14 November 2013 I recall that when I spoke to what was then called RAIPA as Premier I suggested, with my normal tact, that for a variety of gender and constitutional reasons it would be a good idea to drop the “R” and I am pleased that this initiative has no doubt long since occurred....
Edited by Lyn Carson, John Gastil, Janette Hartz-Karp, and Ron Lubensky Growing numbers of scholars, practitioners, politicians, and citizens recognize the value of deliberative civic engagement processes that enable citizens and governments to come together in public spaces and engage in constructive dialogue, informed discussion, and decisive deliberation. This book seeks to fill a gap...Continue reading
This month, in my home state, New South Wales, urban planning legislation is being considered in Parliament. It is ‘..a modern and easy planning system for the 21st century that puts the community first.’ I’m no politician, nor an academic studying political science; I’m an architect working in a family infrastructure business and I’m intrigued...Continue reading
RESEARCH PAPER, 2013–14 2 October 2013 A short statistical analysis of the people who form our Parliament by educational, occupational and demographic background. Full Research Paper
Mathematical research indicates that parliaments work best when some, though not all, members are chosen at random Marc AbrahamsThe Guardian, Tuesday 17 April 2012 Democracies would be better off if they chose some of their politicians at random. That’s the word, mathematically obtained, from a team of Italian physicists, economists, and political analysts. The team...Continue reading
Author: Mooney. G. (2010) Honorary Professor, University of Sydney, Australia; Honorary Professor of Health Economics, University of Cape Town, South Africa; and Visiting Professor, Aarhus University, Denmark and the University of New South Wales, Australia. AbstractThis book is aimed primarily at health service staff in Australia interested in running a citizens’ jury in health care....Continue reading
In September 2013, the Foundation was appointed by the City of Sydney to conduct a Citizens Jury which mirrors the process underway for the South Australian Parliament through Premier Jay Weatherill. Importantly, the City of Sydney’s role is complemented by the commitment of Premier O’Farrell to table the results of the Jury’s deliberations into Parliament...Continue reading
In the media age, contemporary democracies are dominated by the spectacle of debating and divisiveness, especially at election time. Elections are now not much more than a series of competing sound-bites, with voting just another polling event: a ‘low involvement product’. We’ve groomed charismatic and articulate political performers, whose primary skill is to debate, divide...Continue reading
Author: A Draft Policy Paper from The newDemocracy Foundation Abstract: This paper has been produced in response to requests from a number of political parties leading in to the 2013 Federal Election. It outlines a practical, costed option as a clear, substantive step for those parties seeking to improve our democracy by posing the question of...Continue reading
In April 2013, the Foundation was appointed by the Department of Premier and Cabinet to conduct a Citizens Jury to complement other measures and policy responses linked to alcohol related violence. In all spheres of government, it can occur that good decisions don’t get made for fear of the political cost through a vox pop...Continue reading