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!
The Commons is a beautiful, ancient and radical idea of how to be in the world. But in today’s world, where politics and economics are seen almost entirely through the prisms of individualism and self-interest, it’s an idea which we struggle to understand – or see as possible. Because we…
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Looking at politics around the world today, it’s not a pretty sight, is it? From poker machine companies buying the Tasmanian election to coal companies preventing climate action; from global treaties being negotiated by, with and for transnational corporations to civil society groups being denied the right to campaign and…
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The campaign to keep Canberra Ad Free, in response to Chief Minister Andrew Barr’s proposal to open up the city to more billboard advertising, got a huge boost today with Green Institute commissioned polling showing that 90% of Canberrans want either the same amount or even less advertising. Remarkably, 48%…
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The Australian Senate has established a Select Committee to inquire into the enormous topic of “The Future of Work and Workers”. Doubtless they will receive an extraordinary array of widely differing views about both what is happening and what to do about it. The Green Institute was pleased to be…
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Everything really is connected, isn’t it? Including how putting on a huge conference is connected to exhaustion and getting behind on other work, with a direct consequence of not uploading content from the conference for almost six weeks. Clear connection there! After such an amazing two days discussion big green…
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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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