Australian federalism has undergone significant transformation in recent decades, influenced by both domestic political dynamics and external pressures. Traditionally, Australia’s federal system was marked by a clear division of powers between the Commonwealth and the states, with the Constitution allocating specific areas of responsibility. However, over time, fiscal centralization, judicial interpretation, and growing demands for coordinated responses to national and global challenges have reshaped this relationship. New trends in Australian federalism increasingly reflect an emphasis on cooperative mechanisms, pragmatic power-sharing, and flexibility to address complex policy issues that transcend jurisdictional boundaries. One of the most visible trends has been the expansion of cooperative federalism. Unlike earlier phases when the Commonwealth and the states often engaged in adversarial disputes over powers, there is now greater reliance on intergovernmental forums such as the Council of Australian Governments (COAG), replaced in 2020 by the National