OurVoice

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝘂𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁! ✨ On Thursday, the Monash Innovation Guarantee brought together an incredible group of industry leaders, visionaries, and changemakers at our Industry Partners Networking Night. The room was alive with energy, ideas, and a shared commitment to driving positive impact across all sectors. We were inspired by a pithy keynote from Matt Finnis and an empowering panel featuring the incomparable Ifrin Fittock, Ursula Dyer Lepporoli, and Julia Bekin. Their insights highlighted how bringing diverse perspectives together sparks innovation that fuels social, economic, and environmental good. A special thank you to our Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student Experience), Professor Sarah McDonald, for her inspiring words on the power of innovation communities. Her message reminded us of the incredible potential we have when we collaborate across sectors and disciplines to create meaningful change. Here’s to uplifting the next generation of innovators and putting intergenerational learning at the heart of what we do! A huge thank you to the inspiring guests and our wonderful student representatives who made the evening unforgettable. Looking forward to 𝗠𝗜𝗚 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱! We cannot wait to collaborate with you! Exciting news: we’re expanding! MIG will launch at the postgraduate level in June 2025 and at Monash Malaysia this November! 🎉 Hats off to everyone who’s been part of this incredible journey.

🧩 Sense of Belonging and Social Connection in Australia The report, "The Civic Health of Australia: A National Portrait in 30 Charts," developed by the Australian Leadership Index at Swinburne University of Technology and OurVoice, brings vital insights into how Australians feel connected to their communities and each other. Authored by Samuel Wilson, Eddie Kowalski, and Vlad Demsar, and powered by the Menzies Foundation, this report sheds light on the evolving sense of belonging and social connection across the nation. A strong sense of belonging and social connection forms the backbone of a thriving community. These elements of civic health highlight how we interact with others, trust our neighbours, and discuss important societal issues. This dimension also reveals people's willingness to help each other and connect across diverse backgrounds. Key Findings: 👉 Trust in the Community: The majority of Australians still trust the people around them, maintaining a strong foundation of social cohesion. 👉 Resilience Amidst Challenges: Despite recent global and local disruptions, Australians continue to foster positive interactions with individuals from different backgrounds. 👉 Growing Division: Almost half of Australians feel the country is more divided than ever. Two-thirds believe that society is losing its ability to have meaningful, constructive debates on contentious issues, risking increased polarisation. Building stronger connections, fostering trust, and promoting dialogue is essential to ensuring a united and resilient society. 📊 Access the full report: https://lnkd.in/gNF7NBCg 🎧 Listen to the podcast episode: https://lnkd.in/gAJ8THyz ____________________________________________________________________________ As the Menzies Foundation continues to work with our collaboration partners to strengthen the interconnected pillars of Community Narrative, Culture and Infrastructure, Capability, Governance and Capital, and Robust Democracy, this report provides a vital context for our ongoing efforts to support communities in reimagining their collective responsibilities and fostering a more engaged, resilient citizenry. ____________________________________________________________________________ #civichealth #civicengagement #publictrust #democracyinaction #australianleadership #leadershipforchange #socialcohesion

🗳️ Exploring Civic Engagement in Australia Civic awareness and engagement are vital indicators of a healthy democracy, influencing how individuals connect with societal issues, trust in government, and belief in their ability to shape political decisions. The report, "The Civic Health of Australia: A National Portrait in 30 Charts," developed by the Australian Leadership Index and OurVoice, highlights the significant decline in civic engagement across the nation. Authored by Samuel Wilson, Eddie Kowalski, and Vlad Demsar, and powered by the Menzies Foundation, the report underscores the urgency of addressing these challenges to strengthen our democratic fabric. Key Findings: 👉Distrust in Politics: Many Australians feel disengaged from politics, believing the current system doesn’t allow for meaningful participation. 👉Simpler Forms of Engagement: Australians often prefer signing petitions over more active participation, such as attending protests or marches. 👉Dissatisfaction with Democracy: There has been a significant decline in satisfaction with democracy, coupled with a steep drop in trust in politicians, political parties, and institutions, reinforcing a perception that governments serve self-interests over the public good. It's time to rebuild trust, encourage active civic engagement, and strengthen social cohesion to create a more resilient democracy. 📊 Access the full report: https://lnkd.in/gNF7NBCg 🎧 Access podcast: https://lnkd.in/gAJ8THyz ____________________________________________________________________________ As the Menzies Foundation continues to work with our collaboration partners to strengthen the interconnected pillars of Community Narrative, Culture and Infrastructure, Capability, Governance and Capital, and Robust Democracy, this report provides a vital context for our ongoing efforts to support communities in reimagining their collective responsibilities and fostering a more engaged, resilient citizenry. ____________________________________________________________________________ #civichealth #civicengagement #publictrust #democracyinaction #australianleadership #leadershipforchange #socialcohesion

Our tax and transfer system needs serious reform, across the board. We rely too much on taxing income from working people while they are trying to build a life, and tax wealth far too lightly. Labor must grasp the mettle and begin a serious conversation with the Australian people about wholesale tax reform in the next term of government. That conversation would become impossible if Labor was seen to allow the Greens to set tax policy from the crossbench. Executive Director, Emma Dawson, writes in The Age. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gyPweFCY

“AI has the potential to promote and enhance full and active public participation, equality, security, and human development.” - United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres' message on #DemocracyDay: https://lnkd.in/e5ipEedg

"This has been a longstanding issue and about five billion dollars a year in unpaid super is no joke. That's effectively a form of wage theft." Australians are missing out on billions of dollars in unpaid super and data shows one in four Australians aren't getting their legal entitlements. Emma Dawson joins Nadia Daly on the ABC's The World Today podcast: https://lnkd.in/g5-WiMcp

Nonviolence is a powerful, active, creative and generative form of resistance to violent systems. Every act of violence creates a more violent world. Nonviolence refuses to accept the self-perpetuating logic of the inevitability of violence, and demands of us that we cultivate space for peace-making. In this way, peace can be seen as on ongoing process, needing constant tending and renewal. Read more on this in my latest blog.

As a person without much civics knowledge I really dig this report - they took basically one chart each from 30 different studies and put them all together to paint a picture of the state of things 'civically speaking' and in particular, to situate Australia in a global context If you are equally "civic-what?" I'll say that by civic health we are talking about how people feel, learn about and take action on political, societal and local issues. So, incredibly relevant stuff. And what the report has to say is basically: 💀 democracy is in decline globally 📈 polarisation is growing 🤡 we don't trust our government, leaders or institutions 💔 participation and volunteering are declining.. etc. Pretty dire stuff. Most of this will not shock you, but (especially for people not working in this space) it's rare to see all of it brought together and laid out so clearly along with a concise Future section that does its best to turn challenge into opportunity. This paper is seriously worth a quick look.