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?