e‑Democracy in Australia: the Challenge of Evolving a Successful Model

Abstract

This paper examines the current status of e‑democracy initiatives in Australia and considers the factors that might contribute to the evolution of a successful model of e‑democracy in the Australian context. In particular, it examines whether any analogies can be drawn from the world of e‑business which has transitioned from an over‑hyped boom and then bust in the early years into a steadier and sustained growth in more recent times. The paper concludes that, despite some valiant efforts by e‑democracy enthusiasts, we have yet to hit on an e‑ democracy model that truly engages the Australian populace. Nevertheless, the analogy from e‑business suggests that, given the right model(s) and the right environment, it can still be possible to deliver real benefits via e‑democracy.