Trust is the glue that holds democracies together. People must trust that their elected representatives and the system they work within are acting in the public interest. But in Australia and similar democracies, we are witnessing a decline in public trust. This is the inevitable consequence of the growing influence of vested interests, governments avoiding transparency, and diminishing accountability.


When people no longer believe institutions and governments are acting in their best interest, they lose trust in democracy itself and elect populist, reactionary governments. The Centre’s approach is the antidote to this. Our research and advocacy are designed to build a democracy that is transparent, trustworthy, and resilient to future stressors.

We are seeking investment in our work to scale our impact, by increasing our research resourcing and bringing in administrative support (freeing up executive time to pursue the Centre’s strategic goals).

Our method is proven. It is unique in Australia, as we leverage our experts to create evidence based, public law-informed research solutions that are championed by pre-eminent Australian experts.


This method involves:
Producing research that is led by committees of experts, and whose rigor is ensured by a research review committee of senior academics. Our research methodology is designed to cut through, obtain media attention, and influence policymakers. Since inception, we have produced 57 research reports.

Building relationships of respect and trust with journalists, to ensure that our research receives substantial coverage and we are the go-to voice on integrity matters in Australia: Since inception, we have been quoted more than 450 times in print media, from The Australian to The Guardian and featured repeatedly on ABC 730 and Four Corners, as well as on Sky News and myriad other news and radio programs.

Building relationships of respect and trust with policymakers. Since inception, we have been relied on as integrity experts by politicians across the spectrum and been the partner of Dr Helen Haines MP and Dr Sophie Scamps MP in
their efforts to produce gold-standard legislative frameworks (for grants administration reform, and public appointments reform respectively). This work, which we are uniquely positioned to do, set powerful standards against which other reforms and other legislative initiatives can be measured. We have participated in legislative consultation processes, achieving concrete improvements to legislation and bringing a public-law informed perspective on integrity issues that is unique in the ecosystem.

Using our incomparable expert network to advocate powerfully for our reform recommendations.


– Employing our expertise as political strategists in order to create and seize opportunities to progress our reform agenda

See the attached proposal for our full plan to scale our impact to foster a transparent and trustworthy democracy.

In today’s digital age, discussions about climate change and how to respond to it are centred online, with social media playing a significant role in shaping public sentiment. Climate Council recognises the critical role of effective communications in driving further and faster climate action. While we have long been at the forefront of traditional media, this initiative aims to expand our digital footprint to meet audiences where they now predominantly consume their news and information – on social media platforms – via the messengers they trust most (friends, family and social influencers). Dis-and mis-information permeates these online spaces, hindering informed decision-making and impeding progress towards a clean and sustainable future.

Climate Council has one of the largest shares of voice when it comes to the public narrative on climate impacts and solutions, generating more than 22,000 media hits in 2023 alone. Through tailored training sessions, collaborative content creation, and targeted outreach efforts, we will empower important digital influencers to effectively communicate accurate climate information to their audiences. Leveraging the latest research and communication strategies, our project will equip influencers with the tools and knowledge needed to counter dis- and mis-information, promote climate solutions, and inspire public action.

We will work closely with influencers to develop tailored messaging that resonates with diverse and harder-to-reach audiences, addressing their specific concerns and interests. By fostering a culture of truth and accountability in the digital sphere, we aim to catalyse meaningful change and accelerate progress towards a sustainable future.

Climate Council is Australia’s own independent, evidence-based organisation on climate science, impacts and solutions.

We connect decision-makers, the public and the media to catalyse action at scale, elevate climate stories in the news and shape the conversation on climate consequences and action, at home and abroad.

We advocate for smart climate policies and solutions that can rapidly cut climate pollution, based on the most up-to-date climate science and information.

We do this in partnership with our incredible community: thousands of generous and passionate supporters and donors, who have backed us every step of the way since they crowd-funded our beginning as a non-profit, for-purpose organisation in 2013.

Our vision is that by 2025 Australia’s emissions are on a steep downward trajectory with projects and policies in place to see us cut climate pollution by 75% by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2035. This represents a transformation in action and attitude at all levels of government, industry, business and community. This will fundamentally improve Australia’s contribution to the global climate challenge, while unlocking many national benefits from the new economy, and protecting Australian lives, our well-being and natural environment.

Our mission is to be a courageous catalyst propelling Australia towards bold, effective action to have emissions plummet during the 2020s and hit net zero by 2035.

The Conversation publishes evidence-based journalism written by experts to explain the news and share research with the public, allowing for better quality public conversations and decision-making. We aim to be the first choice for readers looking for independent, factual news analysis and for academics wanting to translate and share their research. By pairing academics with editors, we help academics learn to better communicate with the public. To reach the widest possible audience, our content is free to read and reproduce. We strengthen journalism by providing content, ideas and talent for other media to follow up.

The Conversation is seeking to establish a dedicated Public Policy Editor position to enhance our coverage of policy development processes. With an emphasis on transparency and evidence-based journalism, this role will provide in-depth analysis and timely reporting on public policy issues. We are reaching out to a group of 50 dedicated supporters for financial backing to make this initiative a reality. 

Funding Objective:
To advance our mission, we are requesting support from 50 supporters, each committing a minimum of $2,500 annually for three years. The goal is to raise $125,000, which will supplement the seed funding already secured. This fi nancial commitment will support the recruitment of a Canberra-based editor and help them operate effectively, ensuring robust coverage of policy discussions and developments.

Purpose and Impact:

  1. Insightful Reporting:
    Our Public Policy Editor will focus on producing articles that demystify the policy-making process. This includes coverage of committee rooms, hearings, and senate meetings, offering readers a clear understanding of how policies are shaped and decided.
  2. Evidence-Based Analysis:
    The editor will commission articles that provide well-researched, factual information on current public policy issues. This will help inform public discourse and contribute to a more informed citizenry.
  3. Engagement and Education:
    By lifting the veil on policy discussions, we aim to engage our audience in meaningful ways, fostering a deeper understanding of the implications and nuances of public policy decisions.

Funding request

  • Establishment of a ‘Policy Insight Funders’:
    We are seeking 50 supporters to contribute a minimum of $2,500 annually for three years. This group will be instrumental in sustaining our editorial efforts and ensuring the continuous production of high-quality policy content.
  • Supplementary Funding:
    The targeted $125,000 will complement existing seed funding, allowing us to build a robust editorial team dedicated to public policy issues

Your support will play a critical role in enhancing public understanding and engagement with policy-making processes. By investing in this initiative, you will help ensure that The Conversation continues to provide valuable insights into the decisions that shape our society. We invite you to join us in this important endeavour.

How can we tell that we are making progress as a community or a society? And who should decide what “progress” looks like, and how it is measured?

These are important questions for a democracy as the answers affect the wellbeing of those in our communities and collectively as a country. 

Putting people’s needs, aspirations, and wellbeing at the centre of any policy development and decision-making requires developing more equitable and inclusive methods and approaches to data collection, analysis, and impact reporting. What is measured (and how) matters.

If we put communities at the centre of deciding what to track, how we collect data, and how this information is used and shared, we will not only develop more useful tools for positive change, but will also have more equitable approaches and a better chance of improving the lives of citizens and communities. 

Join us at our next Strengthening Democracy Learning Circle to: 

  • Learn about the need to redefine progress and develop new progress measures informed by inclusive citizen engagement, stories, and lived experiences
  • Understand how data collection has been used to maintain inequitable systems and perpetuate practices that exclude many of our lived experiences
  • Gain insights into the work of organisations and social justice movements working on rethinking measurement and data collection for economic, environmental, and social progress. 

We’ll be joined by Mike Salvaris (Director, Australian National Development Index), Natasha Doherty (Board Director, Australian National Development Index), Doug Cronin (Co-Founder and Director of Strategy and Partnerships), and Colin Kinchela (Director of First Nations Engagement, Our Race).

Please note: This event will take place online via Zoom and in person at our Community of Giving, 6/126 Wellington Parade, East Melbourne, 3002 at 12.00pm on 26 October.

Event information

Thursday 26 October
12:00pm – 1:30pm AEDT

This event will be held in person at our Community of Giving and online. Online registrants will be sent a link on the day to join via Zoom.

Speakers

Mike Salvaris, Director, Australian National Development Index

Mike has worked for the past 25 years as an activist, academic, and community researcher in the measurement of progress, well-being, and human rights, with many Australian and international organisation’s governments, including the OECD, and the governments of New Zealand, Canada, and Bhutan. Mike is Director at the Australian National Development Index (ANDI).

Natasha Doherty, Board Director, Australian National Development Index

Natasha is the founder and CEO of Ethicol, and has 20 years of experience in program and policy evaluation. She works with government and non-profit clients to inform evidence-based practices and policies to enhance the quality of life for Australians. Natasha has worked in Federal and State governments and was the lead partner for the Health and Social Policy Practice in Deloitte Access Economics.

Doug Cronin, Co-Founder and Director of Strategy and Partnerships, Our Race

Doug is the co-founder of Our Race Community and an ethical storytelling researcher and practitioner. He is currently undertaking a PhD looking into the power dynamics of storytelling. Simultaneously, Doug leads the development and implementation of the T.E.S.T. Framework, collaborating with people and organisations who value lived experiences as expertise.

Colin Kinchela, Director of First Nations Engagement, Our Race

Colin is a Gomeroi artist, storyteller and facilitator, residing on the Lands of the Burramattagal. After more than 20 years working across TV, film and theatre, Colin now leads Our Race Community’s work in changing how First Nations stories are constructed and told by applying the T.E.S.T. framework.

Katy Cornwell, Head of Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning, Brotherhood of St Laurence

Dr Katy is the Head of Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning at the Brotherhood of St Laurence. Katy holds a PhD in Econometrics and Business Statistics from Monash University alongside extensive experience in research, data analysis, monitoring and evaluation relating to poverty and disadvantage. She has designed and implemented data collection and measurement frameworks for a number of organisations, with a focus on learning and reflection.

Register

This session is open to Australian Communities Foundation fundholders and our friends in the philanthropy sector. Contact us to register.

The right to protest is a cornerstone of any healthy democracy. Protest rights are also fundamental to justice. For those of us with the least political and social power, protest can sometimes be the only avenue we have to get issues on the political agenda and have our voices heard.  

Since 2019, there has been a series of anti-democratic laws passed across Australia, including recent anti-protest laws in South Australia that threaten the right to peaceful protest. However, protests are likely to increase in scale and number as the climate crisis unfolds. We are on a collision course where governments will respond to dissent by criminalising activism, which will impact everyone – not just the climate movement. 

These laws which attempt to suppress and erode our democratic right to protest are slowly shrinking open civic space in Australia, in ways that can be very hard to reverse, and civil society is struggling to respond effectively to resist or wind back these regressive laws.  

If we don’t change how we work in this space, we’ll keep losing, and our democracy will keep eroding.  

Philanthropy plays a powerful role in supporting civil society’s ability to prevent new anti-protest laws from being legislated and in campaigning to wind back the worst of the existing laws through building policy alignment, consistent messaging, and stronger civil society networks. 

Join us at our next Learning Circle, presented in partnership with Mannifera, the Reichstein Foundation, and Australian Environmental Grantmakers Network, to:

  • Understand the passage of recent anti-protest laws that have spurred greater public engagement, creating the preconditions for a national civil society-led movement 
  • Learn about Australian Democracy Network and Human Rights Law Centre’s plan to create the infrastructure and coalitions needed to stop new anti-protest laws passing, and wind existing ones back 
  • Hear how philanthropy and civic engagement can work together to strengthen our democracy.

We’ll be joined by Saffron Zomer (Executive Director, Australian Democracy Network), Ray Yoshida (Democracy Campaigner, Australian Democracy Network), David Mejia-Canales (Senior Lawyer, Human Rights Law Centre), and Jill Reichstein OAM (Chair, Reichstein Foundation).

Please note: This event will take place online via Zoom and in person at our Community of Giving, 6/126 Wellington Parade, East Melbourne, 3002 at 12.30pm on 10 August.

Event information

Thursday 10 August
12:30pm – 2:00pm AEST

This event will be held in person at our Community of Giving and online. Online registrants will be sent a link on the day to join via Zoom.

Speakers

Saffron Zomer, Executive Director, Australian Democracy Network

Saffron is a lawyer, campaigner and political strategist with more than a decade of experience leading law reform campaigns. Prior to the Australian Democracy Network, Saffron was Government Relations Manager at the Australian Conservation Foundation. She spent several years living and working in the US, where she held a range of campaign and government relations roles. In 2017, Saffron co-founded and led the Hands Off Our Charities Alliance which secured critical changes to the 2017 Electoral Act amendments to protect the rights of civil society organisations to engage in advocacy.

Ray Yoshida, Democracy Campaigner, Australian Democracy Network

Ray is an experienced organiser, campaigner and changemaker with a decade of experience in Australian social movements. Previously he was the co-director of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition, Australia’s largest youth advocacy organisation. More recently he played a leading role in the Hands Off Our Charities alliance where he successfully coordinated a campaign to stop draconian attempts to silence Australian charities.

David Mejia-Canales, Senior Lawyer, Human Rights Law Centre

David Mejia-Canales joined the Human Rights Law Centre in August 2022 as a senior lawyer focusing on defending the rights of refugees and people seeking asylum and on protecting democratic freedoms. Prior to this, David was a policy adviser in the Commonwealth Parliament working on legal system reform and on justice issues impacting First Nations people, including ending deaths in custody, raising the age of criminal responsibility, and protecting Country.

Jill Reichstein OAM, Chair, Reichstein Foundation

Jill’s involvement with social change philanthropy grew from her early involvement with the first women’s refuge in Victoria and with the community childcare movement. As chair of the Reichstein Foundation since 1987, Jill has been active in developing strategic partnerships and alliances towards growing progressive philanthropy as well as mentoring and resourcing new donors who are seeking to clarify their own philanthropic direction. Jill has sat on the boards of the Trust for Young Australians, Igniting Change, the Australian Women Donors Network and the Australian Environmental Grantmakers Network.

Register

This session is open to Australian Communities Foundation fundholders and our friends in the philanthropy sector. Contact us to register.

Elevating the voices of communities facing socio-economic disadvantage 

The Economic Media Centre identifies and equips spokespeople on economic issues, and connects them with journalists to get their voices into mainstream media.

Issue

During the pandemic in 2020, community voices were missing from the media coverage of economic issues in Australia’s major daily newspapers. The prevailing narrative centred on key messages of austerity, funding cuts and the burden of government debt, reinforcing a narrative that looking after people is costly and unsustainable. While many civil society groups had policy solutions to address the challenges presented by Covid-19, they could not get traction in the media.

Response

The Impact Fund provided core funding for the launch of the EMC in 2020 to begin identifying and training spokespeople from different backgrounds and support them to engage with the media effectively. The EMC now helps place media stories that draw on a diverse range of people with economic expertise and knowledge, alongside people with lived experience, to speak to the critical economic issues facing Australia.

The Impact Fund community provided further funding in 2022 to support the Economic Media Centre to work more closely with ACOSS one of its founding partners. ACOSS has unrivalled access to key decision-makers in the Federal Government and exceptional media reach.

Progress update

UPDATED MARCH 2022
  • Building media expertise in the civil society sector: EMC has so far delivered media training to 330 media spokespeople, which has directly resulted in securing nearly 6,000 media stories.
  • Influencing public policy and debate: EMC played a key role in building public pressure that resulted in the Federal Government committing $3.4 billion for women’s health, safety and economic wellbeing in the May 2021 budget.

What the Impact Fund’s support means

“The Impact Fund connected us with funders who understood the crucial role that people with lived experience can play in shifting debate for a more inclusive economy.” – Kirsty Albion, Executive Director, Australian Progress

Read case study in Making Change Together: Five years of the Impact Fund

Grants

  • 2020 ‘Reimagining Australia’ Large Grants round: $110,000 in core funding
  • 2022 Collaborations Large Grants round: $106,500 in core funding

Reducing undue corporate influence and protecting the right of charities to speak up

The #OurDemocracy campaign is a nationwide movement of people and organisations who want a healthy Australian democracy which works for us, not just for the powerful few.

The Stronger Charities Alliance was formed in 2017 in response to a number of bills which would have silenced charities on issues of national importance. The vision of the alliance is of a thriving not-for-profit sector, where charities are empowered to advocate for lasting change in pursuit of their charitable purposes.

#OurDemocracy: Issue + Response

With our climate at crisis point and the global pandemic increasing the gap between rich and poor, we need a strong democracy more than ever. We need a democracy that can deliver the outcomes that will protect people, the planet and future generations.

Politicians have little incentive to strengthen weak lobbying and political donation rules and the lack of a federal anti-corruption watchdog means powerful industries wield disproportionate influence in our democracy – they are getting outcomes that put their profits ahead of the wellbeing of everyone else.

The #OurDemocracy campaign was developed by three organisations – the Australian Conservation Foundation, the Human Rights Law Centre (HRLC) and the Australian Democracy Network (ADN), together with the input of over 30 more. These core organisations continue to develop the solutions and work on the campaign, but just as our democracy belongs to all Australians, the #OurDemocracy campaign is a movement of people and organisations passionate about making our democracy fairer for all. 

The Framework for a Fair Democracy has been endorsed by organisations that work right across the spectrum of important issues–from environmental organisations, human rights advocates, health groups to churches– with each taking action to see it become law.

Stronger Charities Alliance: Issue + Response

Charities and community groups make an enormous contribution to the public good whether through running a homeless shelter, tackling family violence, or protecting the environment. Yet in recent years we have seen powerful actors make repeated attacks on the charity sector’s ability to speak up on such issues. Through the Hands Off Our Charities Alliance, ADN and HRLC work with the charities sector to resist attacks on our ability to advocate and to promote positive reform.

The HRLC enhances the capacity of civil society to effectively and collectively respond to new threats with expert legal analysis and advice. For example, in 2021 in response to new regulations which could have seen charities deregistered for supporting protest actions, the HRLC obtained advice from senior counsel on the regulations as soon as they were made public, published an explainer and gave online briefings to help organisations understand how the new rules would impact their work, drafted the HOOC joint submission to government opposing the rules, and helped lead on overall strategy to make sure the regulations were ultimately scrapped.

Shining a light on dark money in politics

Big Deal is a wake-up call about the frightening extent to which money has infiltrated politics. Christiaan van Vuuren is an everyday Aussie – a comedian with provocative instincts, but also a father with a keen sense of fairness and justice. Big Deal begins with Christiaan mocking the fact that the US democracy has been taken over by big money, but he soon realises that the situation in his home country is not all that different. A wake-up call about the frightening extent to which money has infiltrated politics, Christiaan’s unlikely journey shows us why we should care, and how we might work together to ensure our democracy is safeguarded from being sold to the highest bidder.

Issue

Significant money is being provided to political parties in the form of donations that have the potential to bias political action. Together both major parties have taken over $100 million from corporate donors since 2012. Current laws limit what needs to be reported to the public. This makes it hard for Australians to get a clear line of sight to who is providing funding and what influence they might be having on political decisions.

Response

Supported in development by Shark Island Institute, the team at Jungle Entertainment began work on a documentary – what became Big Deal – to build public awareness of the scale and implications of unchecked political donations. ACF worked with the production team to link the documentary to civil society stakeholders, including members of the #OurDemocracy campaign – a campaign seeking to engage the broader public to push for reforms to make the Australian democratic system stronger, fairer and more representative.

Progress Update

UPDATED MARCH 2022
  • The film has so far had an audience reach of over 5.3 million in theatres, online, on the ABC and in media coverage. 
  • The promotion of the #OurDemocracy campaign via the Big Deal documentary has so far led to 12,000 active members.

What the Impact Fund’s support means

“Impact Funders came on really early and made all the difference to the quality of the story we could tell… they totally understood the power of this film.” – Leeanne Torpey, Big Deal Impact Producer

Read case study in Making Change Together: Five years of the Impact Fund

Grants

  • 2019 Large Grants round: $172,000 for development of impact campaign

Contact Us
Level 6, 126 Wellington Parade, East Melbourne VIC 3002

We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live, learn and work. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.

Australian Communities Foundation is a proudly inclusive organisation and an ally of LGBTQIA+ communities and the movement toward equality.