Representing the disadvantaged in Australian politics: the role of advocacy organisations

Abstract

In recent years, there has been debate and criticism over the influence that non-government organisations may have on public policy decisions. Bronwen Dalton and Mark Lyons assess the roles of NGOs, looking both at their external impacts through public participation and involvement in policy processes, and also at NGOs\u27 internal structures that provide varying degrees of democratic participation for their members. Representatives of a selected number of NGOs were interviewed for the report