Environmental policy in Australia : a thematic review

The importance of 'environmental policy' and its claim to a special portfolio in government at the national level was first recognized in 1971. Policy since then has grown rapidly. It is now diverse, complex and influential in public affairs. A great deal has happened in little more than fifteen years and it has been difficult for practitioners, partisans and commentators to keep in touch with events in particular areas of interest, let alone with events covering the field as a whole. Environmental policy has a strong claim to critical attention. In view of the pace of events, it is not surprising that the literature of serious study of Australian Environmental Policy, as distinct from other writing and documentation, is limited. Environmental histories have been used as case studies in reviews directed at the interest-group theory of politics; some attention has been paid to inter-governmental relations, but there are few other detailed commentaries of an interpretive kind. There has been equal neglect of policy outputs, in terms of rigorous examination of efficiency, effectiveness and impacts. More contributions at these levels are undoubtedly needed. This study however, takes a broad perspective. It views Australian Environmental Policy (AEP) as a working sub-system of public administration. It draws selectively but widely from the whole field. Its particular focus is a search for 'structural issues'. At the same time it attempts to present a generally useful guide and reference source to documentation and literature. It is written with the idea in mind that administrators and managers may have a need for a work of this kind.