Australians can be rightly proud of the robust democracy we’ve established in a relatively short time, but we shouldn’t forget that the democratic freedoms and institutions we enjoy were won through people standing together to speak up about issues that they care about. And we cannot be complacent. As governments can bestow rights, equally they can take them away.

Safeguarding Democracy contains recommendations to reverse the worrying trend of our rights sliding backwards. In this election year, our elected representatives need to recommit to the vital preconditions to the health of our democracy – transparent government, free press, a strong civil society and the rule of law. It’s time to safeguard our democracy.