Have you ever written to a politician? What did you hope to achieve?
In this episode of Work with Purpose, guest host Andrew Metcalfe AO FIPAA explores the power of personal correspondence in shaping Australia’s political landscape. With around 150,000 letters and emails received annually by the Prime Minister, new research is shedding light on how these messages influence policy and public discourse.
Dr Daniel Casey and Dr Marija Taflaga from the Australian National University unpack the findings of Daniel’s research into letters sent to Prime Minister John Howard between 1996 and 2000, and discuss broader insights from the POLEVPOP project on how politicians evaluate public opinion.
From heartfelt pleas and policy critiques to unexpected administrative revelations, this episode reveals how everyday Australians have helped shape the national agenda – one letter at a time.
key tips
- Write to policymakers – letters from the public are a vital democratic tool, offering depth and context beyond the ballot box.
- Tell your story. Personal stories – especially those that tug at the heart – can leave a lasting impression on policymakers
- Opt for handwritten or emailed letters. Despite the rise of social media, private correspondence remains a powerful and personal form of civic engagement.
guests
Dr Marija Taflaga
Marija Taflaga is a lecturer in the School of Politics and International Relations and the Director of the Centre for the Study of Australian Politics.
Marija researches Australian politics in comparison with other Westminster nations and also undertakes research in Australian political history. Her research examines political parties’ relationship with parliament and the executive. Marija is interested in how institutional design impacts upon outcomes. For example, how do like political parties institutionalise policy making processes and learn over time and how to candidate selection rules effect women’s capacity to enter parliament.
Recently, she has also begun researching in the career paths of political elites. Here the aim is to understand how previous career experience within fields closely related to politics (e.g. political advising) impacts upon prospective politicians’ overall success in elected politics.
Her Research has been published in Political Studies, International Political Science Review, Australian Journal of Political Science and the Australian Journal of Politics and History.
Dr Daniel Casey
Dr Daniel Casey is a lecturer in politics and international relations at the Australian Catholic University and visiting fellow at the Australian National University (ANU).
He completed his PhD in August 2024 at ANU. His PhD examines letters from members of the public to Australian Prime Minister Howard – who writes, why they write, and the impact of the letters on public policy and the political agenda.
His broader research interests include, elite-mass linkages, with a focus on different forms of communication between the public and leaders; public policy and public administration; and representation. These research interests are driven by his 15-year public service career, including working for members of parliament.
He has recently launched CanberraInbox, a new dataset of all e-newsletters of Australian politicians.
His research has been published in Government and Opposition; Legislative Studies Quarterly; PS: Political Science & Politics amongst other leading journals.