Australia is one of the world’s leading democracies, but cannot take it for granted. This report shows that democracy is backsliding globally, and the world order in which Australia has flourished is being seriously tested. The report identifies five priorities for Australia to build a better and more resilient democracy.

Australian higher education is internationally competitive, yet domestically strained and politically contested. This paper examines how Australians perceive their universities and how those perceptions connect to democratic resilience – the capacity of a democratic system to sustain informed participation, institutional trust, social inclusion and collective learning. Three findings are especially salient for democratic resilience.

This report presents potential solutions for protecting Australia’s democracy, including common-sense actions to renew trust in politics. It finds that Australians say the most important factors influencing who they vote for are which party or candidate has a plan to address Australia’s long-term issues, and the integrity and accountability of parties or candidates.

The report warns Australia’s social cohesion is under sustained pressure. It argues that social cohesion should be treated as a core pillar of national security, aligning leadership, policing, education, regulation and community investment around three objectives: protecting freedom while maintaining order, enabling disagreement without disorder and rebuilding a shared sense of belonging.

This report examines the hidden infrastructure of the United Kingdom democracy: members of parliament offices. It exposes how outdated systems, weak management support and fragmented technology undermine the day-to-day work of representing constituents. The report argues that modest, practical reforms – in leadership, onboarding, skills and digital tools – could significantly improve effectiveness, wellbeing and...