A tiny cadre of ministerial staff may change, but the regular divisions of the Federal public service, and the wider universe of government-funded commissions and agencies, are unmoved by shifting political fortune. Consistency, rather than rotation, is the hallmark of Westminster-style systems. Which is not to argue that the Australian policy process is entirely closed. There are lobbyists aplenty in Canberra, interest groups seeking a minister's ear, and newspaper columnists competing to influence government choices. Ideas matter, as much here as in any other nation.
Politicians care about good policy and hire advisers to evaluate proposals critically.
Australians even participate in issue networks, though without the prospect of sudden elevation enjoyed by their American counterparts. But ours is a more formal, structured system, in which a would-be policy broker faces a formidable task moving not just individuals, but the institutions of parliamentary government. There are fewer points of entry, so agitating from the outside can be an uncertain business. Since opportunities for influence are more constrained, proposals not taken up by key players may vanish without trace. Take national broadcasting policy, in which those outside the industry regularly seek to turn dialogue into practice.