Citizens Jury Fact Sheet

1. What is a Citizens Jury?

A citizens jury is a group of randomly selected people who come together as a group to be briefed
on an issue and to make recommendations. A citizens jury aims to involve the wider community in
the decision making process of an organisation or government. Citizens juries are usually
convened to consider one issue over a brief period of time and are then disbanded.
2. Why do we need a Citizens Jury? Dont we pay the Councillors to do this as part of their
role?
The City is facing a number of challenges such as rate-capping and a reduction in State and
Federal funding for service provision. As the City nears Council elections in October (and
potentially new Councillors) and the prospect of developing a new Council Plan (a four year
strategic document for Council), now is a critical time to ensure the community has a say in the
future direction of Council. The City wants to hear from a group that represents Bendigo residents
(including location, gender, age and income) to make sure that it continues to provide the right
services into the future.
3. What is the cost of the project and who is paying for it?
The project cost is $89,000. Council is paying for the project.
4. Who is running the program?
newDemocracy Foundation has been engaged by Council to run the Citizens Jury. newDemocracy
is an independent not-for-profit research organisation with a particular focus on best practice
citizen engagement and innovations in democratic structures. The jury sessions will be conducted
by an independent facilitator alongside representatives of newDemocracy. (more information on
their website www.newdemocracy.com.au)
5. How do I contact them?
Contact newDemocracy on 0467 066 185 or email projecthelp@newdemocracy.com.au. All queries
are to be directed to newDemocracy. newDemocracy is convening the jury on behalf of Council
and is best placed to answer your questions about the process and how the community can be
involved. Councils role is to facilitate the support the jury through provision of information and
documentation requested and to provide meeting venues, catering and other logistical support.
6. How will the Jury be selected / how can I be involved?
The jury will be randomly selected. Around 3,000 hard copy invitations will be sent out to random
Greater Bendigo addresses inviting those who receive them to register if they are interested in
participating. From those who register, a further random selection is made to select 24 jury
participants who broadly represent the overall Greater Bendigo population in terms of gender,
location, income and age.
7. Why wasnt I invited to participate?
The random selection was taken from the 55,000 properties on our properties database. This
means there is a 1 in 18 chance of your household receiving an invitation from the random
selection of 3,000.
8. Is it a voluntary role / are they paid positions?
Jury members will be invited to participate by random invitation and selection. Participants have to
register their interest in participating. At the conclusion of the jury, a one off payment of $400 will be

made to jurors recognise their time and commitment to this process. Meals will be provided at the
Citizens Jury meetings.
9. Can the community advocate to Jury members?
All jury sessions are open to the public. Community members not on the jury can make a
submission to be heard by the jury. Submissions must be made in writing and submitted to new
Democracy Foundation. More information on how this can be done will be publicised by Council
shortly.
10. Are the Jury members details public information? Where can I find them?
No. newDemocracy will not provide any juror contact information.
11. What types of things will the Jury consider?
The Jury will consider the following question which was arrived at by councillors in a workshop with
newDemocracy: What should Council spend our money on to shape the communitys future?
12. How can I stay up to date with the Jury?
Attend jury sessions and see information published on www.bendigo.vic.gov.au/citizensjury or
www.newdemocracy.com.au/our-work
13. What happens with the recommendations from the Jury?
The jury will present its report to the Council at the end of the jury session process (September).
The unedited recommendations of the jury will be published by Council with a response to the
recommendations given in person by the incoming Mayor and Councillors, with a detailed written
response provided by March 2017. It is the intention of Council to implement as many of the Jurys
recommendations as possible - however the final decision rests with the Mayor and Councillors.
14. How can I trust that the process isnt just pushing Councils agenda?
The newDemocracy Foundation is a not-for-profit research group, with a particular focus on best
practice citizen engagement and innovations in democratic structures. newDemocarcy are not a
think tank and hold no policy views. newDemocracys methodology is to operate jury-style process
to enable a representative section of the community to deliberate and find a consensus response.
By combining the three elements of random selection, the provision of time and access to all
information and independently facilitated forums for dialogue, a much more robust and publicly
trusted outcome can be obtained which can assist Council in achieving public acceptance of hard
tradeoffs.
15. What if a City employee receives an invitation?
One in 100 of the Citys population work at the Council .It is possible that some staff members (and
members of their family) will receive an invitation. Staff members in a management or decisionmaking position have been advised to discuss this with their Director or Manager if they receive an
invitation.
16. How will the sessions operate?
The jury sessions are being conducted by an independent facilitator alongside representatives of
newDemocracy. All sessions will be open to the public.
17. How many sessions are there?
There are six jury sessions: July 9, July 28, August 11, August 25, September 10 and September
22. Some of these sessions will be held on a Saturday and others in the evening during the week.
18. Im involved in a local community group, so how can we find out more or get involved?

There are various ways local organisations can be involved and stay up to date with the Citizens
Jury. The newDemocracy Foundation is holding information sessions to provide local groups with
an overview of how the Citizens Jury will be selected, how they will operate and how you can be
involved, including through the provision of submissions, presentations and nomination of expert
speakers. The sessions are being held on:

1.30pm-3.00pm Thursday 2 June: Information session for government agencies and

departments (to address areas of existing cross-governmental collaboration and
responsibility)

3.30pm-5.00pm Thursday 2 June: Information session for community, sporting and

other local organisations (option 1)

6.30pm-8.00pm Thursday 2 June: Information session for community, sporting and

other local organisations (option 2)
The City of Greater Bendigo is managing RSVPs on behalf of newDemocracy Foundation. To
register to attend a session, please email jury@bendigo.vic.gov.au.
18. Does Council have to act on the jurys recommendations?
It is the intention of Council to implement as many of the Jurys recommendations as possible however the final decision rests with the elected Mayor and Councillors