Beyond Westminster: The New Machinery of Subnational Government: Political Management in the Australian States

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Government in Australia is three-tiered—commonwealth (or federal), state and local. The Australian states and territories operate within a Westminster tradition, although demonstrating significant departures. As large sub-national systems, they have developed central mechanisms for providing direction and co-ordination at the state level, and for seeking control of and responsiveness from the public service. This article reviews the patterns of change at the state level in Australia with regard to three sets of design issues: the organization of the political executive and central political direction; the vertical and horizontal aspects of the policy function; and the relations between the public service and politicians.