The Australian Political System in Action: Web links
Below are useful links and author commentary to accompany the second edition of The Australian Political System in Action.

Chapter 1: Democracy and Liberalism in Australia
Centre for Democratic Governance Network: www.ruc.dk/forskning/forskningscentre/demnetgov/
A collaborative research centre that conducts research on the interaction within and among governance networks.
 
Democratic Audit of Australia: http://democraticaudit.org.au/
Publishes papers on the health of Australia’s political institutions.
 
Documenting a Democracy: www.foundingdocs.gov.au/
A website that hosts 101 key foundational documents that have been central to the evolution of Australia’s political and social history.
 
 
Chapter 2: The Australian Constitution
Attorney-General’s Department: www.ag.gov.au/Humanrightsandantidiscrimination/Pages/default.aspx/
This site provides an overview of human rights and anti-discrimination in Australia. It also provides links to key legislation and reports, including the National Human Rights Consultation Report and Australia’s Human Rights Framework.
 
Australian Federal Constitution: Net Resources Guide: www.personal.edfac.usyd.edu.au/staff/souters/constitution/
This site provides references to various articles and papers written about the Australian Constitution.
 
Centre for Comparative Constitutional Studies: http://cccs.law.unimelb.edu.au/
This centre, based at the University of Melbourne, undertakes and promotes research on the constitutional law and government of Australia and of other countries.
 
Constitution Finder (University of Richmond): http://confinder.richmond.edu/
A database that provides links to constitutions from around the world.
 
Constitutions Compared (Australian Broadcasting Corporation): www.abc.net.au/concon/compare/
This site provides researchers with an opportunity to compare aspects of the Australian Constitution with other countries’ constitutions.
 
Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law: www.gtcentre.unsw.edu.au/resources/charter-human-rights/
This site contains excellent information and resources related to bills of rights.
 
Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights: www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate_Committees?url=humanrights_ctte/reports/index.htm/ 
This site contains the reports prepared by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, which scrutinises bills before parliament in light of Australia’s international human rights obligations, and inquires into other human-rights-related matters.
 
 
Chapter 3: Federalism
Commonwealth Grants Commission: www.cgc.gov.au/
A statutory body that is responsible for advising the Australian government on, among other things, the share of GST revenue and healthcare grants that each state should receive.
 
Council of Australian Governments (COAG): www.coag.gov.au/
COAG is an intergovernmental forum that brings together the heads of different levels of government in Australia to discuss national policy reforms. It is chaired by the prime minister and its membership also includes the state premiers, the territory chief ministers and the president of the Australian Local Government Association.
 
The Federalism Project, Socio-Legal Research Centre, Griffith University: http://www.griffith.edu.au/criminology-law/federalism/
Provides information and materials on the social, economic and political roots of Australian federalism; and likely or desirable directions for federalism to evolve towards in response to the challenges of the twenty-first century.
 
 
Chapter 4: The Legislature
Australian Parliament: www.aph.gov.au/
This website contains information on the operation of the federal Parliament.
 
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA): www.cpahq.org/
The CPA consists of the national, provincial, state and territorial parliaments and legislatures of the countries of the Commonwealth. Its mission is to promote the advancement of parliamentary democracy by enhancing knowledge and understanding of democratic governance.
 
Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU): www.ipu.org/english/home.htm/
The IPU is the international organisation of parliaments of sovereign states and was established in 1889. The IPU claims to be a focal point for worldwide parliamentary dialogue, working for peace and cooperation among peoples and for the firm establishment of representative democracy.
 
 
Chapter 5: Running the State: Executive Power
National Archives of Australia: http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/
The National Archives site on Australian prime ministers provides a history of each occupant of that office.
 
Prime Minister: www.pm.gov.au/
The prime minister’s website contains details of the activities and speeches of the current Australian prime minister.
 
 
Chapter 6: The Public Service: Making and Implementing Policy
Australian Public Service Commission: www.apsc.gov.au/
This site publishes regular reports on the structure, composition and values of the Commonwealth public service.
 
Your Government: www.pm.gov.au/your-government/
Exploring the websites of public organisations is a good way of understanding the structure of the government. Start at the Your Government site.
 
 
Chapter 7: The High Court
AustLII: www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/HCA/
The AustLII database of High Court decisions provides access to the reasoning behind the decisions of the Court as well as dissenting opinions.
 
High Court of Australia: www.hcourt.gov.au/
The High Court’s website provides information about the role of the Court and its justices, including speeches on matters such as judicial interpretation.
 
Samuel Griffith Society: www.samuelgriffith.org.au/
The Samuel Griffith Society is a conservative organisation dedicated to federalist principles.
 
 
Chapter 8: The Electoral System
Australian Electoral Commission (AEC): www.aec.gov.au/
This site carries information about all aspects of the Australian federal electoral system.
 
Australian Politics and Elections Database: http://elections.uwa.edu.au/
A database of elections, governments, parties and representation for Australian state and federal parliaments since 1890.
 
Centre for Democratic Institutions (CDI): www.cdi.anu.edu.au/index.htm/
An initiative of the Australian Government, CDI provides support to developing countries seeking to democratise their political institutions.
 
 
Chapter 9: Australian Political Parties and the Party System
Governments on the WWW: Political Parties: www.gksoft.com/govt/en/parties.html/
This site provides links to political parties around the globe.
 
International Comparative Political Parties Project: www.janda.org/ICPP/index.htm/
This project was founded at Northwestern University by Kenneth Janda under a 1966 grant from the American National Science Foundation. The website provides access to information and data on political parties.
 
International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA): www.idea.int/parties/
This is an intergovernmental organisation that supports and promotes democracy worldwide with the aim of strengthening democratic institutions and governance. One of its areas of expertise is political parties. This URL provides a link to the IDEA webpage on political parties.
 
 
Chapter 10: The Australian Labor Party
Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU): www.actu.com.au/
The website of the ACTU, which is the peak representative body for unions in Australia.
 
Australian Fabian Society: www.fabian.org.au/
A centre-Left think tank that is independent of, but sympathetic towards, the Labor Party.
 
Australian Labor Party (ALP): www.alp.org.au/
Official Labor Party website.
 
 
Chapter 11: The Liberal Party
Institute of Public Affairs (IPA): www.ipa.org.au/
The IPA promotes free-market solutions to policy problems. It has traditionally had strong links to the Liberal Party.
 
Liberal Party of Australia www.liberal.org.au/
The Liberal Party website has information about the party’s parliamentary team and policy platform, with links to the sites of state-based parties.
 
National Party of Australia www.nationals.org.au/
The National Party’s website outlines the party’s structure and leadership team, and highlights policies of interest to rural Australians.