Book Reviews : Governing Australia. By RUTH ATKINS and ADAM GRAYCAR. (Sydney: John Wiley & Sons Australasia Pty. Ltd, 1972. Pp. x, 198, $9.95.)

• Date: 01 March 1974
• Author: Conrad Joyner
• DOI: 10.1177/106591297402700123
• Published date: 01 March 1974
• Subject Matter: Articles

200
for the applications are obvious -
but is at present likely to appeal only to a special-
ized and rather small readership.
GURSTON DACKS
University of Alberta
Governing Australia. By RUTH ATKINS and ADAM GRAYCAR. (Sydney: John Wiley
& Sons Australasia Pty. Ltd, 1972. Pp. x, 198, $9.95.)
For several reasons, I looked forward with considerable anticipation to reading
and to reviewing this book. First, nearly two decades ago my wife and I spent a
wonderful year in Sydney. Second, most of my early research and writing deal with
Australian politics. And, third, I thought this book would allow me intellectually
to revisit my professional novitiate. In this instance, anticipation was almost all
of the pleasure.
The only way I know how to describe this volume is to compare it with a mid-
1950s edition of Ogg and Ray’s Essentials of American Government. Take notice,
my reference is to the Essentials which is a compact version of Ogg and Ray’s full-
blown text. Like the Essentials, Governing Australia is analytical, descriptive, and
pedantic. Atkins and Graycar are to be thanked for sparing us from a complete
coverage of Australian government and politics. For example, they do not deal
much with either political parties or pressure groups.
Organizationally the book is divided into five chapters: Constitutions; Elec-
tions ; Parliaments and Cabinet; Local Governments; and Courts. Each chapter
contains a brief introduction which recounts what is to follow. And what follows
is more than most people want to know, e.g., a detailed account of the procedures
followed by Parliament...