Good article, Encouraging active and informed citizenship is key to achieveing a 'good society'.

I've written about this also - from a different perspective.

see:

http://leftfocus.blogspot.com/2009/03/re-invigorating-civics-and-citizenship.html

The breadth of the project - including not only 'student parliamentarians' - but also media and political parties - is encouraging... Perhaps the scope could be expended further - to include social movements as well?

Again - thanks for this informative article.

All the best.

Tristan

"Australia is recognised across the world as a vibrant democracy. We are envied for our system of government, our federation and the freedoms we enjoy under our rule of law.
We are one of the few countries to have been continuously democratic throughout the course of the 20th century. However, we suffer from a well documented lack of interest in issues of international and domestic importance, and our politicians are often lowly regarded, experiencing a general lack of respect and trust."

So why do you want to change it, seems to me the very fact we are like we are is a good reason why we are stable. There is nothing critically wrong with Oz, but a bunch of do gooders , fired up on a bit of education will want to fix it none the less. i can't think of a contry that has a better active system then us, but I can think of many I would not like Australia to be like.

Democracy starts from the home, let's educate the parents for a vibrant democracy.
The freedom of expression is the base of democracy, let's give voice to all australians, let's learn to listen them!
Happy citizens guard and guarantee the democracy, let's improve our social standards, fair go, equal opportunities, and social security is the best soil for democracy.
We can learn to be democrats but hypocrities politicians, iresponsible leaders push the citizens far from the commons and weaken the democracy.
Best way to create a vibrant democracy is the words to agree with the acts and the acts to promote citizen's interests.
Social sensitivity and social responsibility is the best factors for a healthy, vibrant democracy.
Democracy will stay alive when we deepen and extent it in workplaces, schools, communities etc.
Antonios Symeonakis
Adelaide

Hello all,
I am 55 Y.O. and have had basic 'Civics' Beaten into my head during my education.
That does nothing to change the fact that my peers, those of the 'brat boomer' sub-set preceding my age group and the next sub-generation following are utterly subsumed by greed.
Maybe they had no particular reason to listen at school or order some pragmatic self-interest in their own minds later.
Democracy fails in this situation and nothing shall save the ideal other than in result of individual decision,placing such greed to one side.
No time here to mention the virtues of other societies - the extended family, tribal communities or what is acknowledged as being lost in the hate of modern, politically driven 'pragmatist' social structures here.
These days the whole shower in OZ. is a complete nightmare. The Oligarchy is alive and only slightly compromised by economic crisis.
If each of us refuses to recognise that we all must stand at some posture in support of a better society for us all - then we shall be all lost.