Settlement Guide: Having a say in Australia is part of the democratic process

All Australians have the right to participate as active citizens in shaping the society we live in. However, due to past traumatic experiences some new migrants maybe fearful of speaking up in public and do not know how our democratic processes work. Australia has a 200 year history of civic participation. Sydney University professor, Murray Print says Australians are used to having input into the decisions that impact on their daily lives without fear of punishment.