Pillars of Power : Australia's Institutions

PILLARS OF POWER examines Australia's most important political, legal and social institutions and the changes that have occurred in them in the past generation or so. It details their operation, their influence, their strengths and their weaknesses. It also looks at the people who have been most influential in their recent development. It explains the phenomenal growth in recent years in prime ministerial power and the downgrading of parliament. Additionally it details the huge and growing distortions in the federal system and the centralisation of political and economic power. A chapter is devoted to the role of Governors-General and the State Governors and there are others on the courts and the public service. Others examine additional institutions that impact on national affairs, including the unions, the media, economic regulators, defence and security, universities and even sport. Pillars of Power is based on extensive interviews with leading politicians, institutional leaders, academics and people presently and formerly associated with the relevant institutions. David Solomon has been observing, reporting and analysing Australia's central institutions for more than 40 years and as a result, he uses their words and experiences (as well as more traditional sources) to help demonstrate the way the institutions operate and how they have changed in recent years. It explores the way these institutions impact on political life generally and on individual Australians, and the interaction between many of them - hence it explains the role played by key institutions that most people tend to take for granted, and how rapidly some of them are changing and to promote debate about how well they work.Solomon, David is the author of 'Pillars of Power : Australia's Institutions', published 2007 under ISBN 9781862876453 and ISBN 1862876452.