This paper discussed a range of issues raised by the government's announcement in April 2004 that it would abolish the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission, and the Labor opposition's announcement a few weeks earlier that it would do likewise in government. They provide a brief history of the administration of Indigenous affairs before ATSIC...

This Research Note explains how the US Presidency is decided.

During 2000-01 the Department of the Parliamentary Library published 'Four-year terms for the House of Representatives?', a paper that was well-received by readers inside and outside the Parliament. This paper is now being re-issued with changes made as a consequence of events that have occurred since publication.

The inquiry into the 1996 election by the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters reported that its 'most contentious topic' was that of electoral fraud. In particular, the enrolment procedure was seen as being open to abuse. In 2001 the Shepherdson Inquiry in Queensland indicated that the Commonwealth-State joint electoral roll can be manipulated due...

The process by which the Australian Constitution is amended is complex and probably little understood by the general community. This paper is an attempt to explain the politics involved in efforts to amend the Constitution. It concludes that more efforts are likely to fail than to succeed.