Presentation to the Local Government Governance Network
An update of the Dem36 team's recent engagement activity
ENGAGEMENT REPORT
Local Government Governance Network presentation
On 10 April, Dem36 members had the privilege of speaking to the Local Government Governance Network on the role of local government within the South Australian constitution. Professor Alan Reid discussed the process of constitutional reform in South Australia, and the opportunity we have to bring South Australians along on a journey to refresh our state's constitution - to make it reflective of the kind of democracy we aspire to. Josh McDonnell then talked about how constitutions can affect the way in which we understand the role of local government, and how the system itself evolves - that is, how reforms over time affect local government's power/autonomy, its ability to have a meaningful impact on communities, and its democratic legitimacy. We then discussed the exciting potential for constitutional reform, with reference to the many very different models of local democracy internationally - including in Switzerland, where citizen assemblies and referenda are commonplace.
We look forward to more discussions like this over the year ahead as we build an understanding of the possibilities (realistic and idealistic!) for democratic renewal. We thank the Governance Network for the opportunity to present, and the feedback received. Thank you also to Dem36 member, Ania Karzek for arranging the opportunity.
-Josh