A Democracy Napkin for All

Team Name

Spatial Snags

Team Members

Project Description

The DEMOCRACY SAUSAGE, a cornerstone of Australian politics, voted as 2016's word of the year. I think there's an option to provide civic education alongside our humble snags and improve our options to make them for all Australian Citizens.

This project explores how to improve inclusion and access to information through hacking the Democracy Sausage - the first experience of Australian democracy for many. Developing community connection and engagement through encoding the game chatterbox and civic knowledge data (Parliamentary Education Office) onto the napkins used to serve the democracy sausage. Strengthening a sense of belonging through improving sausage options for different dietary needs and cultures, broadening the reach of the napkins to a wider scope of the Australian demographic. Combined these approaches should help new citizens to fully engage, support and integrate into our communities.

Encoding civic knowledge data and games from the Parliamentary Education Office onto the napkins

The layout for adapting key civics information into the format of the sausage napkin was identified. The Parliamentary Education Office provides a range of Education Resources that were then explored and adapted. Notably the game chatterbox and interactive posters. I think adapting these resources that distill key parts of our Australian democracy into understandable chunks can put them in the hands of the many that enjoy a democracy sausage.

Australians are increasingly consuming news on social media and other online platforms, where false narratives and misinformation can proliferate. We're also in an age of AI hype, where its accelerated proliferation is eroding our trust and ability to pay attention to data dense information. Encoding this information on a napkin can help to protect its corruption via printing on physical media and narrow down key information into 'bite-sized' chunks that can be used to spark conversations, improve accessibility and inclusion.

APSC Trust and Satisfaction in Australian Democracy survey report indicates that medium-sized enterprises and Non-profit organisations are the most trusted in Australia, these organizations are often the ones delivering sausages on election day or fundraising throughout the year. I think the government could provide free napkins to any and all community organizations looking to run a sausage sizzle or after election day. Giving us access to free and easy to understand information on Australian Civics.

Strengthening a sense of belonging through improving sausage options

Citizenship statistics provided by home affairs states the largest number of new citizens are from India (2023-2034). Our religions affiliations are also changing as stated by the Australian Bureau of Statistics with 40% of recent migrants being of religions other than Christianity. Some of these religions have different cultural norms, in Hinduism cows are considered sacred animals and most Hindus do not eat beef as a result. While for most Muslims the Qurʾān states that the consumption of pork is not allowed, as it is considered impure.

I recently moved to Australia from New Zealand (Since being born in Melbourne). I remember waiting in line with my grandma to vote on a cold Saturday morning with the promise of a snag. Yet, there were none - we had to supply our own from the local Coles. Conversations with colleagues prior had made me excited for this core experience of Australian democracy. Unfortunately, both myself and many other Australian citizens engaging with democratic services for the first time have similar experiences.

Beef and pork are the standard democracy sausage in Australia. Democracysausage.org collates data on sausage availability per election, also indicating the proportion of foods offered. Consistently halal foods are ranked lowest with only 5.4% of stalls offering vego or halal options in WA. For democracy to be inclusive for new citizens, we should have democracy sausage options that reflect the dietary needs of our citizens.

Summary

While this seemed like a silly project at first, based on data I've adapted, collated and reviewed. I think this project could actually be a really exciting way to bring together people from all backgrounds. Supporting a core part to many, of Australian democracy - the democracy sausage - in a cost of living crisis. Combined these approaches can help New Citizens to fully engage, support and integrate into our communities and make civics knowledge more accessible to all, through a napkin.

Data Story

There are two core aspects to this project accessibility and dissemination. They were approached in quite different ways

Accessibility:
Democracysausage.org collates data on sausage availability per election, also indicating the proportion of foods offered. Consistently halal foods are ranked lowest. Yet, citizenship statistics provided by home affairs indicates the largest nationality of new Australian Citizens are from India (2023-2034).

I collected a range of data sources to understand the context of our changing interest such as beef consumption by country and religious affiliation in Australia. While also gaining insight on the tradition and composition of our common Snag intake. For democracy to be inclusive for new citizens, we should have democracy sausage options that reflect the dietary needs of our citizens.

Dissemination:

While offering more options for sausages, whether its cake, pizza, vegetarian or chicken. All of these foods are delivered with a napkin - its a cultural norm.

With a range of key information on the civic rights of Australian citizens printed on the front and back. I've adapted information provided by the Parliament of Education to this purpose.

I also read through the PLaiN Language Guidelines, and with more time I think I could extend this dataset to include sausage napkins.

The Electorial Matter report, Civics and Citizenship Education Hub and APSC Trust and Satisfaction in Australian Democracy survey report were all useful for providing insight on where to focus my efforts and gave grounding on the importance and potential success of this project.