“Climate change is a symptom of a failed set of governance.”
~ Eddie Kowalski
Democracy, in its current form, is failing us. The influence of corporate lobbyists in Canberra – and in parliaments around the world – has eroded the very essence of governance that serves the people. Nowhere is this clearer than in the battle against climate change, where misinformation and vested interests have delayed meaningful action for decades. But what if there was another way? What if we, the people, could take back democracy and create a system that genuinely listens?
Enter the Online Citizens’ Assembly (OCA) – a groundbreaking initiative led by Professor Joseph Camilleri and a team that includes Eddie Kowalski.
Camilleri, an Emeritus Politics Professor at La Trobe University, is one of Australia’s leading international relations scholars. His research spans decades, and his work with Conversation at the Crossroads has been instrumental in fostering deep democratic discourse.
Kowalski, a key figure in this initiative, envisions the OCA as a way to reinvigorate democracy by enabling large-scale citizen deliberation on pressing issues, such as climate change. He was recently interviewed by Robert McClean in the Climate Conversations podcast:
Why Citizens’ Assemblies matter
Citizens’ Assemblies are not a new idea. They have been used successfully in places like Ireland, France, and the UK to deliberate on complex political and social issues. The premise is simple but powerful: randomly selected citizens come together to learn, discuss, and make informed decisions on important topics. Crucially, they are free from the lobbying and political influence that plagues traditional governance.
In the case of climate change, an Online Citizens’ Assembly could be a game-changer. It offers a space for everyday Australians to engage in deep discussions, propose solutions, and – most importantly – pressure Canberra to act. But how do we ensure that the voices of these assemblies are heard?
The challenge: Translating citizen voices into political change
A letter from a listener to the Climate Conversations podcast encapsulates the urgency of this challenge:
“This is how democracy is meant to work, but it has been captured by the lobby industry in Canberra. Hundreds of lobbyists in Parliament House are not interested in democracy or climate; they work for the vested interests of fossil fuel companies and others who fund misinformation. It is a disaster.”
This listener, deeply inspired by the podcast, joined the Online Citizens’ Assembly but raised a crucial question:
“How do we deliver the message from the community and OCA events to our elected leaders in Canberra? Time is running out. If our message cannot change the narrative soon, then we have failed.”
Indeed, this is the defining challenge of climate activism today. How do we shift power away from those who profit from inaction and back to the people?
A path forward: Scaling up the Citizens’ Assembly movement
For the OCA to be effective, it needs mass participation and a clear strategy to translate citizen-led deliberations into political action. Here’s what is needed:
- Mass involvement: Thousands of Australians need to participate in Online Citizens’ Assemblies, making them impossible for politicians to ignore.
- Clear messaging: The assemblies must produce concise, actionable policy demands that are backed by the voices of citizens.
- Direct political engagement: A structured approach to ensuring OCA recommendations are presented to Parliament, with a system of public accountability.
- Media amplification: The success of this movement depends on visibility. Traditional media, social media, and independent journalism must help amplify the voices of the assemblies.
The climate crisis is, at its core, a crisis of governance. As long as policy is dictated by fossil fuel money rather than public interest, we will continue to see delayed and inadequate responses. But initiatives like the Online Citizens’ Assembly offer hope. They provide a vision of a democracy that is not beholden to lobbyists but is shaped by the informed voices of its citizens.
The question now is: Will enough of us step up to reclaim democracy?
→ To learn more about Eddie Kowalski’s work and the Online Citizens’ Assembly, visit Our Voice
→ And don’t miss the full discussion with Eddie Kowalski: 🎧 You can listen on Apple Podcasts
→ More about Citizens’ Assemblies
Learn more about Citizen’s Assemblies
Grounded in ancient Athenian practices and proven to work in the modern context, Citizens’ Assemblies have been used over 600 times at a local, regional, national, and international scale.
A Citizens’ Assembly is a group of people selected by lottery who are broadly representative of a community. They spend significant time learning and collaborating through facilitated deliberation to find common ground and form collective recommendations for policy makers, decision makers, and the community.
Citizens’ Assemblies have been strikingly successful in tackling complex policy problems and values-based dilemmas, from constitutional changes around same-sex marriage and abortion, to urban planning, clean energy, and climate change.
Assembling an Assembly Guide
“The Assembling an Assembly Guide is a resource for any institution, organisation, city administration, or policy maker interested in running a Citizens’ Assembly. It is also a useful tool for citizens and activists wishing to learn more about what a Citizens’ Assembly is and how it works, in order to strengthen their advocacy efforts.”
assemblyguide.demnext.org
→ International Democracy Community:
Give people the right to convene at the local level – Model
→ New Economy Journal – 3 March 2020:
Citizens’ Assemblies: Deepening Democracy Through Participation
“To counter the rise of fascism, it isn’t enough to fight its open manifestations; we need to offer solutions to democratic disconnect, to deepen democracy, and address the root of the problem rather than just its symptoms. One of the more promising solutions is through citizens’ assemblies, a selection of people chosen randomly to be demographically representative of the broader population. This article discusses (1) why citizens’ assemblies are a democratic way to solve the complex problems faced by legislatures today; (2) some contemporary case studies of citizens’ assemblies, including those in Ireland and Australia; and (3) some of the concerns that have been raised with regard to participatory, deliberative democracy models.”
→ Sortition Foundation:
How can we restore trust in politics?
We need to change politics. People don’t trust politicians and don’t trust the decisions politicians make. Perhaps because those elected to represent us are not like us? Or perhaps because politicians are constrained by powerful vested interests, media conglomerates, party factions and highly ideological party members? Whatever the reason, luckily there is a better way to make political decisions: by citizens’ assembly.
Learn all about citizens’ assemblies.
Modern approaches to data and technology will allow us to do sortition so effectively