The appointment of ministerial advisers is based on a party-political network of patronage, where the primary consideration is loyalty to the political party – not merit.
Prime Minister Bob Hawke celebrates the final cabinet meeting in Old Parliament House, 1988.
National Archives of Australia
A new ABC documentary presents a nostalgic but compelling overview of one of Australia’s most successful prime ministers.
A reversion to imperial imbalance in the British-Australian relationship began with the Whitlam government’s election and ended with its dismissal.
AAP/NAA
The continued embargo on documents relating to the dismissal of the Whitlam government point to the lingering imperial power that comes from an incomplete severance of colonial ties.
The Commonwealth Games at the Gold Coast will set the scene for a year of challenges for this grouping of nations.
AAP
A new survey asking Australians to rank the most significant events in their lifetimes show that same-sex marriage, September 11 and the apology to the Stolen Generations matter most.
Australia’s Constitution vests executive power in the Queen and says that that power is exercised ‘on her behalf’ by the governor-general.
AAP/Alan Porritt
After 1993, Paul Keating became ever-more dominant in cabinet policy discussions to ensure a legacy for the Labor government.
Queen Elizabeth signs the visitors’ book at Parliament House, while Prime Minister Paul Keating and Parliament House officials look on in February 1992.
National Archives of Australia
Hangga Fathana, Universitas Islam Indonesia (UII) Yogyakarta
It was Paul Keating himself who first raised the idea of a security agreement between Indonesia and Australia in June 1994 to Indonesian President Soeharto.
It is ten years since the 2007 election that swept Kevin Rudd into office. But if Kim Beazley had become PM instead, we might have avoided the constant instability and dysfunction we see today.
Blaxland MP Jason Clare voted ‘yes’ to same-sex marriage in a strong ‘no’ electorate.
Mick Tsikas/AAP
Some people may think it’s the duty of their MP to vote in the way they do. But political theory shows this doesn’t work.
A client whose hair she had been cutting for 20 years came in as usual, and then, without any prompting or preamble, launched into a tirade against Muslims.
Shutterstock
To secede or not to secede, that is the question for WA, as it considers going it alone (though not everyone is taking it seriously).
Past and present: Bob Brown (centre) pictured in 2010 with Greens colleagues including current leader Richard Di Natale (right).
AAP Image/Alan Porritt
The environmental issues we face are ideal recruiting for green parties, but the breakthroughs aren’t happening, and after 25 years as a federal party the Greens are still fighting on the same fronts.