Abstract
The idea that governance has replaced government, and that networks have replaced hierarchy as the dominant mode of governance, have become mainstream views in the public policy literature. In this article, we consider a key initiative of the Rudd government in Australia, the 2020 Summit, which, at first sight, seems like an example of network governance in action. Having considered the operation and outcomes of the Summit, however, we argue that it more accurately illustrates how governments, perhaps particularly in Westminster systems, attempt to preserve hierarchy, through a process of metagovernance.
Notes
2The Hawke ‘Accord’ Summits of the 1980s had a much narrower focus. Johnson (Citation2008, 1) suggests that an influence for the 2020 Summit was the 2020 Vision forums held in 1993 by Craig Emerson when he was a Labor minister in Queensland. At the state level, a number of Labor governments have held wide-ranging summits to canvass ideas for future policy directions, including Victoria (2000), Tasmania (1999), South Australia (2003), and Western Australia (2003) (Hartz-Karp Citation2005).
3While support for a Republic does not simply denote partisan support, it does have greater support within the ALP.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Paul Fawcett
Paul Fawcett is a Lecturer in Public Policy in the Department of Government and International Relations at the University of Sydney.
Rob Manwaring
Rob Manwaring is a Lecturer in Politics and Public Policy in the School of Social and Policy Studies at Flinders University.
David Marsh
David Marsh is a Professor in Political Sociology in the School of Sociology at the Australian National University.
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