Relevance Today
Despite the Commission's apparent importance in the scheme of government envisaged by the framers of the Australian Constitution, it is largely unknown to most Australians today. The Inter-State Commission is mentioned often in two contexts: as a lesson from the past, and as a suggestion for change.
It has been said that the Commission sits oddly outside of the three branches of government. It was intended as an institution of federal-state co-operation, but was to be controlled exclusively by the Commonwealth Government. As a result, it has not played any significant role, and certainly has not fulfilled the expectations of the framers of the Constitution. This is often cited as a lesson as to the importance of federal-state cooperation, and of preserving the balance of power between state and federal governments.
A few arguments have also been made, using the story of the Inter-State Commission, to support certain causes. These include advocates for the abolition of State governments, or some other type of radical change to the Australian system of government. It is also sometimes cited as an example of the inadequacy of the present Australian Constitution, and the importance of either a republic or a bill of rights.
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