ABSTRACT
The emergence, entrenchment and institutionalisation of political advisors within the Westminster system has been gradual and prompted by the necessities of modern governance, as well as the desire of Ministers to have a trusted source of advice to bolster their position relative to the civil service. Predictably the interface between political advisors and the civil service has been characterised by friction. This chapter examines the interaction between political advisors and civil servants, as well as the relative power and influence of the civil service in each jurisdiction.
