A new article by Associate Professor Tracy Fenwick and Dr Thiago da Silva explores how income and territorial context shape Australians’ perceptions of fiscal fairness—an important contribution to federalism research. 

How do citizens assess whether the state or territory in which they live receives its ‘fair share’ of federal resources? Associate Professor Tracy Fenwick and Dr Thiago da Silva develop a theory of dual positional logic, which holds that perceptions of fiscal fairness emerge from the intersection of individual income and territorial context. Citizens experience redistribution both as individuals – through progressive taxation and transfers – and as residents of advantaged or disadvantaged places. Alignment of these positions reinforces judgments of fairness, while divergence creates cross-pressures. 

Findings in this matter advance debates on fiscal federalism by demonstrating how individual income and place-based context jointly shape citizens' attitudes toward intergovernmental redistribution.

Read more:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21622671.2026.2615939#abstract