Liberals and Power

The Road Ahead

Peter van Onselen (ed.)

An invaluable analysis of the challenges, pitfalls and opportunities that lie ahead for the Liberal Party.

About this Title

One year after their devastating federal election defeat, the Liberal Party remains in disarray.

Peter van Onselen, the co-author of John Winston Howard: The Definitive Biography and Howard's End, has put together a vibrant collection of essays that offers policy analysis, political philosophy and election-winning strategies. They look at Howard's reign and legacy, and craft a narrative for the future.

Liberals and Power is compelling reading for anyone interested in a healthy party political system and a robust democratic state.

Note:
Not all articles were submitted with footnotes and some unreferenced materials may be included. If readers would like to pursue sources not referenced they can contact the editor of this collection for guidance.

Table of Contents

Introduction - Peter van Onselen

Part I - A Retrospective on the Howard Years

1 What went wrong? - Robert Manne
2 A defence of the Howard Government - Tony Abbott
3 John Howard and the Australian liberal tradition - George Brandis

Part II - The Debate over Liberalism and Conservatism

4 Romanticising Australian conservatism - Janet Albrechtsen
5 Did you ever see a liberal dream-walking? - Brett Mason
6 A successful conservative party ready to rebuild - David Flint
7 Understanding the past to help shape the future - Greg Melleuish

Part III - Winning Elections

8 What the Issue Cycle Brings: The Liberals and Public Opinion - Andrew Norton
9 The imperative of online campaigning - Brad Lancken
10 Credible candidates win marginal seats - Margaret Fitzherbert
11 It's time: women and affirmative action in the Liberal Party - Ainslie van Onselen

Part IV - The Battle of Ideas

12 Future directions for the Liberal Party - Brendan Nelson
13 Liberal Party policy challenges - Philip Senior
14 The debate over industrial relations - Julie Bishop
15 Political and economic freedoms: two sides of the same coin - Michael Keenan
16 Federalism and Liberal thinking - Wayne Errington

Notes
Contributors