The Westminster Model, Governance and Judicial Reform

The Twilight of Westminster ? Electoral Reform & its Consequences

The UK political system has long exemplified ‘majoritarian’ or ‘Westminster’ government, a type subsequently exported to many Commonwealth countries. The primary advantage of this system, proponents since Bagehot have argued, lie in its ability to combine accountability with effective governance. Yet under the Blair administration, this system has undergone a series of major constitutional refo...

First Steps to Judicial Reform

The UNCAC and judicial corruption : Requirements and avenues for reform

Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC). Where it does not exist, pliant prosecutors, judges, and court staff may ignore criminal acts of corruption or have them improperly dismissed. Biased appointments, promotions, and disciplinary processes mean that justice sector staff may be ill-equipped to handle complex cases, including those involving corruption. The UNCAC's unique provisions for...

Economic Governance and Microeconomic Reform

Economic governance in Australia has undergone radical changes since the 1970s. Many of these changes are associated with the market-oriented policies collectively referred to as ‘microeconomic reform’. Broadly speaking, microeconomic reform can be defined as government policies or initiatives aimed at improving the performance and/or the efficiency of industries or sectors in the economy (Fors...

Governance and Reform in India

This paper reviews the background, rationale, and prospects for India's recent reforms in the structures of local government. It begins by commenting on some dimensions of governance, and why it is useful to focus on decentralization, especially in the current Indian context. Then some of the theoretical arguments on federalism as an important mechanism for decentralization, as well as India's ...