Australian Citizens' Parliament

In a touching moment today the youngest and oldest Citizen Parliamentarians embraced each other.

Offering a word of advice, 92 year old Nola offered 18 year old Leah a few words of advice: "learn a much as you can, participate as much as you can and give it all you've got."

This touching moment led to a standing ovation.

Nola said of the process that it was "an experience of a lifetime. An Experience that I never expected to be part of."

The energy here is amazing. The process has electrified these people, many of whom came here with only a marginal interest in the affairs of our nation.

Simon Sheikh

GetUp!

After a lovely evening Parliamentarians are back for another day of discussion.

Today's aim is to whittle down options that are being discussed to a select few proposals.

This happens through a deliberative democracy process that utilises some pretty neat computer software to bring together the ideas of various groups.

The back of house operation that supports this is something to be seen! There are more 21 inch monitors then I've ever seen in one place and laptops are everywhere.

Technology and politics go hand in hand and the question on many people's minds is where to from here? How can we use technology to keep communicating once the event is over?

I'll report developments as they happen today, so stay tuned!

Simon Sheikh
GetUp!

Citizens Parliamentarians are busily engaging in a process of deliberative democracy.

Some 47 proposals are being discussed with the aim of whittling these down.

I'll be looking under the bonnet of some of the most hotly contested ideas in my next few posts.

A Bill of Rights
Citizen Parliamentarians are considering what rights should be listed in a Bill of Rights and whether or not one is needed at all. As an example Parliamentarians are looking at rights including life, liberty and property rights and rights to freedom of thought, belief, speech & assembly.

Parliamentarians are separated into small groups to discuss the prioritisation of these issues.

While some are quite calm as they attempt to use a consensus model of decision making, others are finding the process difficult.

I'll let you know how things progress!

Simon Sheikh
GetUp!

It's easy to forget that these Citizen Parliamentarians have come here from literally every electorate across the country.

That means that many, particularly those from Victoria, are concerned about their houses, their property and most importantly their family, friends and neighbours as a result of the bushfires spreading through our parched nation.

It was quite an experience to look down from my birds eye view of the lively House of Representatives chamber at Old Parliament House, to see the level of concern on the faces of participants when an ABC news update on the bushfires was read out.

It was a reminder that while we can spend time discussing the long term and sometimes the abstract, there are very real and very personal issues to attend to right now. This is no doubt a dichotomy that plays out equally in the minds of our Politicians and our Citizen Parliamentarians.

Simon Sheikh

GetUp!

We've just stepped out of a question and answer session.

Questions about whether or not individuals can be co-opted to sit in Parliament were raised and discussion had about the coopting of individuals into Cabinet for example.

What's amazing me is that the majority of conversation and questions raised this morning concern democratic process and not policy issues.

These parliamentarians have shown their willingness to discuss these complex process points.

I'm also left quite surprised by the level of participation. Parliamentary forms of debate and discussion can alienate many. These randomly selected Citizen Parliamentarians are rising to the challenge.
Another interesting question was raised about the role less visible aspects of democracy play. For example, discussion was had about the role of lobbyists.

Discussion was had about the role of bureaucracy and the growing pieces of legislation and regulation shedding light on 'back room' politics. Freedom of Information laws and registers of lobbyists were raised as solutions that are of increasing relevance.

As the Yes Minister quote goes: "you can be open or you can have government". Will these Citizen Parliamentarians disregard this supposed dichotomy? Only time will tell.

Simon Sheikh
GetUp!

Time for another day of debate and discussion. I'm filled with intrigue, as this is my first day of observing the process. As a deliberative democracy fan I await with baited breath the outcomes of the day in the hope that today's session will deliver outcomes people are proud of.

One big question on many people's minds today is the fundamental role of Government and the responsibilities of different levels of Government.

Citizen Parliamentarians raised a number of issues in this morning' question and answer session from the appropriateness of a Bill of Rights to the overregulation of Government.

In discussing these issues there is an enormous sense of collaborative spirit and a feeling of pride amongst many who are genuinely excited about being a part of this process.

As one Parliamentarian put it (and I'm paraphrasing): I'm very proud to be here. You could raise the point that this is like a comma. Here today and gone tomorrow. I'd like something t show my grandchildren that I was here.

More to come!

Simon Sheikh

GetUp!

It's said that politics is a sport for old white men in suits, and never was that more true than in the bowels of Parliament House in Canberra today.

There's a $42bn worth of stimulus package to be spent and everyone wants in. You can almost smell the pork barrel wafting through the corridors, and everyman and his lobbyist is lining up with a plate.

It's certainly stimulating the economy - business at Aussie's alone (the café for those in the inner circle at Parliament House) will surely boost retail figures, even if the stimulus package doesn't pass. Never underestimate the hidden genius of our legislators.

Ah, it's great to see true democracy in action, but of course to see that you'll have to walk (if you're game to leave air-con) across the parched lawns to Old Parliament House. There you'll find 150 citizens, selected at random to represent the Australian populace, deliberating on how to "improve the Australian political and democratic system".

The "Citizens' Parliament" will meet for four days to discuss ideas like keeping the bastards accountable to election promises, reforming voting and allowing the public to initiate referenda (republic here we come!). 

The participants have just heard from Senator Faulkner (at somewhat soporific length) about the Government's agenda, but what we're really interested in is the ideas this process can generate. After all, is it possible for 150 people to agree on anything? I'll keep you posted on that one.

On appearances at least, this is a much more interesting Parliament than the one across the lawn. The participants, dressed in everything from Rabbidoh's jerseys to silk kimonos, are certainly more colourful than the suited old men on the hill.

from "Citizens' Parliament", Old Parliament House
Sam - your resident liveblogger

PS - Guilty as charged, I am white, male and in a suit and here to lobby - although I'm more from generation baby bonus than baby boomer.

Democracy doesn't just happen, and the machine behind Citizens Parliament is well oiled.

There are, on my rough count, 20 admin volunteers, 15 volunteer facilitators, 3 computer technicians and 6 caterers backstage here at citizens parliament.

There are also a couple of film crews recording the action for a documentary, and a dozen academics from at least 7 different universities here to study deliberative democracy in action.

This is the Live Blog of Australia's first Citizens' Parliament. The organisers welcome Sam McClean of GetUp! who each day will be writing about what he sees and hears from the gathered citizens as they work through their deliberations. GetUp! director Simon Sheikh, who is a member of the Reference Panel, will also contribute.