This book deals with the Australian political system and how it relates to the provision of health care. It attempts to show the complex inter-relationships between the political and health care systems and the numerous participants involved in decision making. The first part provides an introduction to the Australian political system at Federal, State and local government levels and the second part shows how political institutions affect, and are affected by, groups involved in the provision of health care. It tries to address the relationships between politics and health in theory and practice and is intended as a resource for students and practitioners in the health services. More generally, for students of political science and sociology it provides analyses of health issues from political and sociological perspectives.