This report discusses the roles, functions and procedures of the modern Australian shadow cabinet. It aims to redress the shortage of material on the Shadow Cabinet, and provide the reader with a better understanding of what the Shadow Cabinet does and how it operates.

This paper traces the rise and fall of the Democrats, Australia's longest-surviving minor party, examining the sources of its support and the reasons for its decline. The Australian Democrats are the longest surviving and most successful minor party in federal politics. The party was created as a ‘centre’ party. Two distinctive features of the party...

This review of the pilot project is for accountability and learning purposes and to determine the effectiveness and efficiency of project activities. The specific objectives are to: (a) build knowledge and understanding of the project to date, including outcomes and impacts (b) assess whether the strategies that PCPI and their partners have adopted to enhance...

The question is often asked 'What will Islamists do to democracy?' But it seems equally valid to ask 'What might democracy do to Islamists?' This Lowy Institute paper examines how three different Islamist movements, the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, the Prosperous Justice Party in Indonesia and the Justice and Development Party, have all sought to...

The preliminary estimated resident population (ERP) of Australia at 31 March 2008 was 21,283,000 persons, an increase of 336,800 since 31 March 2007 and 102,000 persons since 31 December 2007. The increase for the year ended 31 March 2008 is the largest recorded for a 12 month period since the ERP concept was introduced in...