Power to the people: a new book reveals the true story of how Australian democracy works
- Written by The Conversation
When I was a child, I lived in a very politically engaged household. My parents were always talking politics, and my dad in particular was often growling at the television when the face of someone he disagreed with appeared on it.
Yet despite this, and despite nerdily watching election counts all the way through my school years, spurred by a deep interest in how power operates in this country, I still managed to make it to university and beyond with gaping holes in my civics education.
What does our Constitution say, for example? And why is it such a dry legal document, so different from the grand sentiment of its US counterpart? How did the major political parties come to be? And where does the High Court fit into all this?
