Labor and the Coalition are caught between vying for the middle ground and differentiating themselves in the political marketplace. Behind it all, there’s one vital difference If a new poll reflects opinion across the electorate then we are in the midst of a disturbing spike in public disaffection with Australian political parties and the political...

The question of whether voters should be required to present an acceptable form of identification (ID) when casting a ballot at a federal election has persisted. Executive summary The question of whether voters should be required to present an acceptable form of identification (ID) when casting a ballot at a federal election has persisted, notwithstanding...

During the period 1901 to 2014, there have been 44 general elections for the House of Representatives and 42 Senate elections. This paper contains a brief commentary on each election along with statistical summary information and results in each state and territory for each election. Introduction This Research paper updates the Parliamentary Library’s Federal Election...

This report looks at the highly personalistic system of post-independence governance in which a tiny elite of ageing resistance leaders has dominated political life. Overview When Xanana Gusmão steps down as Timor-Leste’s prime minister, it will mark the beginning of a long-deferred transition of power from the closed circle of ageing leaders that has dominated...

This paper considers the challenges facing Indonesia's incoming president, providing a broad picture of what the country might look like in 2020.