{ "version": "https://jsonfeed.org/version/1.1", "title": "Designing Open Democracy — Landscape News", "home_page_url": "https://www.designingopendemocracy.com/news/", "feed_url": "https://www.designingopendemocracy.com/news.json", "description": "Major and notable news from organisations across the Democracy Landscape, over the past three months. Drawn from each organisation's curated, sourced timeline — not a firehose.", "icon": "https://www.designingopendemocracy.com/assets/dodlogo_transparent.png", "language": "en", "items": [ { "id": "urn:uuid:7dd99d41-8102-5c08-8c44-bdc8fc09b16a", "url": "https://www.transparency.org.nz/blog/event-who-has-access-environmental-information-in-the-pacific#:~:text=Monday%2028%20September%202026%2011am%20Fiji%20%7C%2012pm%20Aotearoa%20New%20Zealand%20Online%20via%20Zoom%20%7C%20Free", "title": "Transparency International New Zealand (TINZ): Report launch and online talanoa: \"Who has access? Environmental information in the Pacific\" (Fiji, Solomon Islands)", "content_html": "

Notable — Research launch marking International Access to Information Day

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Marks International Access to Information Day; researchers present findings on environmental information access in Fiji and Solomon Islands.

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Monday 28 September 2026 11am Fiji | 12pm Aotearoa New Zealand Online via Zoom | Free
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Landscape profile: Transparency International New Zealand (TINZ) · Source

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New Zealand · Radical Transparency · Democracy

", "summary": "Research launch marking International Access to Information Day", "date_published": "2026-09-28T00:00:00+00:00", "tags": [ "Notable", "New Zealand", "launch", "Radical Transparency", "Democracy" ], "authors": [ { "name": "Transparency International New Zealand (TINZ)", "url": "https://www.designingopendemocracy.com/organisations/tinz/" } ], "_dod": { "date": "2026-09-28", "end_date": null, "event_title": "Report launch and online talanoa: \"Who has access? Environmental information in the Pacific\" (Fiji, Solomon Islands)", "tier": "medium", "notable_reason": "Research launch marking International Access to Information Day", "orgs": [ "tinz" ], "countries": [ "NZ" ], "concepts": [ "radical-transparency", "democracy" ], "type": "launch", "source_url": "https://www.transparency.org.nz/blog/event-who-has-access-environmental-information-in-the-pacific", "source": null, "note": "Marks International Access to Information Day; researchers present findings on environmental information access in Fiji and Solomon Islands.", "quote": "Monday 28 September 2026 11am Fiji | 12pm Aotearoa New Zealand Online via Zoom | Free" } }, { "id": "urn:uuid:8e521109-2e45-562f-b8b8-cffdac044b7a", "url": "https://www.designingopendemocracy.com/blog/2026/09/26/democracy-beyond-the-ballot-box-recap-of-our-international-day-of-democracy-panel/", "title": "Designing Open Democracy: Democracy beyond the ballot box: recap of our International Day of Democracy panel", "content_html": "

Notable — From the DOD blog

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On International Day of Democracy, DOD and 888 Co-operative Causeway hosted Nicholas Gruen, Nicole Hunter, Anitra Nelson and Godfrey Moase in Melbourne. They agreed that elections alone aren't enough, argued for selection by lot and slow, well-structured deliberation, and split on where power actually sits.

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Landscape profile: Designing Open Democracy · Read the post

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Australia · Meta-Organisation · Deliberative Democracy · Accountability Sink · Cybernetic Governance

", "summary": "From the DOD blog", "date_published": "2026-09-26T00:00:00+00:00", "tags": [ "Notable", "Australia", "Meta-Organisation", "Deliberative Democracy", "Accountability Sink", "Cybernetic Governance" ], "authors": [ { "name": "Designing Open Democracy", "url": "https://www.designingopendemocracy.com/organisations/designing-open-democracy/" } ], "_dod": { "date": "2026-09-26", "end_date": null, "event_title": "Democracy beyond the ballot box: recap of our International Day of Democracy panel", "tier": "medium", "notable_reason": "From the DOD blog", "orgs": [ "designing-open-democracy" ], "countries": [ "AU" ], "concepts": [ "meta-organisation", "deliberative-democracy", "accountability-sink", "cybernetic-governance" ], "type": null, "source_url": "https://www.designingopendemocracy.com/blog/2026/09/26/democracy-beyond-the-ballot-box-recap-of-our-international-day-of-democracy-panel/", "source": null, "note": "On International Day of Democracy, DOD and 888 Co-operative Causeway hosted Nicholas Gruen, Nicole Hunter, Anitra Nelson and Godfrey Moase in Melbourne. They agreed that elections alone aren't enough, argued for selection by lot and slow, well-structured deliberation, and split on where power actually sits.", "quote": null } }, { "id": "urn:uuid:f9aa2451-7585-5f8b-8994-133fcf0d2248", "url": "https://newdemocracyfoundation.substack.com/p/a-new-chapter-for-newdemocracy#:~:text=On%2015%20September%2C%20International%20Day%20of%20Democracy%2C%20Iain%20will%20travel%20to%20New%20York%20to%20launch%20the%20second%20edition%20of%20our%20book%2C%20Democracy%20Beyond%20Elections%3A%20A%20Handbook%20on%20Citizens%E2%80%99%20Assemblies.", "title": "newDemocracy Foundation: Launches the second edition of the \"Democracy Beyond Elections\" citizens’ assemblies handbook at UN Headquarters in New York, produced with UNDP and the UN Democracy Fund", "content_html": "

Major — Publication launch with UN agencies

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newDemocracy announced that outgoing Executive Director Iain Walker would launch the handbook’s second edition at UN Headquarters on International Day of Democracy. The handbook itself was published on newDemocracy’s site on 14 September 2026 and is free to download. newDemocracy has since advised that a short video edit of the launch will be published (newDemocracy correspondence, September 2026).

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On 15 September, International Day of Democracy, Iain will travel to New York to launch the second edition of our book, Democracy Beyond Elections: A Handbook on Citizens’ Assemblies.
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Landscape profile: newDemocracy Foundation · Source

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Australia · Citizens’ Assembly · Deliberative Democracy · Sortition · Isegoria · Cognitive Division of Labour

", "summary": "Publication launch with UN agencies", "date_published": "2026-09-15T00:00:00+00:00", "tags": [ "Major", "Australia", "Citizens’ Assembly", "Deliberative Democracy", "Sortition", "Isegoria", "Cognitive Division of Labour" ], "authors": [ { "name": "newDemocracy Foundation", "url": "https://www.designingopendemocracy.com/organisations/newdemocracy/" } ], "_dod": { "date": "2026-09-15", "end_date": null, "event_title": "Launches the second edition of the \"Democracy Beyond Elections\" citizens’ assemblies handbook at UN Headquarters in New York, produced with UNDP and the UN Democracy Fund", "tier": "major", "notable_reason": "Publication launch with UN agencies", "orgs": [ "newdemocracy" ], "countries": [ "AU" ], "concepts": [ "citizens-assembly", "deliberative-democracy", "sortition", "isegoria", "cognitive-division-of-labour" ], "type": null, "source_url": "https://newdemocracyfoundation.substack.com/p/a-new-chapter-for-newdemocracy", "source": null, "note": "newDemocracy announced that outgoing Executive Director Iain Walker would launch the handbook’s second edition at UN Headquarters on International Day of Democracy. The handbook itself was published on newDemocracy’s site on 14 September 2026 and is free to download. newDemocracy has since advised that a short video edit of the launch will be published (newDemocracy correspondence, September 2026).", "quote": "On 15 September, International Day of Democracy, Iain will travel to New York to launch the second edition of our book, Democracy Beyond Elections: A Handbook on Citizens’ Assemblies." } }, { "id": "urn:uuid:391bb970-6ddb-5030-8014-7c1634a958a7", "url": "https://newdemocracyfoundation.substack.com/p/a-new-chapter-for-newdemocracy#:~:text=After%2015%20years%20at%20the%20helm%20of%20the%20newDemocracy%20Foundation%2C%20Executive%20Director%20Iain%20Walker%20is%20stepping%20aside%2C%20and%20the%20Board%20is%20pleased%20to%20announce%20that%20Kyle%20Redman%20has%20been%20appointed%20Executive%20Director.", "title": "newDemocracy Foundation: Kyle Redman appointed Executive Director as Iain Walker steps back to Director, Advocacy after 15 years", "content_html": "

Major — Leadership transition

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Walker remains with the foundation part-time as Director, Advocacy and joins the Board alongside Kathy Jones, Lyn Carson and Luca Belgiorno-Nettis.

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After 15 years at the helm of the newDemocracy Foundation, Executive Director Iain Walker is stepping aside, and the Board is pleased to announce that Kyle Redman has been appointed Executive Director.
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Landscape profile: newDemocracy Foundation · Source

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Australia · Citizens’ Assembly · Deliberative Democracy · Sortition · Isegoria · Cognitive Division of Labour

", "summary": "Leadership transition", "date_published": "2026-09-14T00:00:00+00:00", "tags": [ "Major", "Australia", "Citizens’ Assembly", "Deliberative Democracy", "Sortition", "Isegoria", "Cognitive Division of Labour" ], "authors": [ { "name": "newDemocracy Foundation", "url": "https://www.designingopendemocracy.com/organisations/newdemocracy/" } ], "_dod": { "date": "2026-09-14", "end_date": null, "event_title": "Kyle Redman appointed Executive Director as Iain Walker steps back to Director, Advocacy after 15 years", "tier": "major", "notable_reason": "Leadership transition", "orgs": [ "newdemocracy" ], "countries": [ "AU" ], "concepts": [ "citizens-assembly", "deliberative-democracy", "sortition", "isegoria", "cognitive-division-of-labour" ], "type": null, "source_url": "https://newdemocracyfoundation.substack.com/p/a-new-chapter-for-newdemocracy", "source": null, "note": "Walker remains with the foundation part-time as Director, Advocacy and joins the Board alongside Kathy Jones, Lyn Carson and Luca Belgiorno-Nettis.", "quote": "After 15 years at the helm of the newDemocracy Foundation, Executive Director Iain Walker is stepping aside, and the Board is pleased to announce that Kyle Redman has been appointed Executive Director." } }, { "id": "urn:uuid:f7878572-acf9-50c9-882f-60ba5bc1359d", "url": "https://www.designingopendemocracy.com/blog/2026/08/03/we-scored-21-parties-on-internal-democracy-and-reform-advocacy/", "title": "Designing Open Democracy: We scored 21 parties on internal democracy and reform advocacy", "content_html": "

Notable — From the DOD blog

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We scored 21 political parties on how internally democratic they are and how much they push for governance reform. Centered −10 to +10 scale, 0 = typical major-party status quo as of 2026. Here's what we found.

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Landscape profile: Designing Open Democracy · Read the post

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Australia · Meta-Organisation · Deliberative Democracy · Accountability Sink · Cybernetic Governance

", "summary": "From the DOD blog", "date_published": "2026-08-03T00:00:00+00:00", "tags": [ "Notable", "Australia", "Meta-Organisation", "Deliberative Democracy", "Accountability Sink", "Cybernetic Governance" ], "authors": [ { "name": "Designing Open Democracy", "url": "https://www.designingopendemocracy.com/organisations/designing-open-democracy/" } ], "_dod": { "date": "2026-08-03", "end_date": null, "event_title": "We scored 21 parties on internal democracy and reform advocacy", "tier": "medium", "notable_reason": "From the DOD blog", "orgs": [ "designing-open-democracy" ], "countries": [ "AU" ], "concepts": [ "meta-organisation", "deliberative-democracy", "accountability-sink", "cybernetic-governance" ], "type": null, "source_url": "https://www.designingopendemocracy.com/blog/2026/08/03/we-scored-21-parties-on-internal-democracy-and-reform-advocacy/", "source": null, "note": "We scored 21 political parties on how internally democratic they are and how much they push for governance reform. Centered −10 to +10 scale, 0 = typical major-party status quo as of 2026. Here's what we found.", "quote": null } }, { "id": "urn:uuid:971313b6-82cc-59ff-b1b1-1a4c58a9cd34", "url": "https://bonds.coop/the-castlemaine-hub-community-debentures-in-action/#:~:text=When%20the%20%E2%80%98Hub%E2%80%99%2C%20a%20beautiful%20heritage%20building%20in%20Castlemaine%2C%20faced%20the%20risk%20of%20being%20sold%20to%20unsympathetic%20developers%2C%20the%20community%20feared%20it%20would%20disrupt%20the%20small%20enterprises%20and%20community%20organisations%20it%20was%20home%20to.%20But%20they%20needed%20%241.95%20million%20to%20secure%20the%20building.", "title": "Co-operative Bonds: Published a case study on the Castlemaine Hub's $2 million community debenture campaign", "content_html": "

Notable — Case study on a notable community-ownership financing model

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Educational case study (by co-founder Antony McMullen) explaining member-debenture financing via the Castlemaine Community Investment Co-operative's real 2025 campaign, which raised $2 million to buy the heritage Hub building out of the speculative property market — not a claim that Co-operative Bonds ran the campaign itself.

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When the ‘Hub’, a beautiful heritage building in Castlemaine, faced the risk of being sold to unsympathetic developers, the community feared it would disrupt the small enterprises and community organisations it was home to. But they needed $1.95 million to secure the building.
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Landscape profile: Co-operative Bonds · Source

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Australia · Cooperative · Economic Democracy · Workplace Democracy · Community Business · Worker Cooperatives

", "summary": "Case study on a notable community-ownership financing model", "date_published": "2026-07-30T00:00:00+00:00", "tags": [ "Notable", "Australia", "milestone", "Cooperative", "Economic Democracy", "Workplace Democracy", "Community Business", "Worker Cooperatives" ], "authors": [ { "name": "Co-operative Bonds", "url": "https://www.designingopendemocracy.com/organisations/cooperative-bonds/" } ], "_dod": { "date": "2026-07-30", "end_date": null, "event_title": "Published a case study on the Castlemaine Hub's $2 million community debenture campaign", "tier": "medium", "notable_reason": "Case study on a notable community-ownership financing model", "orgs": [ "cooperative-bonds" ], "countries": [ "AU" ], "concepts": [ "cooperative", "economic-democracy", "workplace-democracy", "community-business", "worker-cooperatives" ], "type": "milestone", "source_url": "https://bonds.coop/the-castlemaine-hub-community-debentures-in-action/", "source": null, "note": "Educational case study (by co-founder Antony McMullen) explaining member-debenture financing via the Castlemaine Community Investment Co-operative's real 2025 campaign, which raised $2 million to buy the heritage Hub building out of the speculative property market — not a claim that Co-operative Bonds ran the campaign itself.", "quote": "When the ‘Hub’, a beautiful heritage building in Castlemaine, faced the risk of being sold to unsympathetic developers, the community feared it would disrupt the small enterprises and community organisations it was home to. But they needed $1.95 million to secure the building." } }, { "id": "urn:uuid:bf0155ed-188e-516d-ae0e-86c21cc47a49", "url": "https://democracyincolour.org/democracy-in-colour-welcomes-court-ruling-upholding-racial-discrimination-finding-against-pauline-hanson/#:~:text=Democracy%20in%20Colour%20welcomes%20the%20Federal%20Court%E2%80%99s%20decision%20to%20uphold%20the%20racial%20discrimination%20finding%20against%20One%20Nation%20leader%20Pauline%20Hanson.,The%20court%20dismissed%20Hanson%E2%80%99s%20appeal%20on%20the%20ruling%20that%20found%20she%20breached%20the%20racial%20discrimination%20act%20against%20Greens%20Senator%20Mehreen%20Faruqi%20on%20social%20media%20in%20September%202022.", "title": "Democracy in Colour: Welcomed the Federal Court's dismissal of Pauline Hanson's appeal against a racial discrimination finding", "content_html": "

Notable — Advocacy response to a significant court ruling

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Statement by National Director Noura Mansour, described as drawing "a clear boundary, demonstrating that racial abuse is not acceptable in our parliament or anywhere else in our community."

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Democracy in Colour welcomes the Federal Court’s decision to uphold the racial discrimination finding against One Nation leader Pauline Hanson. ... The court dismissed Hanson’s appeal on the ruling that found she breached the racial discrimination act against Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi on social media in September 2022.
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Landscape profile: Democracy in Colour · Source

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Australia · Democracy · Representative Democracy · Isegoria

", "summary": "Advocacy response to a significant court ruling", "date_published": "2026-07-29T00:00:00+00:00", "tags": [ "Notable", "Australia", "other", "Democracy", "Representative Democracy", "Isegoria" ], "authors": [ { "name": "Democracy in Colour", "url": "https://www.designingopendemocracy.com/organisations/democracy-in-colour/" } ], "_dod": { "date": "2026-07-29", "end_date": null, "event_title": "Welcomed the Federal Court's dismissal of Pauline Hanson's appeal against a racial discrimination finding", "tier": "medium", "notable_reason": "Advocacy response to a significant court ruling", "orgs": [ "democracy-in-colour" ], "countries": [ "AU" ], "concepts": [ "democracy", "representative-democracy", "isegoria" ], "type": "other", "source_url": "https://democracyincolour.org/democracy-in-colour-welcomes-court-ruling-upholding-racial-discrimination-finding-against-pauline-hanson/", "source": null, "note": "Statement by National Director Noura Mansour, described as drawing \"a clear boundary, demonstrating that racial abuse is not acceptable in our parliament or anywhere else in our community.\"", "quote": "Democracy in Colour welcomes the Federal Court’s decision to uphold the racial discrimination finding against One Nation leader Pauline Hanson. ... The court dismissed Hanson’s appeal on the ruling that found she breached the racial discrimination act against Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi on social media in September 2022." } } ] }