In the second place we have seen the new issues of global warming and terrorism having a significant impact on government priorities and their delivery.

Global warming is an issue that requires strategic planning not just within nations but between nations. It is a truly global matter. Not only that, but it requires integration across the traditional boundaries that have separated environmental and economic considerations. It also means integrating longer-term concerns into policy-making today. It challenges not just our mainstream technologies but our culture of consumption.

Because of its importance it has become the policy province for political leaders with central agency involvement in priority setting, policy-making and co-ordination across government.

Strategic planning is also required to deal with the reality and potentiality of natural disasters associated with global warming. Coordination across all government agencies with an interest in crisis management has become a necessity – and is recognised as a contemporary budget and administrative priority.

The same goes for counter-terrorism initiatives within government. Like global warming terrorism has helped facilitate a comeback by state power and government initiative. Attention can be drawn to a number of themes.

Firstly, with respect to the co-ordination of government agencies on everything from surveillance through to incident management, there are not many parts of government that have not been mobilised in the planning process and all levels of government have been affected – local, state and federal.

Secondly, legislation restricting rights and freedoms and extending police powers ‘in the public interest’ has become commonplace.

Thirdly, matters relating to religion and political difference have become more controversial as governments look to define the contours of citizenship and better integrate minorities into the mainstream. From being a regulator and a facilitator the State is also drifting into the role of ‘educator’.

In many ways the terminology of a ‘War on Terror’ tells us a good deal about the increased role of the state as the important separations of political and military and politics and policing are blurred. Governments say that they must plan to avoid terrorism and deal with the eventuality should it occur. Laissez-faire is no longer an option.