Conflict and consensus in committees of the Australian parliament

Abstract

The extension of dissent to committee reporting in the Australian parliament has been one product of a period of significant institutional change. Previously, the norm of consensuality had primarily produced unanimous committee reports; however, during the 1980s and 1990s dissenting reports became more common. This article demonstrates that the trend for dissent in committee reporting has continued and reached heightened levels in the Senate. In addition, the conditions of the hung parliament, 2010-2013, significantly increased the level of dissent in the committees of the House of Representatives. These developments have important implications for how parliament functions and how debate is conducted on issues of public policy.