The Robert Menzies Institute is delighted to publish a landmark new Policy Paper titled Conditions for a Successful Democracy that examines the challenges facing Australia’s current democracy and offers practical policy recommendations for revitalising and buttressing our democratic norms, practices and habits.

The paper is authored by the Institute’s Research Manager Dr Zachary Gorman and is based on the discussions held on 18 June 2025 at the Institute’s annual Policy Dialogue that brought together 30 leading academics, public figures and policy experts from across the political landscape to discuss the ‘Conditions for a Successful Democracy’.

You can download the paper Conditions for a Successful Democracy HERE.

The paper frames our democracy as not merely a set of processes and mechanisms, but a “living spirit” (as described by Robert Menzies) sustained by culture, restraint and civic responsibility.

The paper warns that declining trust, censorship, dependency and polarisation threaten democracy, and offers practical recommendations that can renew our democratic culture through civics education, institutional restraint and civic responsibility.

1. Invest in Civics and Australian History Education: Strengthen understanding of democratic origins, rights, and responsibilities among students and new citizens through curricula, museums, and cultural institutions.
2. Expand the Federal Parliament: Increase the number of representatives to improve engagement, reflect communities of interest, and reduce over-centralisation.
3. Pursue Policy Settings that Foster Family Formation: Support families and reverse demographic decline, fostering generational continuity and civic responsibility.
4. Audit Government Programs to Prevent Dependency: Ensure welfare policies empower independence rather than entrench reliance.
5. Reintroduce National Service with a Community Focus: Build civic unity and resilience by involving young Australians in public and community projects across social divides.

The paper also includes specific responses by six public intellectuals who participated in the June Policy Dialogues on how we can improve our democracy.

1. Liberal historian-philosopher David Kemp
2. Australian Human Rights Commissioner Lorraine Finlay
3. Grattan Institute CEO Aruna Sathanapally
4. RMIT professor Chris Berg
5. Historian Greg Melleuish, and
6. Political scientist and Institute board member Tim Lynch

We thank all the participants of the June 2025 Policy Dialogue for their contributions on the day that have helped shape this paper.

Salvatore Babones, quantitative sociologist at the University of Sydney
Chris Berg, professor of economics at the RMIT University
Frank Bongiorno, professor of history at the Australian National University
Judith Brett, political historian and former La Trobe University academic
Jeremiah Brown, lecturer in public policy at the University of Melbourne
Stephen Chavura, political commentator at The Australian, The Spectator Australia, ABC Religion and Ethics
Clayton Chin, senior lecturer in political theory at the University of Melbourne
William Coleman, adjunct professor at the University of Notre Dam
James Curran, professor of modern history at the University of Sydney and AFR columnist
Georgina Downer, CEO at the Robert Menzies Institute
Nick Dyrenfurth, executive director at the John Curtin Research Centre
Mark Evans, director of the ANZSOG Institute of Governance
Jon Fain, journalist and former ABC radio presenter
Lorraine Finlay, Australia’s human rights commissioner
Zachary Gorman, historian and research manager at the Robert Menzies Institute
Kate Griffiths, chief of staff and director of the Democracy Program at the Grattan Institute
David Kemp, public thinker and historian
Mark Kenny, director of Australian Studies Institute
Lydia Khalil, program director of the Transnational Challenges Program at the Lowy Institute
Tim Lynch, professor of American politics at the University of Melbourne
Alex McDermott, curator at the Robert Menzies Institute
Greg Mulleuish, adjunct senior research fellow at Campion College
Charlotte Mortlock, executive director, Hilma’s Network and broadcast journalist
Paul Muldoon, associate professor at the University of Melbourne
Lizzie O’Shea, founder and chair of the Digital Rights Watch
John Phillimore, executive director at John Curtin Institute of Public Policy
Tony Ralph, marketer and political communications expert
John Roskam, senior fellow at the Institute of Public Affairs
Aruna Sathanpally, CEO of the Grattan Institute
Michael Stepniak, 9th master and head of college at Queen’s College, University of Melbourne
Will Stolz, lecturer and expert associate at the ANU’s National Security College
Adrienne Stone FASSA FAAL, Melbourne laureate professor and director of the Centre for Comparative Constitutional Studies at Melbourne Law School
Ramesh Thakur, emeritus professor at the ANU’s Crawford school
Graeme Turner, emeritus professor in cultural studies at the University of Queensland
Erin Watson, founder and managing director of Baker & York
Michael Wesley, deputy vice-chancellor (Global, Culture and Engagement) at the University of Melbourne
Keith Wolahan, barrister and former federal MP for Menzies