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One step at a time: Australian parliamentarians, professionalism and the need for staff
Jones, Kate
Jones, Kate
Author
Abstract
The concept of professionalism in the context of parliaments can refer either to the parliamentarian himself or herself, as a person dedicated to a political career, or to the parliamentarian’s working conditions and environment. This article takes one aspect of working conditions and environment, the provision of personal staff to members of Australia’s Commonwealth Parliament, and relates it to the transformation of politicians from amateurs to professionals during the twentieth century. The story is related to the Australian social and cultural context. Parliamentarians did not decide in isolation that they needed more and different staff. As their jobs and their environment changed, so also did their requirements and their perception of their requirements. Nor is this only an Australian phenomenon. British parliamentarians have seen the same need for staff over the same period.
Keywords
Date
2006
Type
Journal article
Journal
Parliamentary Affairs
Book
Volume
59
Issue
4
Page Range
638-653
Article Number
ACU Department
Collections
Relation URI
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Event URL
Open Access Status
License
File Access
Controlled