1. Citizen Engagement & Policy Learning
Forming, storming, norming and performing
MICHAEL DE PERCY

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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
MICHAEL DE PERCY