Poet in Residence

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

A man sitting on a stool holding a stone

Poet in Residence

Hello – my name is David Chapple and I am the Centre of Democracy’s Poet in Residence. I have begun workshops to support the Poet in Residence program at the Centre of Democracy. The idea is to work outside (beyond the walls) the Centre initially and explore the broader ideas...

Kilkenny Slam Poets

For the last school term, year 6 and 7 students from Kilkenny Primary school have had fun taking part in a trial program using the Centre of Democracy as a HASS and Civics and Citizenship resource. We have designed bingo games, democracy walks, quiz’s, and more. Here is a selection...

‘I shall die a Labor man’

In 1975, the rock star Alice Cooper was scheduled to tour Australia. John Bannon, later Premier of South Australia, was at the time senior adviser to Clyde Cameron, the Minister for Labour and Immigration in the Whitlam government. Their long association is documented in correspondence held in the Bannon Collection...

What does ‘Australian Citizenship’ really mean?

There is a lot of discussion about citizenship throughout our country at the moment. From debates about migration and ‘Australian values’ to the so called ‘citizenship crisis’, a name coined by the media describing the several members of the Australian Federal Parliament who have stepped down, or aside, while confirmation...

A photograph of Old Parliament House, Adelaide on North Terrace from the 1860s

Responsible Government for South Australia

When the South Australian Constitution was drawn up in 1856, it was one of the most radical and democratic in the world. From the establishment of the colony the governor governed the people on behalf of the British Empire. Both colonists and the Aboriginal people had no say. The governor...

Image: Wall text reading The Centre of Democracy

People Power – and Pink Shorts!

We’re proud to announce that the Centre of Democracy has now opened its doors. The new gallery showcases the people and ideas that have shaped democracy in South Australia. Featuring treasures from the state’s collections and the latest in digital technology, our goal is to challenge visitors to think again about people...

Norm Mitchell cartoon depicting dress code in parliament

Norm Mitchell and cartoon politics in the ’70s

The political cartoon has been an important mode of communication in Australian newspapers for centuries. Glazed in satire and saturated by humour, political cartoons reveal social feelings towards people and issues, and are activist in many ways. Norman Mitchell, commonly known as Norm, was born in NSW and from a...

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