Neil Warren compares and benchmarks Australian and international arrangements for the allocation of taxation powers and expenditure responsibilities between central and subnational governments, and mechanisms for fiscal transfers between governments. He concludes that Australia performs comparatively poorly in international comparisons of intergovernmental fiscal arrangements.

ACOSS argues that budget spending should focus on solutions to service shortfalls such as child care, health care, assistance for jobless people, education and addressing indigenous disadvantage.

Lenny Roth provides an overview of the main provisions of the federal government’s Work Choices legislation and the current High Court challenge mounted by state governments. He looks at the coverage of new system and at changes to award wages, award conditions, legislative conditions, workplace agreements, constraints on industrial action, dispute resolution procedures and unfair...

The committee looks at the conduct of each federal election, examining pre-poll and polling day arrangements. This report goes further than usual, examining a range of potential changes to the voting system, including voluntary voting, four-year terms and early closure of the roll. Few proposals attracted cross-party support.

This paper presents the preliminary results of a study of instances of crossing the floor in federal parliament.