Jonathan Rose, Queen’s University. Occasional paper no. 2. State Services Authority of Victoria, Australia and New Zealand School of Government, February 2009. There is a common refrain among policy advocates, politicians and academics that the key to halting the ever-quickening decline of democratic participation is re-engaging citizens in democratic life. Governments typically respond by adding...Continue reading
The Promise and Limits of Citizens’ Assemblies: Deliberation, Institutions and the Law of Democracy
Michael Pal, University of Toronto – Faculty of Law; Mowat Centre for Policy Innovation November 16, 2012 (2012) 38(1) Queen’s Law Journal 259 Abstract: Recent experiments with deliberative democracy in British Columbia and Ontario have brought new life to the debate over electoral reform in Canada and have called into question the roles of the...
UTS Luminaries. Interview with Mr Luca Belgiorno-Nettis
“Do you realise there is no arts teaching at the UTS, and yet they sponsor an art gallery?” asks Luca Belgiorno-Nettis – architect, businessman, patron of the arts, philanthropist and passionate political idealist. “I think that’s brilliant,” he continues. “The university sees the worth of having art on the campus for its own sake.” Yes,...Continue reading
Citizen power: citizen juries advise on energy policy. (ABC Radio National, Life Matters)
When the NSW Government decided it wanted to hear what people really thought about energy policy they turned to the New Democracy Foundation, a privately funded research venture. They established two citizen juries to meet over a period of four Saturdays to consider issues like what might be the right energy mix, and how to...Continue reading
Speech to the World Forum for Democracy, Strasbourg, France, October 2012 – as a Guest of the Council for Europe
WORLD FORUM FOR DEMOCRACY at THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE Strasbourg 2012 BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN OLD MODELS AND NEW REALITIES. May I start by thanking our hosts, the Council of Europe for making this conference a reality, allowing us all to share our experiences on this important topic. I’ll open with a definition of...Continue reading
Panels Give NSW Panels a Say on Energy – Australian Financial Review
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Community Rich in Talent – Daily Telegraph
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IQ2 Debate: Democracy is Failing the Planet
Published 13 February 2012 | St. James Ethics Centre – IQ2 Oz Why should we assume that democracy is the best of all political systems? Hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets in the Middle East demanding freedom and democracy. And countless numbers have been prepared to die in exercising these demands....
DEMOCRACY 2.0
In 1989, Tim Berners-Lee, the British computer scientist, created the world-wide-web, out of frustration; he was frustrated by the existing communication devices, as he wanted to collaborate with his colleagues around the world. You will all remember the ubiquitous fax machine. With the launch of the web, a new era of communication and collaboration was...Continue reading
Democracy: Plan B (PM ABC Radio)
MARK COLVIN: They call it Democracy Plan B – and they’re launching it at an event in Sydney tonight. They’re a group called the newDemocracy Foundation, which has been working for some years to break down some of the worst aspects of Australian political life and build something more constructive. It’s backed by former State...Continue reading