Labor's Reconciliation With Federalism.

Until the 1960s, the federal Labor party was formally pledged to the abolition of federalism and its replacement a system in which the central government would have plenary powers and the states only delegated administrative responsibilities. This article examines how the ALP'S platform was progressively changed during the 1960s and 1970s. The modification of Labor's commitment to abolish federalism and the Senate was due partly to a more realistic sense of what was feasible and partly to a more sophisticated approach towards working the existing system. But, as well, Labor's social and economic goals had been moderated to ones that were congenial to middle Australia and private enterprise. Progressive changes to Labor's platform were an important precondition for the Whitlam government's 'new federalism' in the 1970s. and the Hawke government's current initiative of 'closer partnership with the states' for reforming the practical working of the federal system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]