Local Government in Australia

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xxvi

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2. Introduction

   • Bligh Grant, Joseph Drew

   Pages 1-11

3. History

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 13-13

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   2. Origins and Development of Local Government Systems in Australia: An Overview

      • Bligh Grant, Joseph Drew

      Pages 15-82

   3. Local Government and the Australian Federation: Regionalisation, Regionalism and the Struggle for Constitutional Recognition

      • Bligh Grant, Joseph Drew

      Pages 83-122

4. Theory

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 123-123

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   2. Theories of Local Government and Application to Australia

      • Bligh Grant, Joseph Drew

      Pages 125-173

5. Public Policy

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 175-175

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   2. Autonomy and Local Governments in Australia

      • Bligh Grant, Joseph Drew

      Pages 177-215

   3. Community and Community Engagement in Australian Local Government

      • Bligh Grant, Joseph Drew

      Pages 217-264

   4. Introduction to Australian Local Government Economics and Finance

      • Joseph Drew, Bligh Grant

      Pages 265-291

   5. Leadership in Australian Local Government Systems

      • Bligh Grant, Joseph Drew

      Pages 293-326

   6. Ethical Issues in Australian Local Government

      • Bligh Grant, Joseph Drew

      Pages 327-356

   7. Local Government Amalgamations

      • Joseph Drew, Bligh Grant

      Pages 357-381

   8. The Global City Thesis in the Australian Context: A Case Study of Sydney Global City

      • Bligh Grant, Joseph Drew

      Pages 383-407

6. Future

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 409-409

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   2. The Future of Local Government in Australia: Maximising Service Delivery with Political Voice

      • Joseph Drew, Bligh Grant

      Pages 411-433

7. Back Matter

   Pages 435-445

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This book offers a general introduction to and analysis of the history, theory and public policy of Australian local government systems. Conceived in an international comparative context and primarily from within the discipline of political studies, it also incorporates elements of economics and public administration. Existing research tends to conceptualise Australian local government as an element of public policy grounded in an 'administrative science' approach. A feature of this approach is that generally normative considerations form only a latent element of the discussions, which is invariably anchored in debates about institutional design rather than the normative defensibility of local government. The book addresses this point by providing an account of the terrain of theoretical debate alongside salient themes in public policy.

• Australian Politics
• Commonwealth of Australia
• Autonomy and Oversight
• Community Engagement
• Constitutional Reform
• Devolution
• Federalism
• Fiscal Federalism
• Government Funding
• Home Rule
• Intergovernmental Relations
• Local Democracy
• Local Government
• Localism
• Public Administration
• Public Policy
• Public Value
• Regionalism
• Sub-national Politics
• Theory of Local Government

“It is an excellent, relatively comprehensive, analytical overview of the core issues for local government in Australia. … The authors and the publishers are to be congratulated ... this will be the best book on Australian local government for some very long time.” (Australian Journal of Public Administration, Vol. 77 (1), March, 2018)



“This is a timely contribution to the field of local government in Australia. … a book that brings together the voluminous materials on local government in Australia will be of immensurable value to researchers interested in local government in particular and multi-level governance more generally. It will easily become the ‘go to’ reference for students and scholars alike.” (Robyn Hollander, Local Government Studies, October, 2017)

• Institute for Public Policy and Governance, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia

  Bligh Grant, Joseph Drew

Bligh Grant is senior lecturer in Political Studies at the Institute for Public Policy and Governance, University of Technology Sydney (UTS: IPPG). He has published in a range of disciplines, in particular political studies and local government studies; also strategic management theory, regional economic development and business education.

Joseph Drew is post-doctoral research fellow at the Institute for Public Policy and Governance, University of Technology Sydney (UTS: IPPG). He has published on local government in the disciplines of economics, accounting, taxation and performance monitoring.

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