Getting the Political Architecture Right

As Australia approaches the twenty-first century, it finds itself, like a number of other Anglo-centred countries in the western world, including Canada, in the grip of continuing economic trauma. There has been a marked relative (and absolute) slip in general economic performance. This paper focuses on the linkages between this phenomenon and Australia\u27s basic political architecture. It argues that, although renovation of Australian federalism is no panacea for these problems, there are linkages between Australia\u27s aged, formal, political structure and its recent economic performance. Lack of attention to the task of serious, systematic renovation is allowing the present outdated political structure to aggravate economic and social problems. The article concludes that a much more adventurous, long-term approach to the renovation of Australia\u27s political architecture is needed