This paper explores Australia's multi-level system of governance and considers its implications for urban and regional policy. The paper addresses four main questions about Australian urban governance. In what ways can Australia's federal system of urban governance be contrasted with models in other developed countries? How have shifts in recent decades within Australia's federal system affected urban governance? What have been the main characteristics of change within Australia's state/territory planning systems in recent decades, and to what extent have these affected multi-level governance of space? Finally, what lessons about the strengths and weaknesses of a federal system of urban governance can be drawn from the Australian experience?