This report explores the role of citizens' committees in Australian local government decision-making processes. The report will be a useful resource for councils looking to enhance the effectiveness of community committees. Committee types include both council-appointed committees, and incorporated non-for-profit organisations. The study explored the role and future of citizens' committees as vehicles for sustained...

In 2011 New Zealand held a referendum on the future of its voting system for general elections. Following the referendum, the current voting system was retained, and the Electoral Commission reviewed the system and made recommendations for change in late 2012. In early 2013 the government’s response to those recommendations is still awaited. Recognising the...

This research was conducted in partnership with the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) to support a Community Wellbeing Indicators Survey template. The tool can be adapted for use by local governments nationally to measure, analyse and assess the progress of community wellbeing.

The results of this study showed that, compared to all other respondents, Pacific respondents had lower levels of internal and external political efficacy, comparable rates of voting and campaign activism, less engagement in political discussion or persuasion, higher attention to the election campaign in the media, and generally lower levels of non-electoral participation.

The important role of community and voluntary sector organisations to democratic debate and policy development is widely acknowledged by governments, academics, and the sector itself. However, our survey of 153 NZ community and voluntary sector groups shows that democratic engagement has been constrained under both Labour-led and National-led governments in the last decade. The ‘contract’...