Adapting and combining deliberative designs : juries, polls, and forums

Community consultation in Australia has been institutionalized through legislation, regulation, policy, and accepted practice; however, less-than-effective implementation has resulted in the unintended consequences of increasing cynicism and reducing trust in both communities and government agencies.With the growing momentum toward community engagement and deliberative democracy, there are already signs that some are repackaging traditional community consultation techniques to incorporate the language but none of the practices of deliberative, inclusive processes. This is a worrying trend that could easily undermine trust in the nascent movement. In our view, the key challenge is to use contentious and complex issues as opportunities to use (and adapt and combine) deliberative, inclusive processes. If we are to reverse the trend of civic disengagement, it will require a paradigm shift-a fundamental change in the way policymakers and policy experts consult with citizens. And making that change will involve continually innovating to find ways to optimize the degree of inclusiveness, deliberation, and influence in our processes.