newDemocracy News

  Welcome to the June issue of our research newsletter. From small beginnings, we are now being asked to contribute in many places around the world – so much that it is difficult to know where to start. We’ve had many recent speaking engagements, with Iain Walker speaking at the New Zealand Forum of Education with Minister Chris Hipkins and...Continue reading

  Welcome to our first newDemocracy update for the year. It promises to be a busy year for newDemocracy. New projects are underway, we have been featured in the AFR, and there are a number of movements internationally that we will announce from March to May. Read about all of the above and more in this, our first newsletter of...Continue reading

Welcome to our final update for the year on all things newDemocracy. It has been a busy close to the year for newDemocracy. Projects have concluded and foundations are being laid for next year’s large projects. We’ve seen a flurry of events from Athens to Melbourne, all focused on doing democracy better. Athens Democracy Forum: Kofi Annan’s Push for One Major...Continue reading

Welcome to the September issue of our research newsletter. In this issue, we revisit our largest ever project in the South Australia Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engagement Jury. We look at what worked well, what didn’t work, and look to areas of improvement for taking citizens’ juries into the future. This is a must read for those interested in any...Continue reading

Welcome to our latest update on the pursuit of a better democracy. It has been a busy winter for newDemocracy. Projects are concluding and foundations are being laid for large projects to come. We’ve seen a flurry of international events from Athens to San Francisco. We’ve featured in The Australian, been developing our platforms for interaction, and widening our channels of influence....Continue reading

Welcome to our new research newsletter. The newDemocracy Foundation takes research seriously. We have funded independent research projects for many years (and reports from these projects can be found on our website), but have recently decided to take an even more proactive and direct approach. Our focus will now be to commission specific research, rather than...Continue reading

  Welcome to our latest update on the pursuit of a better democracy. We haven’t managed to write a newsletter for some time now; and that hasn’t been for want of an array of issues and concerns to write about. Amidst the cacophony of political slogans that have dominated world airwaves of late – Make...Continue reading

  Deliberative democracy – does it really work? Public decisions that are more representative, less adversarial, based on public judgment not the loudest opinion – these are the fundamental  principles  espoused by the concept of deliberative democracy. Is there anything not to like about it? The newDemocracy Foundation has run over 12 juries for a range of government...Continue reading

Ideas, not Ideology The turmoil of the Civil War in 17th century England was the crucible for great political and philosophical upheavals. John Locke’s Enlightenment ideas of individual freedom and the importance of scientific (i.e. rational) thinking changed forever the way people looked at themselves with respect to their government. It was the Enlightenment ideals which...Continue reading

The current state of politics in Australia – a  glass half full or half empty perspective? Is Australia politically or culturally capable of dealing with the ‘wicked’ problems it is facing? Wicked problems – complex but intractable issues that get pushed aside for fear of their potential political damage; problems that must be resolved but...