What is Left Right Think-Tank?

Left Right Think-Tank is Australia’s first independent, non-partisan think-tank of young minds with a mission to involve young people in public policy. We are not-for-profit, and all our staff are aged between 16-24 and volunteer their time for our cause. We aim to help create a society where young people advise and are consulted on national issues of broad community concern, not just youth issues. Our vision is for a society that seeks and embraces the ideas of young people.

What does Left Right Think-Tank do?

Left Right Think-Tank engages young people in education and policy-production programs to provide them the resources and the framework to create the vision for Australia’s future. We produce high impact policy, focused on the long-term, in wide consultation with young people, providing innovative solutions and recommendations to pressing problems in Australia. We provide a platform and a space, online and in the community, for young people to grow their networks, skills and knowledge. We want to create a place where young Australians can share with each other their visions for the future.

Why young people?

Fundamentally we believe that young people aren’t just tomorrow’s leaders, but a powerful catalyst for change today. Further, young Australians are heavily invested in decisions made today, because we’ll feel their effects tomorrow.

Our History

We were founded in 2008, in response to an obvious lack of a platform for young people to express their views in an independent way, rather than joining one of the two major political parties. “I wasn’t attracted to the typical paradigms of left or right, and wanted a way to engage with the decision making processes of the Australian Government” said co-founder Thom Woodroofe.