This book introduces students to the important aspects of government and democracy in Australia, by presenting a number of views and then asking readers to debate and discuss Australian politics. It examines a variety of factors that affect politics in Australia such as globalisation, the media and the Internet as well as the basic aspects of Australian politics that must be addressed in a first year text.

Ian Cook – Senior Lecturer, School of Politics and International Studies, Murdoch University

Mary Walsh – Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Business and Government, University of Canberra

Jeffrey Harwood – Research Associate, John Curtin Institute of Public Policy, Curtin University of Technology