Hands On Democracy

With over 10 years experience working and volunteering with young people, Daniel's mission is to empower the next generation with skills and experiences to make their world better.

Daniel has been a facilitator at the National Leadership Forum, National Leadership Camp and Mitchell Youth Leadership Forum, as well as Rotary youth programs.

Previously, he was a champion university debater and co-founded Speaking Schools Australasia and helped established the Pathfinder study mentoring program at Art of Smart Education. He serves on the board of the Rotary Club of Beecroft.

Young Australians are the least engaged in their democracy.

One 2020 poll found that large majorities of young Australians (18-29 years) could not name a politician who had a positive impact that year (67 per cent) or any political achievement (58 per cent).[1] These responses significantly underperformed Australians over 50 years, which reached 39 per cent and 43 per cent respectively.

Voter turnout in the 2019 federal election fell to the lowest level since compulsory voting was introduced in the 1920s.[2] The main factor was low turnout in the youngest electorates, including the seats of Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide. In several seats, the missing voters could have altered the result.

In the most recent national civics and citizenship assessment, conducted by the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority in 2019, just 38 per cent of Year 10 students demonstrated a proficient level of knowledge across topics including democracy and Australia’s system of government, citizens’ rights and legal obligations, and national values.[3]