Strengthening political representation in an era of democratic change

Effective and informed political representation is crucial in modern democracy, but links between politicians and citizens are under strain as trust in politics declines. Using interviews and observations, this project will examine how newly elected Australian federal politicians learn and practise representation. Furthermore, a national and international audit will identify innovative ways politicians can engage with citizens, and inform programs and resources that support the representative work of politicians. Through stakeholder interaction and global collaboration, the project will develop significant knowledge on effective strategies to strengthen political representation, which will feed into initiatives to boost diversity and trust in democratic institutions. In addition to transforming our understanding of representation, findings will be used to develop new online resources for