hold on the seat was not continuous for this entire period. Author is also a member of the National Party)".--Provided by publisher.