Trust Democracy’s Chair, Simon Wright, reflects on 2025 and finds some twinkles of democratic hope.
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Deciding Together: The Future of A F Thomas Park – the Home of the Takapuna Golf Course
Trust Democracy committee member, Anna Curnow, shares initial reflections on Auckland Council’s latest deliberative forum, which she facilitated.
Policy Exchange wrote a report against citizens’ assemblies – here are our thoughts
Trust Democracy committee member, Finn Shewell, responds to claims that citizens’ assemblies are less accurate than tossing a coin.
A place of firsts: Learning from the Porirua Assembly’s innovations in Treaty-based governance
Globally, citizens assemblies are widely used as an effective way to involve local people in deciding how to address complex issues such as climate change. Despite the repeated failure of standard policy processes, citizens assemblies have only recently made it to New Zealand. Register for this event to find out more about the Porirua Assembly on Climate and its innovations.
Parliament must prioritise its own agency!
To improve the public trust, Parliament needs to invest its own capacities and capabilities to independently and openly perform its inquiry, legislative, scrutiny and representation functions, including by providing meaningful opportunities for the public to contribute.
The wrong direction: Restricting the franchise, paving the way for a politicised public service
By restricting the franchise and centralising control of the public service, two government bills risk undermining important democratic institutions in Aotearoa.
More Referenda, Better Democracy?
Watch the video or read the transcript of Associate Professor Matheson Russell speaking to Trust Democracy’s AGM on 12 May 2025 on the topic ‘More Referenda, Better Democracy?’
Media Watch: All eyes on Democracy
Over the last month, we may well have seen more media attention on deliberative democracy in Aotearoa than in the entirety of 2024
Will trusting politicians with a longer term strengthen our democracy?
New Zealanders may soon be asked to consider whether we trust our elected Members of Parliament enough to allow them an extra year between elections. Parliament’s Justice Committee is currently considering the two bills that together would make a referendum on this a reality. Trust Democracy’s submissions call for both bills to be withdrawn and attention focused instead on making NZ’s democratic system more robust.
Notice of 2025 AGM featuring Matheson Russell
Trust Democracy is pleased to announce that its 2025 Annual General Meeting will be held on Monday 12 May at St Andrew’s on The Terrace, 30 The Terrace, Wellington, and via Zoom, and will feature an address by Associate Professor Matheson Russell on the topic ‘More Referenda, Better Democracy?’