Australian Politics For Dummies
2. Edition March 2022
360 Pages, Softcover
Wiley & Sons Ltd
Further versions
Understand Aussie politics and make your vote count!
Australian Politics For Dummies gives you a helping hand as you get to grips with the good, the bad and the ugly of Australian politics. Seasoned political punters and voting novices alike will find fascinating facts and top thrills in in this essential guide. Master the ins and outs of elections, parties and policies. In no time, you'll be discussing and debating the biggest issues with ease. Down under, we all have to vote. It's one of the many beautiful things about this land of ours, and this book will help you learn why (and how) to cast that ballot.
This updated edition gives you everything you need to cast your vote with confidence. You'll identify what makes the Australian political system tick, distinguish between the different political parties and understand the influence of the media in Australian politics.
* Decipher political terminology, make sense of the houses of parliament and understand why we have minor parties
* Learn how Australia's political system evolved and grasp today's voting systems
* Make sense of coalition politics and figure out the differences between the Labor and Liberal parties
* Find out why Australia's system of government is described as 'Washminster,' and discover the Whips and the Usher of the Black Rod
You want to know more about Australian politics, but, if we're being realistic, it's very complicated. Australian Politics For Dummies clears it all up.
Introduction 1
Part 1: Politics: You're in It 5
Chapter 1: Australian Politics: The Basics 7
Chapter 2: Hot Topics in Australia: The Political Debate 23
Part 2: The Australian System of Government 45
Chapter 3: One Country, Many Rulebooks 47
Chapter 4: Westminster: Much More than Big Ben 67
Chapter 5: Washminster: The Australian Hybrid 83
Chapter 6: Parliament: The House on the Hill 99
Chapter 7: Governing the Great Southern Land 123
Part 3: Party time! 139
Chapter 8: Parties, Parliament and Politics 141
Chapter 9: The Australian Labor Party 155
Chapter 10: The Liberal Party 185
Chapter 11: The National Party 211
Chapter 12: The Minor Parties and Independents 227
Part 4: Citizen Power! 245
Chapter 13: Elections: A Festival of Democracy 247
Chapter 14: Let the Campaign Begin! 269
Chapter 15: The Fourth Estate: The Media 287
Part 5: Part of Tens 303
Chapter 16: Ten Politicians Who Made an Impact 305
Chapter 17: Ten (Plus One!) Speeches Worth Listening to Again 311
Chapter 18: Ten Acts of Political Bastardry in Australia 317
Chapter 19: Ten (Plus One!) Women who made History in Australian Politics 323
Glossary 329
Index 341
Dr Zareh Ghazarian is a Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations in the School of Social Sciences at Monash University.
