As the 48th Australian Parliament opens this week following the 2025 federal election, Catholic Social Services Australia (CSSA) highlighted three important principles from Catholic Social Teaching that could enhance our parliamentary democracy.
CSSA CEO Dr Jerry Nockles said that while Catholic Social Teaching offers a rich and comprehensive framework for devising public policy, the principles of human dignity, the common good and the preferential option for the poor are particularly relevant to the challenges facing the current parliament.
‘Catholic Social Teaching offers a wealth of wisdom for our political process that transcends partisan divides,’ Dr Nockles said. ‘These principles have guided social progress for over a century.’
Democracy thrives when we recognise the divine spark in every person, including our political opponents ... The measure of a healthy democracy isn’t the absence of disagreement; it’s how we disagree while still honouring each other’s fundamental dignity.
Dr Nockles outlined these principles, beginning with the foundational concept of human dignity:
‘Democracy thrives when we recognise the divine spark in every person, including our political opponents,’ Dr Nockles said. ‘When parliamentarians attack each other’s character rather than engaging with ideas, they do not just damage their opponents; they fracture the very covenant of trust upon which our democracy stands.’
He warned that the growing normalisation of contempt in political discourse threatens Australia’s democratic foundations.
‘We have witnessed an alarming shift from robust debate to personal denigration. Each time we treat an opponent as merely an obstruction rather than a person of inherent worth, we erode public faith in our institutions,’ he said.
‘The measure of a healthy democracy isn’t the absence of disagreement; it’s how we disagree while still honouring each other’s fundamental dignity.
No political party holds a monopoly on compassion, and the pursuit of the common good requires looking beyond short-term political advantages.
‘Second, our parliament must prioritise the common good over sectional interests,’ he said. ‘For too long, our policies have been shaped by focus groups and polls, resulting in fragmented approaches that fail to serve our nation as a whole. No political party holds a monopoly on compassion, and the pursuit of the common good requires looking beyond short-term political advantages.’
‘Third, parliamentary deliberations must always consider a preferential option for the poor,’ Dr Nockles emphasised.
‘This means ensuring that Australia’s most disadvantaged aren’t left behind. Climate change presents a profound moral challenge in this regard. The world’s poorest communities already bear the most devastating impacts of our changing climate,’ he pointed out. ‘Australia’s most vulnerable citizens cannot be expected to shoulder the heaviest burden of our emission-reduction policies. This creates a double bind that demands thoughtful, balanced solutions from our parliamentarians.’
Dr Nockles called for a more collaborative approach to addressing national challenges, noting that effective governance requires input from across society.
The cost of political gridlock is measured in missed opportunities and human suffering.
‘We need to move beyond our current adversarial approaches. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley and Greens leader Larissa Waters must recognise that pursuing the common good requires the collaborative effort of government, civil society and business,’ he said. ‘The cost of political gridlock is measured in missed opportunities and human suffering. The 48th Parliament has an opportunity to embrace these and other principles from Catholic Social Teaching to create policies that serve all Australians.’
Dr Nockles also commended Speaker of the House of Representatives Milton Dick for his stewardship of parliamentary debate.
‘A parliament that upholds human dignity benefits greatly from effective leadership in the chair. Speaker Milton Dick has already demonstrated an excellent commitment to maintaining dignified and productive debate in the House. His continued stewardship ensures that robust discussion can occur within a framework of mutual respect, providing a strong foundation for the parliamentary term ahead.’
CSSA encourages all parliamentarians to reflect on these principles as they return to the important work of governing for all Australians.
Banner: Catholic Social Services Australia CEO Dr Jerry Nockles outside Parliament House, Canberra. (Photo courtesy of CSSA Australia.)
