Territorial Politics and the Federal Frame in Australia

Eve Hepburn and Klaus Detterbeck (eds), Handbook of Territorial Politics (Edward Elgar), Forthcoming

19 Pages Posted: 13 Feb 2016

See all articles by Nicholas Aroney

Nicholas Aroney

The University of Queensland - T.C. Beirne School of Law; Emory University - Center for the Study of Law and Religion

Campbell Sharman

University of British Columbia (UBC) - Department of Political Science

Date Written: February 11, 2016

Abstract

Australian politics is organised in profoundly territorial terms. The fundamental reason for this is the essential role played by the constituent states within the Australian federal system. Historically, the states predated the federation and were the presupposition of its very existence. At the time of federation they offered the essential and unavoidable political infrastructure upon which entire federal edifice depended, and continues to depend. The constitution entrenched their role and, despite important tendencies towards centralisation, the Australian states cannot be easily abolished or sidelined. Australia’s party system reflects and reinforces the existence of a politics which is both national and regional in its dimensions. Moreover, and underlying diversity between Australia’s states, regions, cities and towns, underscores the need for the kind of policy diversity and policy responsiveness that the Australian federal system makes possible.

Keywords: Australia, federalism, states, diversity, centralisation, decentralisation

Suggested Citation

Aroney, Nicholas and Sharman, Campbell, Territorial Politics and the Federal Frame in Australia (February 11, 2016). Eve Hepburn and Klaus Detterbeck (eds), Handbook of Territorial Politics (Edward Elgar), Forthcoming, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2731413

Nicholas Aroney (Contact Author)

The University of Queensland - T.C. Beirne School of Law ( email )

Brisbane 4072, Queensland
Australia
+61-(0)7-3365 3053 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://law.uq.edu.au/profile/1098/nicholas-aroney

Emory University - Center for the Study of Law and Religion ( email )

Atlanta, GA 30322
United States

HOME PAGE: http://cslr.law.emory.edu/people/senior-fellows/aroney-nicholas.html

Campbell Sharman

University of British Columbia (UBC) - Department of Political Science ( email )

Vancouver, V6T 1Z1
Canada
604 255 6092 (Phone)

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