The Democracy Project: Reclaiming Democracy Together
Governance and citizenship renewed — for a shared, liveable future.
Reclaiming Democracy Together · National Launch
On the afternoon of 9 May 1901, Australia’s first Parliament was opened in Melbourne before 12,000 invited guests — a defining moment in the birth of a democratic nation. On the 125th anniversary of that historic occasion, it is time to take stock, assess Australia's current predicament, place it in the deeply troubling global context, and reimagine and plan for a promising future.
Across the Western world, democratic institutions face deep strain. Public trust is fragile. Civic life is unsettled. On 9 May 2026, Reclaiming Democracy Together is launched — a seven-year national initiative dedicated to rethinking and revitalising democratic life in Australia and beyond. This launch marks the beginning of that long-term work.
Event Details:
Date: Saturday 9 May 2026
Time: 1:30pm – 4:30pm
Venue: Melbourne Town Hall
This is a Moment to Be Present. This will not be an ordinary public forum. The event will be held at the Melbourne Town Hall, a heritage building of unique historical significance. We expect a great many to attend in person from every corner of Victoria, as well as elsewhere in Australia and beyond.
We strongly encourage in-person attendance. A limited online option may be released later depending on demand — to join the online interest list to be notified should streaming become available, complete this expression of interest from: Register your interest to attend online
It will be an occasion of seriousness, reflection and possibility. In years to come, some may say with pride: “I was there.”
Australia’s democracy is strained: trust is falling, inequality is rising, and too many major decisions are made without meaningful public involvement. Over the next seven years, Conversation at the Crossroads will convene conversations — and build the practical tools — to help put deliberation, accountability, and civic participation back at the centre of public life
WHY? BECAUSE DEMOCRACY IS UNDER PRESSURE
62% of Australians report little or no confidence in federal government
23% trust political parties
75% believe politicians serve their own interests
Wealth is increasingly concentrated: the bottom 20% hold ~1% of national wealth, while the top 20% hold ~63%
Be part of the journey. Get updates, event invitations, and opportunities to contribute your skills or experience.
Support the project financially. Your contribution helps fund independent, non-partisan work to renew democratic participation in Australia.
What’s happening to democracy
Photo credit: Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House
The crisis isn’t just political — it’s structural
Across Australia and many Western democracies, representative systems are struggling to meet the challenges of our time: climate risk, widening inequality, reconciliation with First Nations, and the erosion of transparency and accountability. Too often, citizens experience politics as something done to them, not with them.
When people feel powerless, disengagement grows. In that vacuum, polarisation and extremism find easy ground. This is how democratic decline becomes self-reinforcing: less trust → less participation → weaker accountability → even less trust.
What we mean by “democratic renewal
Photo Credit: Voting at Wang. i.e. Wangaratta, Le Dawn Studios, photographer, 1970
Democracy is more than voting
Elections matter—but democracy also depends on deliberation: people having real opportunities to learn, discuss, weigh trade-offs, and shape decisions that affect their lives.
Renewal means rebuilding the foundations that make democracy work:
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What Conversation at the Crossroads is building
A seven-year, staged program to make deliberation normal again
Conversation at the Crossroads (C@C) is an independent, forward-looking initiative committed to advancing the wellbeing of people and nature through respectful, informed conversation. We’re now launching a long-term program to test, improve, and scale deliberative participation — so public voice can meaningfully connect to decision-making.
The Plan
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We will host two Community Consultations on urgent national and/or international challenges. Each consultation will include a mix of structured and informal events—online, in-person, and hybrid—concluding with a national convocation and a published public report (including findings, evaluation, and recommendations).
We will prioritise:
Strong participation from young people (16–35)
A genuinely representative cross-section of multicultural Australia
Partnerships with civil society organisations able to mobilise members and supporters
Funding target for this phase: ~AUD $480,000 (primarily staffing and delivery costs).
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We will hold two more Community Consultations, sharpening attention on the institutional foundations of transparency, accountability, and public participation. We will broaden partnerships (including universities, unions, social movements, and values-driven businesses), improve tools and facilitation methods, and explore technologies enabling international consultations.
A 2-day National Conference will bring partners and participants together to review outcomes and identify next steps.
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By this stage, the goal is to:
Embed deliberative democracy in Australian civic life
Establish a permanent civic engagement platform linked (where possible) to policymaking
Scale “Education for Deliberative Democracy” through institutions and civil society
Position Australia as a leader in democratic renewal, including in international forums
What we’ll work on
Community Consultations will focus on real, contested questions
Potential consultation areas include:
Australia’s foreign policy and security settings
Wealth and income inequality—and what to do about it
A national Human Rights Act / Charter
First Nations justice: Voice, Treaty, Truth-Telling
AI governance and public regulation
The future of universities: academic freedom, governance, and purpose
How you can be part of it
If you’re part of a council, community organisation, union, professional association, university group, or values-driven business, we welcome collaboration to design and host deliberative gatherings.
Be part of assemblies, consultations, and events—online or in person—and help shape what comes next.
This program cannot rely on government funding without risking independence. Early philanthropic support enables refinement, and scale—and helps establish the conditions for long-term democratic renewal.
Project leaders
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Joseph Anthony Camilleri OAM is Professor Emeritus at La Trobe University, Melbourne, where he held the Chair in International Relations (1994-2012), and was founding Director of the Centre for Dialogue 2006-2012. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Social Sciences.
He has authored or edited some thirty-five books and written over 120 book chapters and journal articles, covering such areas as peace and security, geopolitics, governance, the role of culture and religion, intercultural dialogue and conflict resolution. He serves on the board of various organisations, including Melbourne University Publishing and Pearls and Irritations.
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Eddie Kowalski is a civic-innovation leader focused on strengthening democratic participation. As Founder of OurVoice, he has built partnerships with several universities and developed tools for online deliberation. He has also co-authored a paper published by Australian Policy Online, recognised as one of the most influential papers of 2024: The civic health of Australia: a national portrait in 30 charts.
Eddie’s background in market, social, and policy research has focused on helping governments and organisations build feedback loops from stakeholders and enable data-driven decision-making.