Blowing Hot and Cold - Intergovernmental Relations Capacity in the Commonwealth Government

Abstract

The role of the intergovernmental affairs specialist is to protect and extend the powers of the jurisdiction for which he works (Donald Smiley quoted in Warhurst 1987).

Intergovernmental Relations and the Role of Senior Officials: Two Case Studies and Some Lessons Learned

“…Personality and political considerations influence the frequency and functioning of COAG meetings, and the deployment of COAG to address specific issues. Prime ministers seek intergovernmental negotiation through COAG when their agenda requires policy in an area outside Commonwealth jurisdiction (Menzies ). At COAG meetings the prime minister is both ‘bank and the chair’, the convenor of the meeting and the agenda setter (O'Meara and Faithfull : 96).…”

Understanding Intergovernmental Relations: Key Features and Trends (理解政府间关系：关键特性和趋势)

“…Nor should it be assumed that all governments are equally capable or interested in IGR. While national governments normally have access to more financial and human resources, even they can find it difficult to cover the wide array of skills and competences involved in IGR properly (Menzies ; Harwood and Phillimore : 48–50). This is even more the case for constituent units, for whom IGR can often be seen as a nuisance or intrusion into their regular activities and a burden on their administrative resources.…”

No Home for Housing: The Situation of the Commonwealth's Housing Policy Advisory Function

“…There were intense intergovernmental negotiations about reforms to federal financial arrangements that would have delivered significant change to the way housing issues were defined and managed. These attempts at reform were part of what has been described as a ‘high point’ of intergovernmental relations in the context of micro‐economic reform (Menzies, this volume). They broke down when the incoming Howard government determined they would not proceed and a long cycle of policy retrenchment followed.…”