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One of the key themes in the literature on the Australian political party system has been whether party differences are substancial and whether one party has been a leader in "innovation" or "initiative". Henry Mayer's famous article of 1956 poured cold water on this debate, and few writers have attempted to tackle the issues systematically in subsequent decades. Perception of the parties as basically "similar" or as basically "divergent" depends largely on the political stance of the analyst. However, there is a growing literature in political economy and political sociology which has made obsolete the terms in which the earlier discussions were cast. Attention is given to notions of the "political business cycle", political "overload", "corporatism", the debate on the future of "welfarism", and recent theories of state and capital. These approaches throw new light on the old dichotomies between agency and structure, voluntarism and determinism, as they are played out in the context of the 1980's. (Internat. Polit. Sciene Assoc.)

Abstract: Fluoridation of public water supplies has been a political issue which generates a high level of public controversy. Opposition has been relatively effective, especially at the local level where the initiative for fluoridation usually originates. Authorities responsible for the decision have often been unwilling to adopt a firm policy in the belief that public opinion is seriously divided on the issue. The reasons for the success of the opposition, and for the indecision of the authorities, are examined in relation to the history of the fluoridation issue in Victoria, where the State government eventually decided in favour of compulsory fluoridation after considering the question for twenty years. The paper concludes by drawing some implications from this case for students of policy formation in areas of controversy.

'Policy Analysis in Australia' provides a broad range of perspectives on the location, scope, challenges, and quality of policy analysis in Australia. It accounts for the diverse sources of policy analysis and advice, within and outside government; and the diverse institutional settings in which analysis and decision-making are undertaken. Unlike books that critically assess policy development and policy outcomes in different policy fields, this volume focuses on the nature and quality of the various processes and organisational locations for the production and distribution of policy ideas and policy analysis

'Policy Analysis in Australia' provides a broad range of perspectives on the location, scope, challenges, and quality of policy analysis in Australia. It accounts for the diverse sources of policy analysis and advice, within and outside government; and the diverse institutional settings in which analysis and decision-making are undertaken. Unlike books that critically assess policy development and policy outcomes in different policy fields, this volume focuses on the nature and quality of the various processes and organisational locations for the production and distribution of policy ideas and policy analysis.

AbstractFrom 1995, Australian governments pursued efficiency benefits arising from significant structural reforms in the Electricity Supply Industry, including corporatisation and regulation of network monopolies, and introduction of competition for generators and for retailers. The restructure was motivated by the ideology of New Public Management and influenced by the field of neoliberal economics. More than two decades later, prices paid for electricity by residential and commercial customers have escalated sharply, resulting in sustained anger from all consumers. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Chair has admitted that 'The National Electricity Market is largely broken'. This article documents the reduction in public access to information about electricity supply, the fragmentation in responsibility and accountability for consumer outcomes, and the consequences of these changes for transparency, industry operation, and retail electricity prices. New research enabled the creation of a database of Queensland energy production, consumption, and prices; this facilitated a fresh analysis of Queensland electricity sector performance since the restructure of electricity supply.