From donations and lobbyist reform and the institution of a national corruption commission to the introduction of Multi Member Proportional Representation in the House of Representatives; from becoming a Republic to potentially abolishing the States, empowering local government and entirely reconfiguring our federation; from building local mechanisms for participatory democracy to building the case for global representative democracy, and of course ensuring sovereignty for first nations people, there are huge ideas to be discussed!
This article was first published in the Canberra Times, Nov 17, 2017 All of a sudden, it seems terribly obvious that Australia’s 120 year old Constitution is past its ‘best by’ date. From the exclusion of First Nations people to 19th century dual citizenship rules to the…
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EMPTY SEATS: We are left with an increasingly deep democratic deficit. Photo Credit: JJ Harrison The disqualification of Hollie Hughes from serving in the Senate raises some very troubling questions that we, as a country, have to grapple with urgently. Coming on top of the dual citizenship kerfuffle,…
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This brilliant panel deeply engaged with questions of inequality, the future of work, Universal Basic Income and more. Panel members were: L-R: Ben Spies-Butcher, Chris Twomey, Elise Klein Eva Cox (by video link) Eva Cox is a public commentator, community change agent, well known feminist, on a postage stamp, Boyer Lecturer…
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This excellent and thought-provoking panel ranged from questions of “post-truth” politics and deliberate obscuring of the truth through to how to positively use values to shift opinions when facts do not. Panel members were: L-R Rod Lamberts, Benedetta Brevini, Julie Macken, Mark Chenery Dr Rod Lamberts Dr Rod Lamberts is…
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Uncle Les Coe’s knowledge, experience, wisdom and provocation brought one of the most important and powerful perspectives to the conference. You can listen to it here: Uncle Les’s extraordinarily warm welcome to country, at the Tent Embassy, was also one of the highlights of the conference. We thank…
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Stephen Healy is a senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Culture and Society, University of Western Sydney and a recent arrival to Australia. He has a Doctorate in Geography and his research focuses on community-based approaches to sustainable economic development. Dr Healy’s presentation to the plenary, entitled The Commons: what, why…
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Kate Raworth is a renegade economist focused on exploring the economic mindset needed to address the 21st century’s social and ecological challenges, and is the creator of the Doughnut theory of social and planetary boundaries. She is a Senior Visiting Research Associate at Oxford University’s Environmental Change Institute. Kate’s plenary…
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This challenging panel and workshop delved into the work being done at local council and community levels to face up to the climate emergency. Panel members were: Bryony Edwards, Philip Sutton Bryony Edwards In addition to working full time as a human service data analyst, Bryony campaigns for safe climate…
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This stimulating debate and discussion session challenged us to consider deeply what democracy is and can be. Panel members were: L-R Clare Ozich (obscured), Stephen Healy, Joan Staples, Simon Copland Clare Ozich Clare Ozich is the founder and co-editor of Green Agenda, an online political publication exploring green politics. She…
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Traversing the way the internet has impacted on democratic discourses, how giant capitalist monopolies have begun to take control and challenge the basis of democracy, how technology changes the way we work and interact, and how commercialisation of research challenges public good science, this was a fabulous conversation. Panel members…
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