Australian Politics and Policy - Senior, 2019a

Australian Capital Territory
(the apex of which is Parliament House, and which is bounded by Commonwealth
and Kings Avenues and the northern shore of Lake Burley Griffin) contains Old
and New Parliament House, the National Library, Science Centre, Art Gallery and
Archives, the High Court and several major public service buildings (including
Treasury and Department of Finance, and the Australian Electoral Commission
offices). It is positioned close to the centre of the city, which has considerable
implications for territory planning. The ACT government has no jurisdiction
within this area, with the exception of the delivery of municipal services.
ACT–NSW relations
NSW surrounds the ACT on all sides. As such, the territory must retain working
relationswiththatstatetodealwithavarietyofcross-boundaryissues(Canberrais
increasingly a conurbation that includes the town of Queanbeyan in NSW). As the
largest metropolitan area in its region, Canberrans also see large numbers of people
from the surrounding state using its services.
In 2016, the two jurisdictions signed a Memorandum of Understanding on
Regional Collaboration to provide a structure for the joint development and
implementation of policy (including co-operative consultation with stakeholders)
for the region. 9 This builds on structures set up over recent decades, such as the
NSW Cross Border Commissioner in 2012.
Policy issues of salience in the ACT
With a highly educated and comparatively wealthy population, 10 the ACT is
generallyheldtobesociallyprogressive. 11 It has led the way in recognising samesex
partnerships, waste minimisation policies and renewable energy initiatives.
Greens members have been elected to the ACT parliament consistently since 1995.
Except for one term (2004–08), the ACT has always had minority governments,
dependent upon minor parties and independents for support in the Legislative
Assembly to pass legislation and retain confidence. While tending to support Labor
in government, the presence of the Greens has been significant in promoting
socially and environmentally progressive policies, reflecting the ACT Greens’
origins in wider social justice issues. 12
The ACT’s progressiveness in pursuit of public policy, however, has often been
at loggerheads with more conservative federal administrations due to the
subordinate position of territories in Australian federalism. The Australian
9 ACT and NSW 2016.
10 ABS 2017.
11 Stewart 2014.
12 Miragliotta 2012.
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