MICHAEL DE PERCY

Citizen Engagement & Policy LearningForming, storming, norming and performing

MICHAEL DE PERCY

Is there an Australian political culture?

In the Dixonian tradition, political stability is

achieved by „self-restraint in the interests of

constitutionalism… when “reinforced by an

informed and vigilant citizenry”‟ (Saunders & Le

Roy 2003: 9; De Percy 2004: 9)

MICHAEL DE PERCY

Is there an Australian political culture?

In the 1970s, Australians were viewed as „not much

interested in politics and displayed low rates of

political participation‟.

However: „One cannot be sure if that Australia has

yet acquired a demonstrably civic culture‟

(Emy & Hughes 1993: 122)

MICHAEL DE PERCY

Is there an Australian political culture?

„National opinion polls tell us that public trust in

Australia‟s governments and our political

leadership is now at an all-time low‟.

(Uhr 2005)

MICHAEL DE PERCY

Why is the political culture important?

As we move to a technology-driven, more open

society:

„[T]he operation and viability of any given political

system depends also on the political culture

which underlies it‟ (Emy & Hughes 1993: 113)

Which leads me to some observations about an

emerging online Australian ‘civic culture’

MICHAEL DE PERCY

Some Observations

• An underlying Australian civic culture which

raises some important questions:

– Are Australians averse to conflict, generally?

– Does Australia really have a democratic political

culture?

• Explosion of conflict on educational, community

and media participatory forums

Tendency for ‘knee-jerk’ reactions from authorities

MICHAEL DE PERCY

Policy Learning

In its broadest meaning, to borrow from Howlett

& Ramesh (2003: 220):

• Policy learning „includes both the intended and

unintended… consequences of policy-making

activities‟ and is „an iterative process of active

learning on the part of policy actors‟

Learning (and conflict) will become more

intense as the number of actors increases

MICHAEL DE PERCY

What will be our approach to ‘Netiquette’?

In light of our ‘civic culture’, what is our

capacity to ‘learn’ through a process which

essentially involves ‘conflict’?

MICHAEL DE PERCY

Understanding new media ‘policy learning’

Forming: „Public Sphere‟, Open Forum, ABC

Storming: Follow up debates, research, reactions

Norming: Establishing the „rules of the game‟

Performing: Obtaining the benefits

MICHAEL DE PERCY

One step away from politics?

Specialist online policy research centres

• We need decentralised spaces to experiment

Emerging models:

• Outsourcing citizen engagement

Education will play a primary role

• Many barriers to the legitimacy of social media