Australia's civic participation is declining but across our lives we are active in different ways. This report summarises a forum to test the practical value of a civic life journey framework, looking at how policies could approach civic life from a life course perspective.

Political trust is essential to a well-functioning democracy, but it has declined sharply in the United Kingdom over recent decades. To democratise law-making and rebuild political trust – this report makes the case for action in three key areas: rebuilding trust in lawmakers; rebuilding trust in law-making institutions; and extending the role of citizens in...

This paper reports on political and policy attitudes collected in a March 2026 poll of Australian adults. Australians retain broadly expansive views on the role of government but the belief-in-government index declined. More Australians describe their income taxes as too high but simultaneously favour increased government spending across most budget areas.

Democratic backsliding often advances not through dramatic constitutional change, but through the quiet manipulation of parliamentary procedure. This report shows how rules on agendas, debate, discipline and legislative scrutiny can be turned into tools for silencing opposition, concentrating power and weakening democratic accountability. It distils lessons for building more resilient parliaments.

The report card provides an overview of Australia's current track record in relation to advancing and protecting human rights. It assesses the current state of human rights protection against six key categories: democratic freedoms; economic justice; racism and migration; First Peoples’ justice; safety; equality and fairness.