Prime Ministerial Power
Prime Ministerial Power, Simon Grantham' A Strong tendency in modern politics is the 'presidentialisation' of the role of the head of Government - many democracies see little more than elected monarchies.'How powerful is the position of Prime Minister in the Australian system of government?Modern Politics in recent times has seen many Westminster-Style nations develop a form of Prime Ministerial Government; with a strong executive authority and all the props and accoutrements of a President. The role of the Head of Government in Australia has changed dramatically since federation, especially within the last 25 years, it is undoubtable that today's Prime Minister enjoys far more institutional advantages, media spotlight, and a great capacity to sway the decisions of Cabinet than any of his early colleagues. Looking abroad to the American system which has come to be little more than an elected monarchy, with their President exercising these new found powers which our Head of Government has just begun to develop by right, with his own 'independent' mandate to assert personal policy direction like the US President, yet the Authority of an Australian Leader rests on far more tenuous foundations.
However with the ever increasing role of the PM's Department with its "finger in every pie" and the loyalty of the modern executive. Through the use of Strikes, Demonstrations and other Actions pressure groups are effective in back-flipping or amending the Prime Ministers legislation. This has been the main cause of the constant Media focus on the Party leader and the indirect lead to the 'presidentialisation' of the role of the head of Government. The Senate can act as the Prime Ministers Rubber stamp (which it did up until the 1980's) or it can frustrate and defer the PM's Policy agenda, which has happened in recent Senate Chambers since the 1980's. Fraser however was an interesting character around the Cabinet table, and would often invite prime ministerial displeasure ('Can we have one meeting please?), through Fraser himself never hesitated to converse while some other minister was speaking. However the Prime minister also needs the Backbenchers, so the system works both ways; the Backbench provides the Party room elective support base for the Prime Minister, they are the numbers which vote him into power, and can therefore lead to his demise. Long standing Queensland Premier - Bjelke Peterson, described his relationship with journalists as 'feeding the chooks'. Personality of the Party Leader has played a large role in recent Australian Politics recently, with a election fought on what the leaders say, perform, present and project it has come down to the fact that you need a certain personality to be Prime Minister. The Governor-General is in a factious constitutional sense who the Prime Minister is answerable too, It is stated in the Governor Generals reserve powers that he has the power to sack a Prime Minister and therefore a government, however everyone believed these powers would never be used and also the competing issue of what justifys the requirement of a 'political emergency'. The influence of the prime minister is determined by the range of his interest. No Prime Minister is Media 'Savvy' regardless of how effective the PM's Department is on 'spinning stories' for the media, there will be times where the Prime Ministers media coverage will be presented as a true leader for Australia, however there will also be times when the Media is putting significant pressure on the Prime Minister to resign or amend legislation etc. It has a finger in every pie that concerns the PM. Ways a Prime Minister can frustrate a backbench include overlooking backbenchers for promotions into the ministry, and going off on to much of a tangent to what the backbench see's as good policy.
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