Public Deliberation in the Context of Interest Advocacy

Abstract

In 2000, plans for the first state-wide citizens’ jury in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) were under way. This participatory process was part of a broader legislative inquiry examining the benefits and costs of introducing a deposit-refund recycling policy, known as Container Deposit Legislation (CDL). This is an issue that has been dominated by polarized interest group politics for over 30 years, and the citizens’ jury aimed to open up the debate to public deliberation. However, the idea of engaging everyday citizens in the complex and contested issue of CDL was resisted by interest groups and activists on both sides of the debate. Opponents of CDL such as the beverage and packaging industry were concerned that citizens would be not be swayed by their commercial arguments and would instead fall victim to ‘populist positions’. At the same time supporters of CDL such as environmental activists resisted handing over ‘their’ policy issue to a group of uncommitted citizens who had no interest or association with recycling or waste issues.