Democracy
Democracy
Sortition And The Joy of Participation
Tim Dunlop is providing a keynote address at the upcoming Green Institute Conference, Cultivating Democracy. Register now! This is an edited version of ‘Sortition: the joy of participation’, that appeared in Griffith Review 64. We thank them for permission to reproduce this article. Any democracy worthy of the name must be an ongoing experiment in institutional design: there must be... Read More
Culture, Democracy, Environment
Indigenous Communities Should Be At The Forefront Of Action On Climate Change
Dr Virginia Marshall is providing a keynote address at the upcoming Green Institute Conference, Cultivating Democracy. Register now! In early September I attended an Indigenous Peoples Climate Change Preparatory Meeting in Mexico City as one of three delegates representing the Australia/Pacific region, where Indigenous delegates from around the world drafted and endorsed a Commitment of Indigenous Peoples Action for presentation... Read More
Democracy, Environment
The Climate Emergency As A Governance Emergency: A Bold Case For Democratic Reform
On the 20th of September, millions of protestors marched across 85 countries demanding climate action. The image of hundreds of thousands of young demonstrators taking to the streets send a message that time is running out, that an urgent response is needed from world leaders. Raising alarm, however, is only the first step. Equally important is forging a global consensus... Read More
Democracy, Economics, Social Justice
Jobs, Justice And A Liveable World: For A Job Guarantee
On August 29, 2019 the UQ Greens, alongside QLD Greens MP Michael Berkman hosted the forum ‘Jobs, Justice & a Liveable World: A Green New Deal for Australia’. Looking at the leadership being provided around the world on the issue, this panel asked the question what might a Green New Deal look like in Australia? With permission from the organisers Green... Read More
Democracy, Environment, Peace, Social Justice
Protecting Our Right To Peaceful Dissent In The Face Of Climate Breakdown
It is difficult to overstate the importance and influence of disruptive, peaceful protest and non-violent direct action in social change. On countless issues like women’s rights, LGBTIQ+ rights, justice for First Nations people, rights for workers, or campaigns against racism and xenophobia, large-scale protest, including disruption and direct action have been an essential ingredient of success. Globally, recent months have... Read More
Democracy, Environment, Peace
Time To Rebel: Civil Disobedience For The Planet
The Extinction Rebellion (XR) movement has grabbed headlines since late 2018 with its repertoire of non-violent but disruptive tactics to raise climate awareness and protest government inaction on impending ecological collapse. The UK-born phenomenon has transformed into an international movement which continues to gather momentum. XR activist Jayne Forbes speaks here about her experiences in the London blockades and citizen’s... Read More
Democracy, Peace, Social Justice
Politics Of Peace And Patience
Dr Frank Habineza is the President of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda, who in September 2018 was elected as one of two Greens MPs in the Rwandan national Parliament. In October 2018, former Australian Greens Senator Scott Ludlam caught up with him in Kigali, Rwanda’s capital, to hear his extraordinary story of persecution, exile and electoral success. [...]
Democracy, Social Justice
Lessons For Social Movements From The Federal Election
This is the first in a two part essay on lessons for social movements arising from the 2019 federal Australian election. Read part two here. I felt empty on the night of May 18th when Labor lost the election. I had driven into Trades Hall for the Victorian union movement’s election night celebration. It was with bracing sobriety that I... Read More
Democracy, Economics
Reimagining The Future Of Corporate Governance In Australia
The events of the Financial Services (Banking) Royal Commission (FSRC) have brought the corporate governance practices of some of Australia’s largest public companies into plain view. The insights revealed have been shocking, and shown that directors have not listened to internal whistle-blowers exposing misconduct, not asked the hard questions internally to fulfil their directors’ duties, nor acted in public interest.... Read More
Democracy, Social Justice
The Right To Advocate And Protest Is At The Core Of Our Democracy
This paper formed part of the Green Institute Report ‘Rebalancing Rights: Communities, Corporations and Nature’. As an Australian, I am proud that my country was central to both the writing and the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. The head of the Australian delegation and later President of the UN General Assembly was Australia’s Dr H.... Read More
