The Democracy Fix
On International Day of Democracy 2021 (15 September) the School of Government launched a new multimedia project called The Democracy Fix, which aims to curate and cultivate conversations concerning the big fixes for democracy in Australia, the Asia-Pacific, and the world. We will showcase thinking across the School, the University of Melbourne and our national and international networks across events, interviews, research, op-eds and media, and a podcast.
Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) 42nd Annual Forum 2021
On 16 December 2021 Deputy Director Tom Daly joined MPs from 132 countries to discuss Covid-19 and parliaments' role in renewing democracy, at the 42nd Annual Forum of Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) co-hosted by the National Assembly of Belize. Under the PGA's Democratic Renewal & Human Rights Campaign, Day 1 focused on 'The Antidote to Authoritarianism: Parliamentarians as champions of democratic principles and institutions'. Tom spoke on the topic 'Has the recession of American and European leadership weakened democracies and emboldened “autocratic” regimes?'. You can find his talk at 1.19.18 below.
Summit for Democracy 2021
In December 2021 the School produced a short series of video explainers to make sense of the Biden administration's international Summit for Democracy (9 -10 December 2021), which brings government, civil society, and the private sector together to set an agenda for renewing democracy in states worldwide as well as collective international action, on: (1) Defending against authoritarianism; (2) Addressing and fighting corruption; and (3) Promoting respect for human rights. These were followed by a written review after the summit.
- Summit review: Biden's Bid to Strengthen Global Democracy, Pursuit (22 December 2021)
- Summit video series
- Introduction
- What's It All About?
- Who's Invited?
- How has the World Responded?
- Can the US Lead on Democracy Today?
- The View from Australia and the Asia-Pacific
You can also find all videos collected here
COP26
As part of our COP26 events, see also the recording below of the panel discussion 'Renewing Democracy to Tackle the Climate Crisis', co-organised with the Centre for Public Integrity (CPI) on 4 November and featuring panellists Zali Steggall MP, Joo-Cheong Tham, moderator Adam Morton (The Guardian's climate and environment editor), and chair Catherine Williams (Director, CPI).
Launch Op-Ed
Dr Tom Daly, 'Australia Needs a Democracy Fix' (15 September 2021)