Skip Navigation | RSSS Home | ANU Home | Search ANU |

Research Project

Trends in Australian Political Behavior

Largely as a result of the post-1987 Australian Election Study, which Ian McAllister directs (see http://assda.anu.edu.au), a large database now exists on long term trends in Australian political behavior. This project examines how and why voting behavior in Australia has changed; how it has affected the functioning of democracy in Australia; and assesses the implications of these long-terms for the parties and the electoral and political systems generally. The output will be a major study of Australian voting behaviour over the past four decades, placing the trends within a comparative theoretical and empirical framework.

Key publications:

'Leaders, the Economy or Iraq? Explaining Voting in the 2004 Australian Election.' Australian Journal of Politics and History, forthcoming (with Clive Bean).

The Australian Electoral System: Origins, Variations and Consequences. Sydney: University of NSW Press, 2005 (with David M. Farrell).

'1902 and the Origins of Preferential Electoral Systems in Australia.' Australian Journal of Politics and History 51(2): 155-167 (2005) (with David M. Farrell).

'The 1983 Change in Surplus Vote Transfer Procedures for the Australian Senate and its Consequences for STV.' Australian Journal of Political Science 38(3): 479-92 (2003) (with David M. Farrell).

'Border Protection, the 2001 Australian Election and the Coalition Victory.' Australian Journal of Political Science 38(3): 445-464 (2003).

'Prime Ministers, Opposition Leaders and Government Popularity in Australia.' Australian Journal of Political Science 38(2): 259-77 (2003).

David Lovell, Ian McAllister, Chandran Kukathas and William Maley. 1998. The Australian Political System. Second edition. Melbourne: Longman. xvii + 950pp

Brian Graetz and Ian McAllister. 1994. Dimensions of Australian Society. Second edition. Melbourne: Macmillan. xviii + 427pp

Ian McAllister. 1992. Political Behaviour: Citizens, Parties and Elites in Australia. Melbourne: Longman Cheshire. xiv + 308pp

The Australian Electoral System, Dimensions of Australian Society (two editions), The Australian Political System (two editions), and Political Behaviour: Citizens, Parties and Elites in Australia. In addition, there have been a wide range of specialist articles, which have appeared in such international journals as the American Journal of Political Science, the Canadian Journal of Political Science, the Journal of Politics, Social Science Quarterly, and Ethnic and Racial Studies.