High-level, goal-focused engagement can be a powerful tool to rebuild trust in democracy – but, if poorly understood or misused, it risks becoming performative and politically driven. Providing sector-wide research across engagement practice and policy, this report identifies five major challenges as impacting the role of strategic engagement in improving trust in democracy and democratic...

Environment, Social, Governance (ESG) is gaining renewed prominence, with regulatory requirements fast-tracking ESG reporting, particularly in Australia. This report advocates for the prioritisation of engagement in contributing to and enhancing the integrity of ESG frameworks and reporting to increase trust in democratic practices and rebuild trust in government.

This research paper arises from a drive to understand more deeply the intersection of community influence and public decision-making, especially in the context of the increased visibility of engagement, on the one hand, and declining trust in government, on the other.

Hybrid engagement integrates real-time digital and in-person activities to allow participants greater choice and flexibility to participate in an engagement process. This resource offers some guidance on how to effectively conduct hybrid engagement.

This ebook came about through a desire to investigate more deeply the role and experience of the community engagement practitioner today. The publication is intended less to instruct than to offer a reflection on the current state of the industry in Australia. That is, to take a critical lens to what is often left unexamined...