Australian public secondary school: the tensions between financial autonomy and accountability

Using a field study approach at four government secondary schools, the research conducted in this thesis examines the iterative interrelationship between financial autonomy and accountability and how each affects the other - not only to explain that interrelationship but also contradictions between the policy intention and the reality for schools. The findings from this research suggest that Australian governments have yet to learn from school autonomy initiatives in other countries and suggests that building financial management capacity in local schools is critical for autonomy to succeed.