Women’s Suffrage 130 Years Walking Trail

Our blog features regular posts by people passionate about politics, participation and democracy in all its forms.

Women’s Suffrage 130 Years Walking Trail

This year marks 130 years since women gained the right to vote and stand for parliament. December 18 is the anniversary of women’s suffrage in South Australia. At the Centre of Democracy, we are using this moment as an opportunity to reflect on South Australian women activists and their campaigns...

Voice to Parliament: the campaigns

Whenever there is a partisan political debate, a range of opinions flood the media. Freedom of speech and respect for opposing ideas are key tenets of a working democracy but often this can make it hard to determine fact from opinion. Today we take a look at both sides of...

Voice to Parliament: understanding the legislation

This week, we consider the purpose, powers and wording of the Voice legislation. We will also look at Indigenous advocacy bodies around the world to provide context and comparisons for what is being suggested in Australia. Constitutional Amendment The proposed text that voters are being asked to approve reads: Chapter...

Voice to Parliament: the historical context

Many significant campaigns and events have led the Australian government to propose the Voice to Parliament legislation in 2023. Here are some key moments in the development of state and federal legislation that help us to understand the context of the current debate. South Australia Why was South Australia chosen...

Voice to Parliament: the democratic process

As the Federal Referendum on the Voice to Parliament draws closer, it provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the historical and legislative context that has led to this political moment, on both a state and federal level. Adelaide has now been the location for two milestone events in...

History of the Debate

Debates about whether Australia should become a republic have once again recently emerged in the public domain. It is a political topic that every so often resurfaces in public debate. As the republican question re-emerges we look at the history of this debate. The biggest event in the republican debate...

Queen Elizabeth II in Australia

Queen Elizabeth II was the first reigning monarch to visit Australia. As Sovereign she visited Australia sixteen times and stopped in Adelaide seven times. Royal visits are a chance to familiarise our Head of State with our cities and present the culture and industry of Australia. 1954 visit Her Majesty,...

Head of State

Constitutional Monarchy Australia, like the United Kingdom, is a Constitutional Monarchy. This means the reigning British monarch is our head of state. This system of government is common to 43 countries. As Head of State, the Monarch’s role is limited to constitutional and representational duties. The ability for Australia to...

Active Citizenship

In the last few years, “active citizenship” and its practice has become more and more prevalent in political discussions, but what does it actually mean? During my internship with the Centre of Democracy, I was tasked with figuring this out. Put shortly, active citizenship is about civic engagement, but how...

Vinyl Revolutions

Over the course of history, music has played a prominent role across every culture of humanity. Music is typically used as a leisure activity in contemporary societies for individuals to listen to, play or even discuss. Music in protest, however, serves a powerful function in mobilizing people in the name...

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