An Australian civil society success story | Joan Staples

Late 2017, Joan Staples first wrote of threats to democratic advocacy from three foreign interference Bills.  Then in November 2018, the final most controversial Bill, the Electoral Funding and Disclosure Reform Bill, was passed with the support of civil society. The story of this transformation from horrified opposition to support for the Bill is a story of Australian civil society working together to influence legislation in a way rarely seen. It opens the way for future collaboration to proactively promote the strengthening of our democracy. [Joan Staples coordinates the mentoring program in the Change Agency’s Community Organising Fellowship]