Peter Martin linked to the the Pincus Report [pdf] on federalism. The report fails it as it assumes that federalism is chosen as an organisational system to provide government services. This is a common misperception of Australian political academics and commentators.
Federalism is to enforce limit government. It is to minimise the power of a central government, to stop absolute power in the executive, to halt arbitrary government and to protect against tyranny.
Liberty is a word that is missing from the Australian political lexicon.
