A campaign for real accountability in the ACT

Our system is broken. We can be bold and brave, and design a new one.

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The problem

One Assembly. Every job. No separation.

We're Canberra — the only self-governing city-state in Australia. One Legislative Assembly acts as our parliament, our city council, and the entire pool our executive is drawn from. We think that dilutes accountability, and it's time for a genuine review of the system.

The hard-to-argue-with fact

Canberra is the only jurisdiction in Australia where one Assembly is the parliament, the council, and the executive — all at once.

Today vs. our proposal

A broken model, and a broad-tent fix.

Right now

  • A very small group decides the government, makes the laws, and runs the city — all at the same time.
  • The same party has run Canberra for 25 years, and most people agree that's not great for accountability.
  • Taxes and rates are climbing while services are declining, and our ballooning debt is unsustainable.

Our proposal

  • A genuine, independent review of the broken system — real separation between who governs, who legislates, and who runs our departments.
  • Options should include a directly elected First Minister, who's accountable to the people, not factions or back-room deals.
  • Tap into the skills and talents of Canberrans to build a world-class government for our world-class city.

Our petition asks for a genuine review — not one fixed model — so Canberrans backing different solutions can all stand together on this.

Join the movement

Add your name and stand with us.

We believe Canberrans deserve a real say in how our city is governed. We're calling for a genuine, independent review of the ACT's self-government model, including whether our Chief Minister should be elected directly by voters, so our city gets the accountability and the choice every other Australian takes for granted.

Coming soon

Our CBR, Our Choice: Town Hall

We're bringing Canberrans together for a community conversation on our city's future. Add your name above and we'll let you know the date and location the moment it's locked in.

Sign the Petition