Australian Politics, 3d ed.

• Jurisdiction: Australia
• Author: Wilson, Penelope
• Date: 01 January 1998

Owen E. Hughes, Australian Politics (3rd Edition), South Yarra, Victoria, Macmillan Education Australia, 1998, ISBN 0732927889, Aus$42.95.

Australian politics has moved into a new era since the defeat of the ALP in the 1996 federal election. Paul Keating has departed the national stage to be replaced by John Howard and the two Peters, Reith and Costello. Large debates such as those stimulated by the Wik decision, increasing globalisation, and whether Australia should become a republic have created front-page headlines in national newspapers. One Nation emerged as a political entity gaining international attention, often in a negative vein. This political environment created the need, according to Owen E. Hughes, for a re-write of the well-respected Australian Politics: Realities in Conflict (2nd edition) published in 1991 and written with Hugh Emy. This book was itself an update of the original work, published in 1988 during the Hawke-dominated ALP government.

The absence of Hugh Emy from authorship of this book may have caused speculation, so Hughes has given the reason in his preface: Emy had other projects he needed to devote time to. There was no political scandal or personal fall-out. The revised content reflects the interest and expertise of Hughes, a Professor in the Department of Management at Monash University. There are obvious additions, such as the first chapter, `Looking Outward', the third chapter...