Dangers to Democracy? Experts Discuss the Australian Context

Democracies around the world are under growing strain. A range of interconnected challenges are affecting politics, public institutions and everyday community life. To better understand what is happening, a recent panel discussion chaired by Professor Winnifred Louis brought together three experts from different fields: Emeritus Professor William Maley (political science), Professor Hugh Possingham (environmental science), and Associate Professor Mario Peucker (extremism studies).
 
This post offers a snapshot of the panel’s key insights into the threats facing Australian democracy, as well as their suggestions for how it can be strengthened. You can watch the full discussion here: Dangers to Democracy? A panel discussion in the Australian Context.
 
The Political System: Gradual Erosion
 
From a political perspective, Professor Maley described Australia as experiencing a gradual degradation of democracy. Rather than a single crisis or collapse, democracy is being weakened through a series of small but compounding institutional failures.
 
Several trends illustrate this erosion. The effectiveness of parliament as a deliberative body has declined—many politicians are now drawn from political staffer backgrounds rather that ‘real-world’ employment experiences. This narrows the perspectives shaping debate and policy decisions. Additionally, major political parties increasingly operate as patronage networks, with compulsory voting and public funding reducing genuine grassroots engagement. Further, oversight mechanisms have also weakened. Anti-corruption bodies are fragile, ministers’ offices are growing, and public services increasingly rely on private consultancies. These changes increase the likelihood that short-term political gain is prioritised over long-term public interest. The rise of populism and the notion of “politics as war” also give rise to concern. This culture shift means that defeating opponents matters more than constructive debate or sound policy and undermines compromise.
 
When Experts are Excluded: The Environmental Perspective
 
Professor Possingham emphasised a related challenge in environmental policymaking: the systematic exclusion of experts and expert advice. Historically, academics and scientific specialists were routinely consulted through advisory committees, allowing evidence and community perspectives to inform government decisions. These processes were a key part of participatory democracy.
 
Today however, many of these advisory structures have been dismantled. Instead, access to policymakers relies on the support of lobby groups. This means that expert advice can be filtered or sidelined by vested interests. The Public Service also now lacks the internal expertise needed to assess the quality of external advice. The result is policymaking that is driven more by rhetoric than evidence. 
 
Extremism and Democratic Vulnerability
 
Associate Professor Peucker focused on how extremist movements gain traction where democratic systems and cultures weaken. Extremism is not only a threat through potential violence, but it also undermines democracy by intimidating communities, pressuring local councils, and silencing elected representatives. Australia’s electoral processes remain robust, however, its democratic culture is relatively fragile. Civic education is limited, and many have little understanding of democratic principles beyond the polling booth. If citizens think that their only role is to vote, genuine political engagement deteriorates, and extremism finds space to grow.
 
Disengagement, fear and weakened norms around participatory democracy contribute to a vulnerability that extremist movements take advantage of.

​Public book burning in Berlin, 10 May 1933. The destruction of “un‑German” works formed part of a broader extremist campaign that accompanied the collapse of democratic norms in early Nazi Germany.
 
Unknown author, Public burning of “un‑German” books, Berlin (1933). Public domain. Image via Wikimedia Commons, sourced from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

The Way Forward
 
Despite these diverse challenges, the panel offered practical ways forward to strengthen democratic processes:

• Tighten political donation rules (strict constraints and disclosure requirements)
• Restore independent public services (permanent heads to bureaucratic agencies, rather than political appointees)
• Elevate evidence-based policymaking (require evidence presentation with policy change)
• Create tangible opportunities for citizen and expert engagement
• Encourage long-form media interviews
• Develop local community forums
• Educate and engage the public on healthy functioning democracies

 
These actionable strategies suggest that democratic strengthening is possible.
 
The panel also emphasised that positive momentum is building, giving us genuine reasons for hope. The emergence of high-quality independent candidates is disrupting the dominance of major parties and offering voters fresh avenues for their voices to be heard. Young people remain deeply involved, particularly on environmental and social issues, and grassroots initiatives continue to achieve meaningful results.
 
Democracy faces significant pressures, but acknowledging its vulnerabilities, and recognising the crucial role of individuals and communities in upholding it, is the essential first step towards its revival.
 
By Rose Overland.

Further Links
 
William Maley’s (2024) book: The Politics of Degraded Democracy. https://scholarly.info/book/australia-the-politics-of-degraded-democracy/
 
Mario Peucker’s (2024) book: Democracy Strikes Back: Understanding and Countering the Rise of the Far-right. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-97-8437-0