A Dictionary of Australian Politics

Jackie Dickenson, Robert Corcoran

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2020
• eBook ISBN:
  9781000247923
• Print ISBN:
  9780367717322
• Subtopic: Global Politics

'The sheer complexity of modern government means that many citizens are uneasy about concepts that political insiders and journalists take for granted. A Dictionary of Australian Politics is a valuable guide to clearing a path through the jungle.' - Barry Jones

From barbecue-stopper' to 'washminster', from 'chardonnay socialist' to 'xenophobia', A Dictionary of Australian Politics is a comprehensive and lively guide to Australian political language. With handy 'quick grab' definitions, it is supported by in-depth explanations of the history and usage of important terms.

For anyone interested in politics, this is an authoritative and entertaining reference. It is uniquely Australian, bringing together a range of political terms and expressions that over time have entered the vernacular. It also includes international terms which are essential to political discussion.

P

Pacific Islands Forum

An annual meeting of the heads of government of Pacific slands nations

The founding members, in 1971, were Australia, the Cook Islands, Fiji, Nauru, New Zealand, Tonga and Western Samoa. By 2009 the number of member countries had grown to sixteen. The main concerns of the forum are regional trade and economics, together with matters related to good governance and security.

Pacific Solution, the

The plan developed by the Howard government to deal with unauthorised immigrants arriving in Australia by boat

In 2001 the government decided to detain such immigrants in offshore facilities on Nauru, Manus and Christmas Island with the aim of discouraging further arrivals. These facilities attracted criticism because they operated outside of Australian law and parliamentary scrutiny, and the people could be detained indefinitely and were not entitled to legal representation. The conditions have been criticised as psychologically damaging for detainees, and the facilities were extremely expensive to run. Soon after its election, the Rudd government closed the Nauru detention facility in December 2007 but the Christmas Island facility was maintained.

[BOAT PEOPLE, IMMIGRATION]

pacifism

The belief that violence, especially war, must be avoided and individuals should refuse to participate in war

Support for pacifism increased and became more organised during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries as wars affected larger proportions of the population and conscription became widespread. Other factors encouraging pacifism include the horror of modern war, religious beliefs, attitudes critical of the causes of war and the belief that international disagreements should be settled by diplomacy.

[CONSCRIPTION, DEFENCE, DIPLOMACY, IDEOLOGY]

Page Centre

A conservative think tank focusing particularly on rural matters

The name honours the memory of Sir Earle Page, who was the leader of the Country Party in the 1920s and 1930s, and prime minister for a short period in 1939. The Centre’s affiliation with the National Party is publicly acknowledged as are its links with other right-leaning think tanks, including the Institute of Public Affairs and the Menzies Research Centre.

[COUNTRY PARTY, NATIONAL PARTY, THINK TANK]

pair/pairing

An arrangement to maintain the relative voting strengths of government and opposition when a member of parliament is justifia ly absent

When it is foreseen that an MP will have a good reason to be absent from a parliamentary sitting, it is customary for the opposing party to ‘grant a pair’. This means that one of its members will refrain from voting and thus compensate for the opponent’s inability to vote.

paradigm

A model or pattern

The word has become popular in political and business language, and derives from the Ancient Greek word meaning ‘to show side by side’.

parish pumping

A traditional metaphor for an obvious attempt by members of parliament to enhance their popularity within their own electorates

Adjournment debates and grievance debates provide opportunities for ‘parish pumping’ and are often used to mention events, people and matters of interest in the MP’s electorate.

parliament

An assembly of elected or appointed persons, or some of each, with power to make laws and to govern

In Australia there is a federal parliament and a parliament in each state and the mainland territories, namely, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory. Federal parliament is made up of the governor- general, representing the monarch, the Senate and the House of Representatives. Each state parliament has a governor and an upper and lower house, except Queensland, which has no upper house. The parliaments of the ACT and the Northern Territory each have only one house.

[HOUSE (OF PARLIAMENT), PATLIAMENT (PERIOD OF TIME), WESTMINSTER SYSYEM]

parliament (period of time)

The expression ‘a parliament’ is sometimes used to indicate a parliamentary term

In this sense, a parliament is the period from the fist sitting day after an election until parliament is dissolved prior to the next election. A number, such as ‘the 38th Parliament’, identifies e ch parliament.

[TERM (OF PARLIAMENT)]

parliamentary democracy

A political system with a democratically elected parliament and a government approved by the parliament and answerable to it

The form of government operating in Australia is officia ly based on the Constitution with conventions derived from the Westminster system playing an important role.

[DEMOCRACY, RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT, WESTMINSTER SYSTEM]

parliamentary privilege

Protection of members of parliament and parliament itself to encourage plain speaking and effectiveness

The Australian Constitution provides that the rules of parliamentary privilege that applied to the House of Commons at the time of Federation would apply to the Federal parliament, although each house also has the power to make its own rules. Parliamentary privilege enables members of parliament to be frank and outspoken without fear of legal action. It also strengthens parliament by giving it power to summon witnesses to present evidence. Parliamentary privilege can be misused, but at the risk of serious loss of reputation by the offending member of parliament.

parliamentary system

A system in which the parliament has ultimate power, in theory or reality

In the Westminster system, on which the Australian form of parliamentary government is mainly based, the executive, or ministers, are answerable to the parliament. In Australia the parliamentary system is modifid by the circumstance that the power of the parliament is limited by the Constitution, as interpreted by the High Court.

[HIGH COURT, PATLIAMENT, WESTMINSTER SYSTEM]

Parliament House

The building that contains the parliamentary chambers and accommodation for activities associated with the operation of parliament

Federal parliament and each state parliament have their own Parliament House, as do the parliaments of the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory. Within each Parliament House there are special assembly rooms called chambers, in which formal parliamentary sittings take place. There are also meeting rooms and offi esfor MPs and parliamentary staff, a library and amenities such as dining rooms.

[CHAMBER]

Participants

A group with historic significan e in the ALP, and which was the forerunner of the Independents faction and the Non-Aligned Group

A small number of ALP members formed the group in the 1960s because they were dissatisfid with the Victorian State Executive’s authoritarian management of the ALP. Among its early members were Richard McGarvie, who later became Governor of Victoria, and Barry Jones. The Participants grew in influ nce and played a significant role in the federal intervention in Victoria in 1970, which has been recognised as an important factor in Whitlam’s victory in the 1972 election.

[INDEPENDENTS (FACTION), INTERVENTION, NON-ALIGNED GROUP]

party

SEE PARTY SYSTEM, POLITICAL PARTY

party discipline

Efforts by political parties to persuade members, especially prominent ones, to support party decisions

The major Australian parties are umbrella parties and accept members of widely differing views. Therefore it is not unusual for individual members or groups to disagree with various party decisions on policy and tactics. Public disagreement is regarded as damaging, especially if MPs or prominent party members are involved. Restraint is therefore encouraged and a member who is considered to be seriously harming a party may be expelled.

[UMBRELLA ORGANISATION]

party system

A system in which political parties are accepted as part of the structure of parliament and government

Political parties were not mentioned in the original Australian Constitution but an amendment in 1977 to Section 15 does refer to them in the procedure for fi ling Senate vacancies between general elections. In realit y, parties play a major role in Australian politics. After an election, the leader of the winning party becomes prime minister, or premier, and ministers will be chosen from that party. The leader of the major losing party becomes opposition leader. The party system usually results in stable and predictable government, except when the numbers for the government and opposition are close to equal.

[CONSTITUTION OF AUSTRALIA, DEADLOCK (LACK OF A MAJORITY)]

patriarchal

Used mainly by feminists, the term describes organisations or communities dominated by men

Applied particularly to bodies that try to maintain control by men, this term also refers to the related mental attitude. The word is derived from ‘the patriarchy’, meaning control of a family by the father and a society that is an extension of that principle.

[DISCRIMINATION, FEMINISM]

patriotism

Loyalty, especially of an emotional kind, to one’s country

Patriotism is similar to nationalism. Interpretations of the term range from it being a natural and proper feeling of loyalty and respect for one’s country and its traditions to an unreasoning acceptance of proclaimed a...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• INTRODUCTION
• A
• B
• C
• D
• E
• F
• G
• H
• I
• J
• K
• L
• M
• N
• O
• P
• Q
• R
• S
• T
• U
• V
• W
• X
• Z