Premium Insights and analysis Getting a grip on the public’s growing mistrust in government Federal Australians' trust in government is rated at 44.64% compared to Switzerland’s trust rating of 84.63%. Australian government, departments and agencies all have work to do…
Promoted Setting up a workforce that engenders public trust Friday March 5, 2021 By Stephanie Waddon Sponsored When citizens have trust in the institutions that govern them, society benefits as a whole. Trust is the glue that facilitates collective action for mutual…
There’s a reason not everyone loves citizen engagement Wednesday February 10, 2021 By Alice Whitehead Australian Capital Territory As soon as the subject appears on the horizon, a tangled web of defensive arguments and anecdotes will accumulate to obscure it.
Melbourne Water, Transport for NSW named IAP2 award winners for 2020 Wednesday November 18, 2020 By Shannon Jenkins Community & Social The International Association of Public Participation has named Melbourne Water as Australasian organisation of the year for its innovative community engagement program.
Premium Interviews Recruiting and working remotely for 75% of its existence: how Bushfire Recovery Victoria has risen amid two crises Thursday June 25, 2020 By David Donaldson Case studies Established while the state was burning in January, social distancing has forced the community-focused Bushfire Recovery Victoria to rethink how it works, says CEO Lee…
WA government project to remember Aboriginal prisoners buried on Rottnest Island Tuesday June 2, 2020 By Shannon Jenkins News The Whadjuk Noongar people of Western Australia will lead a state government project that aims to reconcile the history of Aboriginal peoples' imprisonment at Rottnest…
Premium Case studies Driving voluntary behaviour change in a rural community: lessons from the Wharekopae river rehabilitation project Friday February 21, 2020 By David Donaldson Case studies A community-centred project in NZ is helping rehabilitate a polluted but popular swimming river. Working collaboratively with farmers and addressing funding issues has seen widespread…
Premium Case studies How putting the community at the centre of the Dandenong Creek restoration project pushed Melbourne Water to new solutions Wednesday February 12, 2020 By David Donaldson Case studies Melbourne Water's award-winning makeover of Dandenong Creek not only broke with tradition in 'daylighting' a piped waterway, but made the community a core stakeholder in…
Premium Case studies Fronting up to the community is key to ethical leadership — and wins public trust Monday February 3, 2020 By David Donaldson Career Advice Buck-passing is all too easy within a bureaucracy — indeed, in a large organisation governed by rules it is often difficult to fault anyone in…
Governments that are receptive to community engagement see better outcomes, new research finds Wednesday September 11, 2019 By Shannon Jenkins Career Advice The University of Technology Sydney's Dr Krithika Randhawa looked at the use of ‘citizensourcing’ by 18 Australian councils over two years, finding that the councils…
Premium Case studies Jay Weatherill on where the SA nuclear citizens’ jury went wrong — what were the lessons from this innovative consultation process? Friday August 23, 2019 By David Donaldson Case studies South Australia's nuclear waste citizens' jury was meant to take discourse from radioactive to considered, but ended with polarisation. The former premier, his staffer, a…
Mike Mrdak: public servants must ditch the business jargon, stop being scared of citizens Wednesday May 8, 2019 By Stephen Easton Communications & Technology Government agencies need to be more open, honest and direct with the public, come to terms with social media and realise that working with people…
Promoted Using data to reinvigorate democracy Wednesday October 17, 2018 By Amelia Loye and Martin Stewart-Weeks Features Agencies are constantly seeking public participation but they need to continue conversations with the insights they gather. Technology may be the key.
NSW information commission charts the course to a more open government Thursday June 21, 2018 By Stephen Easton Jurisdiction New South Wales information commissioner Elizabeth Tydd has given public service leaders a comprehensive new guide to open government that positions public participation at the centre…
Promoted What would you do if you had $2 million to invest in democracy in Australia? Wednesday May 9, 2018 By Amelia Loye Communications & Technology What would you do if you had $2 million to invest in democracy in Australia? Last year, the Australian government awarded two organisations $1 million…