Multi-party government is the norm in many countries but remains a novelty at the national level of Australian politics. Contrary to received wisdom, the minority Labor government from 2010 to 2013 was stable and productive albeit demonised by the opposition. At state level, minority or multi-party governments are not uncommon.

The following resources were prepared for a 2011 Green Institute forum on multi-party government in Canberra.

• Read a paper by Katrin Steinack (Monash University) about overseas experience of multi-party government. Katrin was a speaker at the  Green Institute multi-party government forum held in Canberra in April 2011 as well as the Melbourne Green School.
• Listen to a talk by Prof. Kris Deschouwer on multi-party government. Kris is Head of the Department of Political Science at the Free University of Brussells in Belgium and recorded this short talk during his visit to Canberra in March 2011. From the Green Institute on Vimeo.
• Kris edited New Parties in Government which reviews the experience of parties across the political spectrum, including a number of Green parties.  It is expensive but worth reading if you can obtain it.