The Porirua Assembly on Climate innovated on the citizens assembly model in many ways. We organised an event for people to learn more about its governance, design and process innovations, what was learnt, and what comes next. We have split the discussion into 4 themed videos.
Trust Democracy is delighted to announce two $500 essay prizes for undergraduate politics students at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington and Waipapa Taumata Rau—University of Auckland.
Trust Democracy’s Chair, Simon Wright, reflects on 2025 and finds some twinkles of democratic hope.
Trust Democracy committee member, Anna Curnow, shares initial reflections on Auckland Council’s latest deliberative forum, which she facilitated.
Trust Democracy committee member, Finn Shewell, responds to claims that citizens’ assemblies are less accurate than tossing a coin.
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.
By restricting the franchise and centralising control of the public service, two government bills risk undermining important democratic institutions in Aotearoa.
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?’
Over the last month, we may well have seen more media attention on deliberative democracy in Aotearoa than in the entirety of 2024
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 Trust Democracy’s submissions call for both bills to be withdrawn and attention focused instead on making NZ’s democratic system more robust.
