Junior ministers and parliamentary secretaries in the Australian Commonwealth Government

Abstract

The first aim of this thesis is to examine the work of junior ministers and parliamentary secretaries in the Australian Commonwealth government between July 1987 and March 1996. This thesis sets out a new approach to conceptualising the jobs of political executives. It also sets out a new framework for examining the division of responsibility between senior ministers, junior ministers and parliamentary secretaries for different components of the workload of each portfolio. It applies this new framework to examine the work of junior ministers and parliamentary secretaries. It focuses on the division of responsibility for portfolio management and cabinet representation. It briefly examines the division of responsibility for parliamentary work and party interaction. It examines different approaches to the division of responsibility from the perspectives of senior ministers as well as those of both junior ministers and parliamentary secretaries. It finally explores the roles of senior officials and ministerial advisers in managing the division of responsibility between teams of political executives within portfolios. The second aim of this thesis is to examine the wider implications of the enlargement and restructuring of the Commonwealth political executive and the introduction of teams of political executives at the head of portfolios. It argues that the introduction of teams of political executives increased the complexity of political-bureaucratic relations at the portfolio level. It sets out a new framework for conceptualising interaction between political and bureaucratic executives. It examines the impact of the introduction of teams of political executives on different groups of senior officials. It focuses on two key issues. The first is their contribution to increased political control over portfolios. The second is their impact on coordination and priority-setting within portfolios. This thesis finally explores the implications of the enlargement and restructuring of the Commonwealth political executive for patronage and careers. It focuses on the impact of the changes on relationships between the prime minister, the parliamentary party and the political executive.