In December 2011, the Expert Panel on the Constitutional Recognition of Local Government recommended that a referendum be held to amend s 96 of the Commonwealth Constitution to allow the Commonwealth Parliament to make grants of financial assistance to ‘any local government body formed by State or Territory Legislation on such terms and conditions as...

This report provides a practical frame of reference to carry the conversation about the ways all Australians can play a role to lift the standard of national politics; to protect and promote, rather than destroy, important community values of respect, accountability, fairness and tolerance; to confront the sexism and misogyny in our political discourse; to...

This report finds that the media, trade unions and political parties top the list of institutions the public perceives to be the most corrupt. The report presents the results of the latest ANUpoll, which measured public confidence in government and institutions, perceptions and experiences of corruption and the ethical conduct of elected representatives, as well...

Looking at initiatives in Australian and overseas jurisdictions, this paper explores the opportunities and challenges that technology presents for the casting and counting of votes in parliamentary elections. Digital technologies and the internet have dramatically altered the way Australians communicate, transact business and interact with government agencies. It is hardly surprising that technology’s application to...

This report provides background on recent media reviews in Australia, and assesses what they may mean for the future. Since the seventeenth century the media have been seen as the watchdogs of democracy— guardians of the public interest, protecting the people against arbitrary rule by governments. In recent times however, there has been considerable speculation...