By Harriet McCallum, Executive Officer, Mannifera

It was only a year ago that Australians resoundingly voted against Trump-esque political posturing in the lead up to the federal election. Among democracy advocates, there was a collective exhale. Perhaps, we thought, our democracy, unlike others around the globe, had the guardrails to protect us against the pull of populism, and the democratic decline that can quickly follow.

Yet, and as it turns out, we were just one or two significant events away from far-right populism being back in frame, enabled by a political climate increasingly defined by mistrust in the political establishment.

This mistrust makes sense. While Australia’s democratic system has helped lay the foundation for the relative stability and prosperity many of us enjoy; that prosperity has always been unevenly distributed. And while the circumstances of our collective lives have changed at pace in recent decades, our systems of governance have not kept up. Democratic engagement is increasingly the preserve and privilege of paid lobbyists, crowding out the voices of the rest of us.

The results are felt on the ground - through inadequate services, ballooning housing costs, an increasingly addictive digital environment - compounding the sense that the system is broken. This is further fueled by the endemic information disorder embedded in social media algorithms, pulling us away from each other, and away from a shared sense of what is true.

Yet while this disillusionment is justified, there is great risk in channeling it toward actions that could undermine democracy itself. 

One way this can happen is that voters who’ve had it up to their eyeballs with the status quo back political leaders who emphasise their ‘outsider’ status to gain traction but, when in office, prioritise personal and sectional gains over the public good. They also move to dismantle the democratic guardrails that could hold them accountable and make them vulnerable to losing power. 

There is, I think, a more constructive pathway to channeling the current, legitimate, rage. One that acknowledges the flaws in our current system by joining forces to fix them. That can mean both electing leaders who show a genuine commitment to improving our democratic system, and pushing the leaders we have to stand firmer against vested interests.

It is beyond time for our political leaders to drop the mudslinging and talking points in favour of constructive dialogue and authentic communication. To take risks and implement the bold policies that will deliver for people who are doing it toughest. To regulate social media so that our collective attention is no longer so captured by misinformation and ‘rage bait’.

It’s time we expect and demand this of them; elevating our collective voices by joining and backing civil society efforts through the means we have as funders.

Though the challenges our democracy faces are far from straightforward, at Mannifera we’re  fortunate to see the inspiring breadth of work being led by civil society groups across the country to rebuild the social contract and our sense of collective agency.

Whether it’s enabling greater access to fact-based news content, building tools to track politician’s conflicts of interest, advocating for better privacy and lobbying laws, or teaching young people about tax in a fun and engaging way, our grant partners are leading creative, nimble and diverse approaches to enlivening Australia’s democratic foundations and norms. 

Imagine what would be possible if the funding community rallied to this moment, knowing that coming back from a situation like the US is experiencing, will require so much more effort than holding the line and moving us towards a fairer and resilient democracy. Knowing that a better future is possible for all Australians, if we believe and invest in it.

The organisations Mannifera funds are all in need of additional support to meet the current moment, and there are many more besides. We have seen what they can do when a growing subset of Australian funders see their potential and back their vision, and we’re inviting others in the philanthropic sector to join in this collective work. 

If you're interested in funding alongside us, we encourage you to reach out.

Our democracy remains a work in progress, and the work involves all of us.