When new Meets old
Can online methods help us achieve true representation in government
• ‘Winds of change - the future of research’
• ‘Looking forward. Market and social research. No longer required?’
• 'Are social media and research meant to be together'
We are telling ourselves that as an industry
we need to change
Has not been easy for social and government research to embrace
Representation in Governmentcreates the need for evidence based decision making
Representative researchrepresentativeness of sample
Representativeness in research is at the heart of everything we do
Conundrum of cost and practicalities means we use
‘convenience’ sample
Can online methods offer the opportunity for greater representation in government?
On-going consultationto live up to the bargain made every 3 years
Uncertainty and reluctance to use online methodologies
Online now critical to
government’s interaction with
the Australian population
Government 2.0
Public sphere consultations
Senator Kate Lundy “to create a truly open, accessible, transparent and collaborative process of policy development”, with the online public spheres, allowing “people from all around Australia to participate and engage equally with government.”
Juergen Habermas ‘Public sphere’ is a space that “…through the vehicle of public opinion it puts the state in touch with the needs of society.”
Where are we at?
A tool for the vocal minority
Level of public knowledge and interest
The democratic deficit
The citizens’ assembly”….the idea of a citizens' assembly as ‘school-yard politics”. It was ‘bizarre’ a government would randomly select 150 people to advise it on policy, the think tank's [representative] said. ‘We'll be doing it climate policy on Facebook next’.”
“Not just a world class venue but a modern market place for the exchange of ideas on our national future. It is to be the centre of a very new, but also
very old politics.”
Australia Forum
Can we do community consultation differently?
Methodologies we use tell us the existing status quo
Once upon a time, we had access to methodologies that allowed us to do things differently…
Deliberative polling
Random, representative sample
Baseline
Members discuss issues
Briefings
Small group discussions
Dialogue with 'experts’ & political leaders
Sample asked original questions
"The resulting changes in opinion represent the conclusions the public would reach, if people had opportunity to become more informed and more engaged by the issues."
The great consultative methods of yesteryear
Citizen Juries
Sample of target population gathered together
Hears 'testimony’
Call witnesses
Deliberates
Provides a verdict
Sample is smaller
Can reconvene over extended period
Opinions not statistically representative
“Once citizens find themselves in a social context that support
deliberation", they can be competent with complex policy issues.
Is it representativ
e?
Cost and time effective
Access to silent majority rather than the vocal minority
Highly familiar method of communication
A resurgence of the old leading to new hybrid methods
Online as a means of informed consultation
Embracing the old and the new
LATITUDE INSIGHTSChanging the conversation
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