This report sets out a framework to help understand how epistemic security defines the health of a democracy, and that without it, democracies hollow out and ultimately collapse. The framework rests on a simple proposition: democracy only works when verification, deliberation and accountability are obvious to the people, and trusted by them.

This paper argues that Australia’s democratic institutions must learn to manage, rather than resolve, deep moral disagreement. It contends that conflict between legitimate but incompatible values is a permanent feature of free societies. The paper examines how liberal institutions can sustain a shared civic life in the face of deep ethical disagreement.

Disillusionment with politicians, declining trust in democratic institutions and growing support for right-wing populists creates an existential threat for traditional parties. This United Kingdom report states that this threat can’t be stemmed with bureaucratic, business-as-usual politics. It proposes that established parties must radically change how they govern and proposes four recommendations.

Australia is experiencing declining support for major parties, rising electoral success for independents and minor parties, and increasing public concern about the responsiveness of its democratic institutions. This paper examines the implications of these shifts, including recent federal election trends, emerging public attitudes towards minority governments and historical examples of parliamentary adaptation.

This report reveals the depth and breadth of the challenges facing democratic governance worldwide. The four pillars of democracy – Representation, Rights, Rule of Law and Participation – are under strain. The report finds more than half of all countries assessed have declined in at least one key aspect of democratic performance over the past...