Australian Progress

Democracy to Autocracy is a sliding scale. In 2026 there are only 6 Liberal Democracies remaining (Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Uruguay and Chile) after the United States, Canada and all of Europe have been downgraded over the past 10 years as they’ve slid to the less free Electoral Democracy category and the U.S. is slated to slide again to a Democratic Grey Zone by the 2026 Midterms and potentially an Autocratic Grey Zone. Those 6 countries which are still classed as the most democratic countries, of which Australia is still one, need more than ever to be vigilant about maintaining their institutions which enable their citizens freedoms and the integrity of their governance.

What are the global challenges for feminism? What is giving activists hope? What can we learn from feminists from around the world? Join us for a community evening unpacking key insights and reflections from local feminist advocates who recently attended Women Deliver — the world's biggest feminist conference. Hear stories, strategies and lessons from around the globe, then join the conversation about what they mean for us locally. Come for the politics, stay for the community: dinner, drinks, music and connection provided. No prior knowledge needed. Whether you're deeply involved in activism or just curious about the world around you, you are welcome. RSVPs via the link in our bio.

Join us next Tuesday 19 May for our Research Skills Webinar Whether you're analysing political landscapes, shaping persuasive narratives or refining political strategy, this webinar will equip you with the practical tools to cut through the noise! Register: .au/events/research-skills

Join us for a special community screening of JIMPA at Impact Story Lab Sydney (@digital.storytellers ) on Wednesday May 13! As she works on a film about her family, Hannah (Olivia Colman) is forced to reckon with the past when her trans non-binary teenager (Aud Mason-Hyde) declares they want to move abroad to live with their gay grandfather, “Jimpa” (John Lithgow). The film is the most wonderful celebration of queer and trans joy, relationships and the complexity of our lives. Come watch with us and help raise money for the amazing work of Trans Justice Project! WHEN Wednesday May 13 5pm - Community dinner 6.15pm - Jimpa screening 8.15pm - In-person panel discussion on joy, pride and activism featuring Kate Clugston (Australian Progress), Jackie Turner (Trans Justice Project) and Em Scott (Rainbow Giving). 9.30pm - Live, virtual Q&A with Jimpa film-maker Sophie Hyde and actors Olivia Coleman, Kate Box and Aud Mason-Hyde WHERE Gadigal Land Impact Story Lab Sydney Level 2, 101-111 William Street, Darlinghurst NSW ACCESSIBILITY The venue has stair-free access (lifts) to the second floor It's a 10-15min walk from Town Hall or Kings Cross station Metered street parking is available SUGGESTED DRESS CODE Queer joy / rainbow / come as you are. TICKETS Link (also in our bio): /jimpa-screening-and-fundraiser-for-trans-justice-project Please help us spread the word - and bring a friend from a different generation!

Conferences can be so overwhelming, but this is proof they don’t *have* to be! Thanks for having us @ausprogress PS: Should we make the ASMR break a regular thing? 👀 VD: video montage behind the scenes at conference “Progress 2026” at an expansive venue in Melbournes city. Tibi staff wearing purple vests wave and smile to camera, followed by a quick video tour of a sensory friendly space. Text overlay reads “come set up a (conference) sensory space with us!” #AccessibilityMatters #SensoryFriendly

Activism Under Pressure: 10 Creative Practices from Hungary & Serbia #progress2026 #hungary #serbia #activism

Progress 2026 recap featuring just some of the wisdom from our friends at @commonthreadsau @jewishcouncil and @maxinebeneba @wilstracke #Progress2026 ✊️

Two weeks ago I went to the Progress 2026 conference. I learnt a lot, made connections in the progressive movement, and I feel a little more energised and hopeful, despite the state of things going on in the world *gestures wildly*. As with all events like these, my favourite part was seeing people I know and love. Some people I’d met for the first time, and some I’ve been friends and colleagues with online and IRL for years. Here’s who I hung out with on day 1: Jasmin - @babeswithmobilityaids : Jasmin participated in my Frocktober team last year. She does great work around disability representation. Sisonke Msimang: Sisonke is a South African writer and activist who lives in Boorloo/Perth. We got to witness her incredibly powerful closing keynote “I picked up a bomb and handed it to police” on day 2. Search for it on Sisonke’s Substack. Meriki Onus and Ruth De Souza - @vote1_meriki_onus and @desouzarn : Indigenous organiser Meriki is running in the Victorian Treaty election right now. Ruth does great work in the diversity and healthcare spaces. Melissa - @artistaffame : Melissa and I first connected on Twitter. She’s an artist and anti poverty campaigner. Jason Boberg - @jgboberg : disability and climate campaigner from Aotearoa/New Zealand. Jason leads @activateagency_ . Another longtime Twitter connection. Emma Bacon - @swelteringcities : Emma’s work at Sweltering Cities was so relevant to me. Temperature affects disabled people disproportionately, but it’s not often considered in accessibility conversations Kera Sherwood-O’Regan - @keraoregan : Kera works with Activate Agency and Disabled People’s Assembly in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Jason, Emma and Kera spoke on a really interesting panel about disability and climate emergency, which I am so interested in. I hope to work with them in future. Jean Hinchcliffe and Mohamed Alharbi - @jeanlola.h : Jean is a young climate activist, and Mohamed worked on Zohran Mandani’s NYC Mayoral Campaign. Wil Stracke - @wilstracke : Lesbian, Unionist, Feminist icon. David Belcher, Ainslie Whitburn, Jasmin and Allara - @david_belcher @ainswhitburn @allara___ : great disability activists. 🩵💗

what will it take for our movements to act in solidarity with disabled people? what will it take for us to practice care for each other first and foremost? we can’t build class solidarity without dismantling ableism and white supremacy and all other systems of oppression, but we can’t dismantle those systems without people. and we don’t build a base of people without practicing care and making sure those people can survive. (and i know it’s corny, but i couldn’t speak in Australia without quoting @crowdedhousehq 🤷🏻‍♂️)

Happily gave March all my spoons. 🌻

This time last week, over 2,000 campaigners, organisers and change-makers were in Naarm for Progress 2026, a two-day social change conference by @ausprogress . Each day saw opportunities for networks and movements to meet or reunite, strengthen relationships and learn from one another. Plenary sessions brought us together in the main conference hall to hear from experts across various fields. During an Opening Plenary, Democracy in Colour’s National Director Noura Mansour (@noura.akka ) provided a keynote speech about the global movement for Palestinian justice, and how Palestine connects to First Nations justice and liberation struggles across the world. When plenaries were complete, breakout sessions began — numerous workshops, panels and activities delving into campaign strategies, policy development, social movements and lived experiences. During one of these breakouts, Democracy in Colour led a panel named ‘Moving Beyond Diversity Buzzwords to Actionable Anti-Racism’, featuring Jordy Silverstein, Rand Khatib, Will Potter and Rita Jabri Markwell. Moderated by Noura, this panel provided insights about where racism intersects with policy, and strategies for combatting it, including First Nations solidarity, the BDS Campaign, the Human Rights act, and vigilant political awareness to combat propaganda. Beyond the program, during breaks for food and rest (including free ice cream!) conversations continued to flourish. We also spotted many familiar faces, including our growing DeCo network of young POC thriving in their own workplaces. And though we are now one week out from Progress 2026, the collaborations, ideas and knowledge gained during these two days persist. Our deepest thanks to the First Nations leaders for sharing this space and their wisdom, the Australian Progress team for their incredible organising, and all in attendance for the generosity of knowledge, skills, open-minds and hope for the work we have embarked on, together.

We’re still young, but Progress felt like a real step forward! A little glimpse of what it looks like to step into bigger rooms and bring you (and our new t-shirts!) with us. #progress2026 #socialchange #youngleaders #communitybuilding #change