Prime Minister and Cabinet Roles in Australian Politics Analysis

This portfolio assignment delves into key aspects of Australian politics, addressing questions related to the nature of politics, the reasons for studying Australian politics, and its defining features. It also explores the roles of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet, explaining the relationship between these two critical components of the Australian government. The analysis covers the duties of the Prime Minister, the functioning of the Cabinet, and the dynamics within coalition governments. References to scholarly articles enhance the discussion, providing a comprehensive overview of the Australian political landscape. Desklib offers this and many other solved assignments to aid students in their studies.

W2: What is politics? How and why do we study Australian politics? What are the key
features of Australian politics? In Kelly's 1992 book, The End of Certainty, he argues
that there are five key policies central to the growth of the Australian nation? What are
they?
Politics refers to the activities associated with the governance of a nation or area
especially the ideas of parties, coalitions and power. Politics is the art of regulating the affairs
of the state through proper channels, and the word is derived from a Greek word Polls which
means a State or a city. Modern politics also has a strong nationwide and international
component. Politics of any area involves the unification of various sectors in a way that is
mutually beneficial; these sectors include political, religious, educational and corporate
sectors. Each of the above factors has its own distinct aims and objectives which are
strengthened and weakened by different things. In part, politics focus on the way these
varying needs are met and how the different factors are all connected.
In modern times the discussion of politics consists of many different things. Politics
studies the way in which the government and governing bodies determine laws as well as
how these laws are enforced. There are many different factors that can influence the way in
which laws are made. These are examined throughout politics and political study. Some such
factors include the effect of religion, race and gender. One question is whether the study of
politics can be considered a science. Science can be defined as a systematic study of either a
natural or physical phenomena. The purpose of science is to shape structures that can be
useful for real-life situations. It is divided into two kinds, Social Science and Natural
Science. However, these two main branches can be subdivided into different subjects
(Megalogenis, 2018).
Political science is often considered to be a subdivision of Social Science. It is the
study of government, state, politics and laws to enforce discipline, system and power among

all classes and people living within a boundary. Political Science interlinks with other
subjects like sociology, psychology, international relations etc. which can clearly tell that
political science is a vast subject to study with proper guidelines. It gives a complete
methodology of practicing political theories democratically with positivity, rationality and
defines structuralism and institutionalism. All these theories and depth cannot be observed
without a thorough study over a subject. In short, Political Science cannot be kept restricted
to specific issues happening in a state or a city, but it is a complete solution and should be
rightfully used in the context of historical, social and cultural matters in our everyday life
(Aly, 2018).
Politics is not just the study but a process of making collective and collaborative
efforts or decisions to run state affairs effectively and successfully. It is a chain process of
building relationships to gain power or authority. In this era where reactions are more
discernible, and immediate actions cannot be taken, those in authority should be literate
enough to deal with the affairs strategically and resolve them in a peaceful manner. Sensitive
issues often have large implications, with judgments and laws affecting millions of lives in
either positive or negative ways (Hanson, 2017). This process known as politics should be
studied deeply to unfold the thought process and to prepare an individual to confront major
issues intelligently.
W4: What are the key features of the role of the prime minister and the Cabinet?
Explain the relationship between them.
The prime ministers are in charge of government business, and they are responsible
for appointing and demoting cabinet and other senior officers. The constitution recognizes the
duties of the prime ministers, but there is no formal record of what a premier should do and
what they should not do. They are answerable to the parliament, the monarch and the voters

in the way they carry out their duties. They assign duties to the cabinet and other officials
especially in regard to policy making and implementation (McDonald, 2017).
The prime minister has the duty to watch over, manage and direct the government
business. They are responsible for controlling the parliament and the process of drafting the
policies. However, as the party leaders, there is an increasing media exposure since the prime
ministers are increasingly reporting the progress of the political parties.
There are differences in the roles played by the prime minister and the cabinet. This is
because, unlike the one-party government where the Prime Minister exercises power over the
cabinet, in the coalition, most of the decisions need to be made by the Cabinet. The idea
behind the coalition actually functioning is dependent on whether the parties that formed the
coalition get along and can agree on day to day running of the government. In addition, the
Cabinet as a whole group acts like one and not just individually. All the decisions and actions
of the Cabinet have to be agreed upon first before they are passed.
The cabinet committee is composed of a group of ministers who collectively perform
tasks assigned by the prime minister. In a coalition government, considering the fact that
there are a number of parties, which need to be satisfied, the end result is normally a very
large cabinet in order to try and accommodate both parties as much as possible (McKenzie,
2018). For example, in the Kaylan Singh coalition government in Uttar Pradesh, this resulted
in a total of 94 cabinet ministers. This results in more money being spent and an increase in
the tax hence a burden to the citizens. In a coalition government, the Prime Minister has to
consult with the leader of the other party in order to decide on the members will make up the
cabinet committee. Having a one-party government results in a dictatorship or an autocratic
kind of government (Rojas, 2018). This is as a result of the fact that in a one-party
government, the Head of State rarely gets questioned by the members of the cabinet and is
likely to work more towards satisfying individual needs rather than work towards satisfying

the needs of the citizens

References
Aly, W. (2018, January 20). Opinion | Australia’s Shifting Political Order. The New York
Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/07/opinion/australia-gay-
marriage-.html [Accessed 14.3.2019]
Hanson, R. (2017). The Importance of Planning and Politics. Suburb.
doi:10.7591/cornell/9781501705250.003.0012[Accessed 14.3.2019]
Megalogenis, G. (2018, August 25). Opinion | Another Round in Australia’s Political Churn.
The New York Times. Retrieved from
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/24/opinion/another-round-in-australias-political-
churn.html [Accessed 14.3.2019]
McDonald, M. (2017). 20. Australia and global climate change. Politics Trove.
doi:10.1093/hepl/9780198708902.003.0020 [Accessed 14.3.2019]
McKenzie, M. (2018). Common Enemies: Crime, Policy, and Politics in Australia-Indonesia
Relations. doi:10.1093/oso/9780198815754.001.0001[Accessed 14.3.2019]
Rojas, R. (2018, August 29). Scott Morrison Is a New Kind of Australian Prime Minister: An
Evangelical Christian. The New York Times. Retrieved from
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/27/world/australia/scott-morrison-evangelical-
prime-minister.html [Accessed 14.3.2019]