Rebuilding Trust in Democratic Institutions: A Convening Approach

A Crisis of Trust

Trust in Australian democratic institutions has been declining for decades. According to recent surveys:

• Only 26% of Australians trust the federal government to do the right thing
• Trust in media has fallen to historic lows
• Satisfaction with democracy itself is declining, particularly among young people

This is not just a political problem, it is an existential threat to our capacity for collective action.

Understanding the Decline

The erosion of trust has multiple causes:

• Perceived failures: of institutions to address major challenges
• Scandals and misconduct: that confirm cynical expectations
• Filter bubbles: that reinforce negative views
• Complexity: that makes institutional processes seem opaque
• Distance: between citizens and decision-makers

Why Traditional Responses Fail

Institutions typically respond to declining trust with better communications, more transparency, more engagement, more consultation. But these responses often backfire:

1. Consultation fatigue: People tire of being asked for input that seems to change nothing
2. Transparency paradox: More information can actually increase distrust when it reveals dysfunction
3. Engagement theatre: Participation without power breeds cynicism

A Different Approach: Convening for Trust

At Eidos, we have found that trust is rebuilt not through better communications, but through better relationships. Our approach focuses on:

Creating genuine encounter

Trust is built person to person. When citizens meet public servants, politicians, and journalists as human beings rather than abstractions, perceptions shift.

Enabling voice and agency

People trust institutions more when they have real influence over decisions. We design processes where citizen input genuinely shapes outcomes.

Building understanding of complexity

Trust often declines when people see institutions as either incompetent or malicious. Direct engagement reveals the genuine constraints and trade-offs that public servants navigate.

What We Have Seen Work

In convenings where we brought together citizens and officials:

• Citizens developed more nuanced views: of institutional constraints and capabilities
• Officials developed deeper appreciation: for citizen perspectives and concerns
• Both groups found common ground: they had not expected
• Specific reforms emerged: from collaborative problem-solving

The Limits of Convening

We do not claim that convening alone can solve the trust crisis. Institutions must also:

• Actually perform better on issues citizens care about
• Hold bad actors accountable
• Follow through on commitments made in engagement processes

But convening creates conditions where these changes become more likely, by building relationships, generating ideas, and creating pressure for accountability.

A Path Forward

Rebuilding trust in democratic institutions is a generational project. It requires:

1. Sustained investment: in relationship-building between citizens and institutions
2. Genuine power-sharing: that gives citizens real influence
3. Institutional reform: informed by citizen input
4. New models of media: that facilitate understanding rather than division

At Eidos, we are committed to developing and testing these models. Because democracy only works when enough people believe it works.