Common Endeavour

A Common Endeavour

Political renewal

Common Endeavour is an aspiration for a new political party that shows leadership in governing and contributes to a flourishing democracy.

Common Endeavour is at heart about political renewal. It stems from the belief that political parties are important institutions in contemporary democracies but that our current, governing parties are failing to provide leadership in supporting democratic institutions, in policy development, and in good government. Common Endeavour aims to be an alternative party of government, working to revitalise democracy by reconnecting Australian communities with each other, with politics, and ultimately with their government.

Inspired in the first instance by Simone Weil’s work On the Abolition of All Political Parties and Ted Mack’s career as an elected representative at each level of government in Australia (summarised beautifully in his powerful 2013 Parkes Oration), the commitment of Common Endeavour is to foster a renewed political purpose that will deliver a political party that people can be proud to vote for.

To learn more, read about the ideas behind Common Endeavour or email us at Common Endeavour. You can also support this project by following us on Bluesky, LinkedIn or Instagram and by signing up to the Common Endeavour blog.

The ideas of Common Endeavour

Connecting and Connection

Connection is at the heart of Common Endeavour. Our connections are a vital part of who we are. Recognising how important connection is to our flourishing lets us harness the strengths of connection and face the challenges and pitfalls that can come with connection.

Connection simultaneously recognises our individual autonomy and our interdependence and provides a powerful foundation on which to build an organisation that fosters purposeful and productive self-governance.

Nation Building and the Common Good are two concrete expressions of connection in a political context. They are important ideas for the work, and workings, of Common Endeavour.

Connection in Practice

Nation Building

Political stagnation over the past 30 years has led to differences and divisions being amplified. This makes Nation Building — emphasising our common interests — fundamental to political renewal.

Important nation building activities include: Tax reform, Strengthening engagement and respect for Australia's First Nations peoples, Energy security, secure Housing, and tackling Intergenerational trauma. These activities guide Common Endeavour's policy focus.

the Common Good

the Common Good is what happens when we value and take seriously our relationships with each other. The result can be a physical object (a memorial pool), a service (aged care), or an institution (our legal system).

the Common Good is defined at the community level; your town or neighbourhood, your state, your nation, or anything in between. Recognising and fostering the Common Good is central to the purpose of Common Endeavour.

You can see what we’re writing about these ideas at the Common Endeavour journal. Read more about Connection and sign up for new posts there!

Common Endeavour

Next Steps

What our politics needs — integrity, engagement, care, equity, competence — is well understood. Embedding these values in a new party of government is a big task; it will require our best efforts.

We are currently conducting a series of informal small group conversations that we call “The pub test” where we explore how to be the party we aspire to be. Our first conversation topic is: Creating trusted space(s) for common sense in political discourse.

(If you’d like to join one of our Pub Test conversations let us know on one of the channels at the bottom of this page!)

To learn more about what’s important to Common Endeavour, check out our Motivating Ideas page or head over to the Common Endeavour journal where we explore the ideas at the heart of Common Endeavour — Connection, Nation Building, and the Common Good — in more depth. While you’re there, you can also sign up for new posts and our newsletter “Not Unrelated” so you see what's on the Common Endeavour radar.

You can also support Common Endeavour by joining the conversation at our socials channels below.

Let’s start something incredible — something we can be proud of — political renewal that makes a difference.

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Acknowledgement of Country

Common Endeavour acknowledges that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the First Peoples of Australia.

We recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture.

We pay respect to Elders past and present.

Common Endeavour was inspired by life in Kambuwal, Yuggera and Ugarapul Country. The Common Endeavour project is currently based on that Country and in Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country.

We cherish the privilege of living in this extraordinary, beautiful land of mountains and plains; of forests and deserts; of waterways and lakes and seas; tended for so long with such care by Australia's First Nations people.

Photo Credits

All of the images in these pages are original pictures of Australian First Nations Country.