Acknowledgements

First, I acknowledge my excellent supervisors during this study: professors John Wanna, John Uhr and Meg Russell. I have benefited immensely from their formidable knowledge, encouragement and insightful advice, and I thank each of them for all that I have learned. I am most grateful for the outstanding support I have received from The Australian National University (ANU), including a postgraduate award and assistance with travel expenses and copyediting. I also acknowledge support from other universities including Exeter, Hull and University College London (UCL).

Current and former clerks and their staff in the Australian and UK parliaments and the Secretary of the Australian Department of Parliamentary Services provided access to the parliamentary buildings and to resources, material and interview discussions that were crucial to this research. I have the highest regard for the work they perform on behalf of us all and I thank them wholeheartedly. Thanks go to many interviewees—members of parliament, officials, academics and commentators—for giving up their valuable time to discuss candidly their perspectives on parliament’s administrative challenges. I have appreciated also the growing contribution to the topic of parliamentary administration from a range of parliamentary scholars and authors and from institutions including the Hansard Society, the Institute for Government, the Crick Centre and the UCL Constitution Unit. Their work has highlighted the many different priorities of parliamentary actors and the importance of supporting parliamentary democracy through all available means.

To my ANU colleagues and my wonderful family and friends, I extend my deepest appreciation for their patience, support and forbearance through this extended undertaking. Special thanks go to John Templeton, a pioneer in the art of parliamentary management.

I have received a great deal of help in writing this book. All errors and omissions are my own.