Democracy reimagined: rebuilding trust.

Can trust in politics be rebuilt? A new online citizens’ assembly model offers a real pathway forward – an exciting experiment in citizen-powered democracy, combining people power with the smart use of AI.

As Australians approach another federal election, a deeper issue continues to erode the democratic landscape: trust. According to Eddie Kowalski, founder of a new initiative exploring digital citizen assemblies, just one in five Australians believe politicians act in the public interest, and only one in four believe government prioritises the public over vested interests.

Kowalski, who joined The Sustainable Hour podcast recently, warns that this breakdown in trust is not just an abstract concern. “It’s evidence that our representative system is failing to address the key policy challenges of our time – climate change, cost of living, inequality,” he said.

In response, Kowalski and a growing group of collaborators have launched an online citizens’ assembly, drawing inspiration from both modern civic technology and ancient democratic practices. Their goal? To create a regular, inclusive and scalable platform for civic dialogue – one where everyday Australians can participate in informed policy conversations, not just once every few years at the ballot box.

Unlike traditional citizens’ assemblies that handpick a demographically balanced group of 100 to 200 people, this online model is open to all Australians. “We’re going back to the original idea of democracy,” Kowalski explained, referencing how Ancient Greeks held open forums (ecclesias) where any citizen could participate. “That’s the kind of civic engagement we need to restore trust.”

Powered by technology, rooted in participation
Using deliberative democracy tools developed at Stanford University, participants are grouped into small breakout discussions via an easy-to-use online interface. Conversations are guided by structured prompts and transcribed in real time, with AI technology aggregating sentiment and insights across thousands of participants.

The initiative’s first national event is scheduled around 23–29 April 2025, just days before the federal election. It will focus on a timely and contentious issue: the Coalition’s proposal to introduce nuclear power into Australia’s energy mix.

“We’re not here to promote one side or another,” Kowalski emphasised. “Our role is to facilitate dialogue, compile the feedback, and share it transparently – with the media, elected officials, and the public.”

The potential impact is significant. Taiwan, a global leader in civic participation, boosted trust in government from 20 per cent to 70 per cent in just seven years by using similar methods. And during COVID, the country not only avoided mass lockdowns but also grew its GDP – proof, says Kowalski, that smarter policy happens when citizens are engaged.

A deeper diagnosis: what’s broken in our system?
But why is this kind of innovation needed now? Kowalski points to a deeper, systemic issue – one rooted in the failures of representative democracy. “It has failed to respond to people’s views of how to manage the economy and has failed to meet expectations on issues like climate change,” he said.

Research by Professors Martin Gilens and Benjamin Page, published by Princeton University in 2014, analysed more than 20 years of political data and nearly 2,000 policy decisions in the United States. Their conclusion? Average citizens have “a near-zero, statistically non-significant impact upon public policy”, while economic elites and business groups wield disproportionate influence. It’s a sobering realisation – that the democratic institutions we rely on may no longer reflect the will of the people.

This distortion is made worse by growing inequality. Oxfam has documented how the number of billionaires holding as much wealth as the bottom half of the world’s population has shrunk dramatically – from 388 in 2010 to just 26 in 2019. With wealth comes access, and with access comes political influence, further skewing policy outcomes away from the public interest.

“When left unaddressed,” Kowalski explained, “this pain and suffering among the majority creates the perfect conditions for far-right ideologies to gain traction – scapegoating migrants, outsiders and ‘others’ for systemic failures in redistribution.” He referenced a 2025 Economist report showing that support for far-right parties in Europe now exceeds levels seen in the 1930s.

Lessons from early human societies
Part of the problem, Kowalski believes, lies in how we’ve allowed decision-making to become concentrated and disconnected. “Hunter-gatherer societies had strong mechanisms for constraining alpha behaviour,” he said. “They fiercely guarded decision-making to ensure no one person could dominate. That’s what made humans different from other primates like chimpanzees.”

Drawing on the insights from Hierarchy in the Forest, he argues that what we now call democracy originally emerged as a way of resisting authoritarian dominance – not institutionalising it. But modern systems have strayed far from that principle.

“Being elected shouldn’t give someone the right to rule. Leadership should be about facilitating transparent processes, not commanding obedience,” he said. “We need to reimagine leadership itself – and strengthen feedback loops between the public and those in power.”

The mental health cost of inequality
This systemic imbalance doesn’t only affect policy – it also damages mental health and social cohesion. Drawing from research in The Spirit Level, Kowalski noted that more unequal societies suffer higher rates of depression, addiction, incarceration, crime and even teenage pregnancy. “Even the wealthy fare better in more equal societies,” he said. “So what level of inequality is acceptable? Five times? Ten times? A million? That’s something we should be debating as a global community.”

He warns that excessive inequality inevitably begins to corrupt democracy itself. “It’s like a vessel under pressure. Eventually it leaks. And today, we’re leaking badly. Despite decades of polling showing public support for climate action, we’ve failed the most important policy test of our time.”

Rethinking systems, not just politics
Kowalski also sees a problem with the systems driving corporate behaviour. “The modern corporation,” he said, “functions like a psychopath. It’s legally required to prioritise profit above all else, even at the expense of long-term human and planetary wellbeing.” This is detailed in The Corporation: The Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power, which argues that performance metrics often suppress employees’ own moral judgment in favour of profit-maximising outcomes.

“Our interest-based monetary system also accelerates short-term thinking,” he added. “The higher the interest rate, the less valuable the future becomes in financial decisions. Long-term wellbeing – especially of future generations – simply isn’t on the balance sheet.”

Without structural changes, regulation becomes the only tool left – but it’s costly, and too often captured by those with the most lobbying power.

Building something better – together
Kowalski doesn’t pretend this is simple to fix. “This is complex,” he said. “But we need to start by reclaiming our ability to shape policy. That’s why we’re building this online assembly process – not just to protest what’s broken, but to prototype what’s possible.”

Looking ahead, the team envisions scaling the model – possibly with monthly national discussions, and even within individual electorates or at state levels. But to get there, they’ll need support. “We need philanthropy, we need community donations, we need people to sign up. Ultimately, we’d love to see this become part of a new civic infrastructure.”

Kowalski’s mission isn’t to write a book. It’s to work on solutions – and now, with AI and citizen-powered platforms, he believes the time is right.

“We have the chance to live in abundance on a healthy planet. And we can only get there if we all have a voice in the decisions that shape our future.”
~ Eddie Kowalski

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How to take part
To join this exciting experiment in citizen-powered democracy:

• Sign up at www.crossroadsconversation.com.au
• Select a date for your small-group deliberation
• Join this national assembly on 23, 24 or 26 April 2025, as well as the plenary on 29 April

Participation is open to everyone. No prerequisites. Just bring your voice, your curiosity – and your conviction.