Part 3. New Institutions? Approaching the Challenge of Reform

Table of Contents

10. Taking Subsidiarity Seriously: What Role for the States?

Introduction

Perspectives

Local government

State governments

Commonwealth Government

Big business

Other major national interest groups

Solutions: incremental or radical?

Subsidiarity revisited

Regional approaches

Institutionalising cooperative federalism

Conclusions

References

11. How Local Government Can Save Australia’s Federal System

Introduction

Local government and federalism: a need for change

Strengthening regional governance: empowering local government

A national reform agenda for local government

Fair funding

Fair treatment

Formal recognition

Conclusion: reconfiguring the federation

References

12. Reforming Australian Governance: Old States, No States or New States?

Introduction

The historical context

The regionalism trail

Towards new thinking on regions: recognising federal centralism

Components of an effective federal-regional response

Conclusion: identifying some models

Old states

No states

New states

Towards a new option

References

13. Quantifying the Costs and Benefits of Change: Towards A Methodology

Introduction

Change agendas and the need for a focus on functions by level

Insights from fiscal federalism literature

Expenditure responsibilities

Taxation powers

Intergovernmental grants

Insights from local government amalgamation literature

Previous attempts at evaluating net benefits of change

Conclusion: towards a sound evaluation framework

References

14. Where To From Here? Principles for a New Debate