What is CAPaD for?

The Canberra Alliance for Participatory Democracy (CAPaD) seeks to improve the democratic process by

  • developing and supporting citizen, community and civil society engagement in public decision-making
  • empowering Canberrans to engage in owning and planning for our common future and the common good
  • facilitating opportunities for citizen input to government deliberations
  • developing citizens’ capacity to hold governments and policy makers more directly accountable.

To do this CAPaD will bring together individuals and civil society groups from across the Canberra region.
Similar bodies have been developed, or are forming around the world and in Australia, such as the Sydney Alliance.

Objectives and Principles

Our Objectives

  • To empower Canberrans to engage in owning and planning for our common future and the common good.
  • To develop and support citizen, community and civil society engagement in public decision-making.
  • To facilitate opportunities for citizen input to government deliberations.
  • To develop citizens’ capacity to hold governments and policy makers more directly accountable.

Style of Operation

  • Seek broad-based participation across Canberra
  • Strengthen existing community, faith, environmental and civil society groups
  • Build on volunteerism and publicly acknowledged donations
  • Employ a learning-by-doing mode.

CAPaD Latest News

Public Discussion about planning in the ACT

The meeting was well-attended and led to useful outcomes. A report will follow shortly.

There is growing public unease about planning decisions in the ACT. The Canberra Alliance for Participatory Democracy (CAPaD) is hosting a public discussion about this issue. All are welcome.

Date: 30 April 2017
Time: 2–5pm
Place: Folk Dance Canberra Hall, 114 Maitland Street, Hackett

CAPaD supports business and good urban development — we want a world class city
BUT
there is a widespread feeling among individuals, resident groups and community councils that community consultation receives lip service but has little impact on decisions that have already been reached by politicians in close association with professional developers.

CAPaD wants decisions about development in this city made with meaningful citizen engagement in the planning process. We believe this will result in respectful wise decisions where everyone’s well-being is met. We need planning to meet the needs of not just ‘the economy’ but people, businesses and the environment. Further, wise planning links to issues such as the ACT’s zero emissions goals.

| Press Release | More Information |

ACT 2016 Elections

The ACT 2016 Elections are done and the final results are available here.

There are 12 newcomers to the Assembly and for the first time there will be more women than men in the Assembly.

An important aspect of the 9th Legislative Assembly for the ACT is the Labor-Greens Parliamentary Agreement.

You can download here a file that lists the 25 newly elected and re-elected MLA's with the statements that 14 of them made for our website during the election campaign.

CAPaD hopes to work closely with all MLA's to make participatory democracy a reality in the ACT.

News & Info