Professionals or Part-timers?

Major Party Senators in Australia

Peter van Onselen
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Professionals or Part-timers?

Published

1 September 2015

ISBN

9780522869095

Imprint

MUP Academic

Professionals or Part-timers?

Major Party Senators in Australia

Peter van Onselen
While the minor party and independent senators might attract media attention, the overwhelming majority of Australia's upper house members are affiliated with the major political parties. These senators are highly partisan: they are dependent on the party for re-election and play a potentially vital role in assisting their parties to secure the maximum number of House of Representative seats, acting as 'shock troops' in marginal seat campaigning.
How does this impact the way these senators go about their business? How do they serve their party in the pursuit of lower house seats, the result of which determines who forms government?
Professionals or Part-Timers? examines the electoral professionalism of major party senators, as well as how they deal with the sometimes competing interests of factionalism and personal ambition.
While the minor party and independent senators might attract media attention, the overwhelming majority of Australia's upper house members are affiliated with the major political parties. These senators are highly partisan: they are dependent on the party for re-election and play a potentially vital role in assisting their parties to secure the maximum number of House of Representative seats, acting as 'shock troops' in marginal seat campaigning.
How does this impact the way these senators go about their business? How do they serve their party in the pursuit of lower house seats, the result of which determines who forms government?
Professionals or Part-Timers? examines the electoral professionalism of major party senators, as well as how they deal with the sometimes competing interests of factionalism and personal ambition.

Given significant party dependence and allegiance among major party senators, this book examines the nature of that relationship, and how it affects the operation of senators, particularly in a partisan environment of increasing electoral professionalism.”
Peter van Onselen

Peter van Onselen

Peter van Onselen

Dr Peter van Onselen is a Contributing Editor at The Australian and presenter at Sky News. He has frequently appeared in the media as a political commentator, panellist, contributing editor, host and print journalist. A co-author of the bestseller John Winston Howard: The Definitive Biography and Battleground, he was recently appointed Winthrop Professor and Foundation Chair of Journalism at the University of Western Australia.

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Hardback
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Other formats available