Presented by The Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre 

How resilient is modern democracy, what lessons can we take from other countries, and how do we rekindle faith in our own democratic institutions?

These are just some of the questions that will be presented to the Honourable Peter Malinauskas MP, the Labor Member for Croydon and 47th Premier of South Australia by author and journalist, George Megalogenis. Additionally, attendees can look forward to an exciting announcement directly from the Premier during the event.

South Australia has been at the forefront of democratic reform throughout its history, from the development of the secret ballot and instituting universal suffrage, to recognising the need for independent bodies to run elections and determine electoral boundaries.

But in an age when an increasing number of citizens – especially young people – harbour doubts about the value of democracy as a system of government, we see an increasing threat from populist movements within western liberal democracies, including our closest allies.

Thus, Australia faces an existential challenge: how can we sidestep the challenges we see around us and improve voter perception of our own nation’s institutions and the ability of the ballot box to reflect the will of the people?

During the 2022 state campaign SA Labor pledged to improve public confidence in the democratic process by banning political donations in South Australia, removing any role for private, corporate, or union money in elections.

With less than two years before South Australians return to the polls, Premier Malinauskas will speak about whether this lofty goal can be achieved, what challenges remain, and what is at stake if we fail to empower voters with the tools to fully participate and engage in the process – as well as a glimpse at what a future without donations might look like for political parties, for voters, and for the process of democratic renewal.

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