ABSTRACT
Political parties have a mixed reputation in Australia— a combination of altruism and ambition. Political parties are always open to new ideas as part of an international trade in the practices, rhetorical or practical, that might bring success. Political parties have traditionally had a number of characteristics: to aggregate the vote, to integrate interests, to develop and express ideology, to provide leaders. The membership of political parties has declined over the last three decades, or at the very least, not expanded in line with population growth. Australian parties remain federal in structure and decentralised in terms of personnel and finance. A political caste, obsessed with the party careers and numbers in safe seats and with the gossip of Canberra, Spring Street or Macquarie Street, may find it hard to relate to the problems of those uninterested in politics. Parties have retained their dominance of access to the political treasure house.
