Hereditary Relics Holding Back the AEC	posted: 14/05/2008
Author(s): Peter Brent (Australian National University) Category: - Audit paper; Electoral; NGOs/participation download Peter Brent examines the regional structure of the Australian Electoral Commission and argues that the existence of permanent District Returning Offices is wasteful and is holding back the adoption of world's best practice enrolment procedures.

Australian human rights record in international perspective    (published: 8/2006)

posted: 9/08/2006

Author(s): Hilary Charlesworth (Australian National University) Category: - Audit paper; Rights; NGOs/participation download Hilary Charlesworth (ANU) reviews Australia’s record in implementing its international human rights obligations. Under the Coalition Government, Australia’s relationship with the UN human rights treaty bodies has deteriorated. Australia has adopted a combative stance, emphasising domestic sovereignty and rejecting criticism of human rights performance.

Report No. 6: Electronic Democracy? The Impact of New Communications Technology on Australian Democracy    (published: 8/2006)

posted: 9/08/2006

Author(s): Peter Chen (Monash University), Karin Geiselhart (University of Canberra), Rachel Gibson (University of Leicester, UK) Category: - Audit paper; Focussed Audits; NGOs/participation download Peter Chen, Rachel Gibson and Karin Geiselhart look at the way those involved in the political process, including government, political parties, MPs and civil society groups have used new technology, and the implications for democracy. On the one hand there is the potential for increased big brother surveillance of citizens, on the other for broader citizen participation and interactivity in the policy process. Little of the potential for more open government has been realised in Australia.

NGOs out in the cold: The Howard Government policy towards NGOs    (published: 6/2006)	posted: 15/06/2006
Author(s): Joan Staples (University of New South Wales) Category: NGOs/participation; - Audit paper download In a new Audit discussion paper, Joan Staples (UNSW) attacks the Federal Government’s policies towards NGOs as undermining the democratic process. She argues that the Government has been inspired by public choice perspectives in its attempts to limit the advocacy role of NGOs.

How effective has the United Nations Human Rights system been in promoting human rights observance by Australian governments?    (published: 8/2005)

posted: 1/08/2005

Author(s): Elizabeth Evatt () Category: Rights; NGOs/participation; - Audit paper download Elizabeth Evatt provides a synoptic overview of the varying degrees to which Australian governments have signed up to and implemented international human rights treaties. Justice Evatt identifies a range of issues arising from failure to respect the views and findings of independent treaty bodies, turning the Executive and the Parliament into the sole arbiters of compliance with human rights standards.

Report no. 5: Representing the disadvantaged in Australian politics: The role of advocacy organisations    (published: 5/2005)

posted: 1/05/2005

Author(s): Bronwyn Dalton (University of Technology, Sydney), Mark Lyons (University of Technology, Sydney) Category: Focussed Audits; Rights; NGOs/participation download The Audit's fifth focused Audit report has been produced by Bronwen Dalton and Mark Lyons, from the Centre for Australian Community Organisations and Management at the University of Technology, Sydney. In recent years, there has been debate and criticism over the influence that NGOs may have on public policy decisions. This report assesses the roles of NGOs, looking both at their external impacts through public participation and involvement in policy processes, and also at NGOs’ internal structures that provide varying degrees of democratic participation for their members. Representatives of a selected number of NGOs were interviewed for the report.

Public confidence in Australian democracy    (published: 5/2005)

posted: 1/05/2005

Author(s): Scott Brenton (Australian National University) Category: Public opinion; - Audit paper; NGOs/participation download Scott Brenton examines data from the 2003 Australian Survey of Social Attitudes and the 2004 Australian Electoral Study, in considering whether there is declining confidence in Australia's democratic institutions. The paper examines issues of democracy, government, politicians, parliaments, the legal system and public servants.

A SLAPP in the face of democracy    (published: 12/2004)	posted: 20/12/2004
Author(s): Sharon Beder (University of Wollongong) Category: Rights; NGOs/participation; - Audit paper      (pages: 3)   download Sharon Beder from the University of Wollongong takes a look at the increasing use of ‘Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation’, or SLAPPs, by corporations against individual citizens and groups for exercising their democratic rights (PDF).

Extracts from a forthcoming book on citizenship in Britain    (published: 4/2004)	posted: 1/06/2004
Author(s): Pat Seyd (University of Sheffield) Category: NGOs/participation; Public opinion download Professor Pat Seyd, member of the International Advisory Committee of the Democratic Audit of Australia, has released major new findings that show citizens are not as disengaged as has been assumed in much of the recent literature on western democracies. See also this version.

Report 1: How well does Australian democracy serve migrant Australians?    (published: 11/2003)

posted: 1/11/2003

Author(s): James Jupp (Australian National University) Category: Focussed Audits; Rights; NGOs/participation download An audit of the democratic rights of immigrants has found Australia does a good job of protecting citizens, but places the human rights of refugees and other non-citizens at risk. According to the report, 'Australian democracy can claim successes but must also admit failures in its implementation of a liberal, democratic, multicultural society providing equitable access to influence and to public goods for all its citizens'.

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