This briefing paper summarises the legislative and administrative bushfire management arrangements in NSW and examines the key findings from the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission.

Just as the arts lend constant support to community life, the debate about the appropriate level of arts funding is ongoing. While this debate may not occupy the centre stage of political life, it is nonetheless a debate that is deeply felt in many and varied parts of the community. The importance of arts funding...

This briefing paper summarises the legislative and administrative arrangements for water management in rural NSW. Water regulation commenced in NSW with the Water Act 1912. Substantial water reforms have taken place within the past 20 years, with the Commonwealth Government playing a major role.

Over the past two decades there have been at least ten examples of this political phenomenon in the Australian states and territories. This paper looks at those instances in which a minority government has been based on an agreement, charter or accord between major parties on one side and minor parties and/or Independents on the...

This paper reviews the current state of play in NSW with respect to the public and private funding of political parties and examines the possibility of instituting bans or caps on political donations and/or campaign expenditure. The paper also builds on the issues considered in the earlier publication, Political Donations Law Update (0) (PDF). Image...