Download - Week 3
Government-Business Relations 1004PPPGovernment-Business Relations 1004PPP
Week 3: Democracy at Work
Lecture OutlineLecture Outline What is democracy? How parliamentary liberal democracies work:
ParliamentsExecutivesGovernment in Australia
Democracy and the media
Democracy – what is it?Democracy – what is it?
YouTube - The coming of democracy to ancient Athens
Etymology: demos (people); kratos (rule) But what is rule by the people?:
Who are the people?How should they rule?How extensive should their rule be?
Compare & contrast ancient and modern:Direct vs. Representative democracyPopular vs. Liberal democracy
Functions of ParliamentsFunctions of Parliaments YouTube - Best Taiwanese Parliament Fights Of All Time!
Representation; understood in two different ways:As a mirror or ‘microcosm’ of society (see identity politics)Deliberative – representing the interests of ‘the nation’ as a whole; representatives as ‘trustees’
Legislation• Traditional role in constitutional theory• However, today most legislatures do not legislate much• Most legislation originates in the executive and is only processed
in the legislature• Cont…
Making governments• In parliamentary systems, the govt. emanates from the
legislature• The govt. must retain the confidence of the legislature to survive
and govern
Scrutiny• Legislatures are responsible for overseeing the executive:
– Parliamentary questions– Emergency debates– Committee investigations
Is Parliament in Decline?Is Parliament in Decline? The growth of organised political parties and mass electorates
has diminished the role of the individual representative Changes in the nature of laws – more legislation and more
technical legislation (parliaments cannot review effectively) Growth of organised interests
Traditionally targeted parliamentNow often by-pass government and go direct to the executive
Mass media (more on this later...)• Has concentrated public attention and interest on heads of
government rather than parliaments• I.e. made politics more about leadership and personality,
namely presidential
Functions of ExecutivesFunctions of Executives
Historic core of government since legislatures and judiciaries come later as restraints on the actions of executives (Kings)
In constitutional theory, to execute, or carry out, the laws In practice, the state apparatus executes laws Therefore, today executives lead rather than ‘execute’ – ‘the seat of
authoritative power’:
• To provide direction for national policy• To oversee the implementation of policy• To mobilise support for its policies• Ceremonial leadership/charismatic authority• Crisis leadership
Parliament in AustraliaParliament in Australia
Australian Federal Parliament has 2 Houses – House of Representatives (Lower) and Senate (Upper)
The House of RepresentativesThe House of Representatives Holds 150 seats The political party that wins a majority of these
becomes the government Seats are allocated to States by population (e.g. Tas 5;
NSW 49) Most bills (aiming to become laws) originate here The Prime Minister and senior ministers (Cabinet) and the
Leader of the Opposition, by convention, sit in this House Elections to this House are held at least every 3 years
The SenateThe Senate
Originally intended as the “States’ House” Holds 76 seats, 12 each state + 2 from Territories Equal representation regardless of State’s population… …Violation of majority rule? Senators are elected to 6 year terms Constitutionally almost equal in power to Reps Because of electoral system, governments rarely
control the Senate But when they do it becomes a “rubber stamp” Is an upper house necessary?
The Executive: The Power of the Prime MinisterThe Executive: The Power of the Prime Minister Selection of Ministers (Cabinet Govt.) Control of Cabinet (Chair) Setting of the political/policy agenda Has almost guaranteed support of the party and
the parliament as leader of majority party Exercise of patronage (appointments) But, power limited by Constitution; HC; Senate
Democracy and the MediaDemocracy and the Media
Media as the “Fourth Estate”Media as the “Fourth Estate” Media links governors and the governed Informs voters Checks government power
YouTube - The Watergate Affair (Part 1)YouTube - Nixon Disses the Press
Scrutinises policies and performance Is an extension of right to freedom of speech Produced the ‘demonstration effect’ behind
the ‘Third Wave’ of democracy?
The Power of the MediaThe Power of the Media Reflects or Shapes Public Opinion?
YouTube - Outfoxed: Fox News: Everything in Iraq is great! Fuels cynicism towards politics and
unpopularity of politicians? Shared interest with political elites in the
‘politics of fear’? Evident in the advertising budgets of large
corporations (Over US$ 1 billion each for the 10 biggest spenders says Greenpeace)
Baudrillard: The Gulf war never happened!YouTube - First Gulf War
How Politicians Use the MediaHow Politicians Use the Media
Policy promotionElection campaigning“Media advisers” and “spin
doctors”But media also need politiciansWho has the upper hand? ...
British New Labour Party and the MediaBritish New Labour Party and the Media
Tony Blair, British PM, in 1994 on his campaign to become party leader: “You have got to understand that the only thing that matters in this campaign is the media. The media, the media and the media.”
Blair: “How we treat Rupert Murdoch’s media interests when in power will depend on how his newspapers treat the Labour Party in the run-up to the election and after we are in government.”
Media Tycoons - MurdochMedia Tycoons - Murdoch
News Ltd has interests in over 100 newspapers in Australia and 68% of capital city and national newspaper market
Owns most influential papers in Melbourne and Sydney
Owns only newspapers in Brisbane, Adelaide, Hobart and Darwin
Also has interests in AAP with Fairfax and a 25 percent stake in Foxtel
The Power of the Media BaronsThe Power of the Media Barons “Some newspapers exist
simply to promote the political goals of their proprietors…” (Bartle 2006).
But are they more interested in profits than politics?
Their profits in part depend on politics, e.g. cross-media ownership laws
Media Ownership PolicyMedia Ownership Policy Cross-media laws (from 1986) affected
TV, radio and newspaper ownership Howard Government used control of the
Senate to weaken these restrictions Will these new laws reduce diversity in content or just diversity in ownership?