Overview

The International Advisory Panel on Referendums is an organisation of academic and practical experts on referendum design and administration. Its objectives are to help governments and non-governmental organisations to design or advocate for referendums that enable both widespread popular participation and robust deliberation among voters. Specific areas of expertise include:

• substantive wording and design of referendum ballots
• information dissemination and deliberative democratic consultation during referendum campaigns, and
• administration of voting

Members of the Panel have advised governments and non-governmental organisations on referendums in places including:

• Cyprus (Cypriot Annan Plan referendums)
• Australia (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice)
• Autonomous Region of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea (secession referendum)
• New Caledonia, French-administered territory (secession referendum)

Fields of research

 Constitutional Law and Theory; Law, Governance and Development; Administrative Law

Project team

• Professor Ron Levy, ANU (convenor)
• Professor Asmi Wood, ANU
• Dr Leah Trueblood, University of Oxford
• Professor Matt Qvortrup, Coventry
• Associate Professor Silvia Suteu, University College London
• Professor Jeremy Farrall, ANU
• Bruno Kaufmann, Democracy International
• Dr Francesco Veri, University of Zurich and the University of Geneva 
• Associate Professor Moeen Cheema, ANU
• Assistant Professor Alice el-Wakil, University of Copenhagen
• Professor Graeme Orr, University of Queensland
• Dr Udit Bhatia, University of York
• Professor Ian O'Flynn, University of Newcastle, UK
• Associate Professor Mike Pal, University of Ottawa
• Professor Hoi Kong, University of British Columbia
• Dr Elissenda Casanas Adam, Edinburgh University
• Professor Stephen Tierney, Edinburgh University
• Dr Caroline Morris, University of London

Project start

January 2020

Project status

Active