---
title: Citizen Assemblies for South Australia (CAfSA)
type: advocacy
status: active
country: AU
website: https://cafsa.org.au
logo: /assets/org-logos/cafsa.png
logo_bg: dark
contact:
  checked: 2026-07-30
  form: https://cafsa.org.au/contact
  source: https://cafsa.org.au/contact
summary: An Adelaide-based incorporated association advocating for the use of citizens'
  assemblies in South Australian policy-making, with a cross-partisan advisory board
  including a former SA Premier, a former Liberal Senator, and the executive director
  of newDemocracy.
concepts:
- citizens-assembly
- sortition
location:
  latitude: -34.9285
  longitude: 138.6007
  name: Adelaide, Australia
  precision: city
rss_feed: https://cafsa.org.au/feed
events:
- date: '2023-01-01'
  title: Established in Adelaide as an incorporated association
  url: https://cafsa.org.au/cafsa/
  quote: Citizen Assemblies for SA (CAfSA) was founded in Adelaide in 2023 and is
    an incorporated association advocating for the use of CAs in public policy making.
  proof_level: high
  url_checked: '2026-08-12'
  notable: true
activity:
  rss:
    checked: 2026-08-09
    date: 2026-07-09
    note: 'Latest post: CAfSA News Bulletin no. 8'
    url: https://cafsa.org.au/news-bulletin-no-8/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=news-bulletin-no-8
last_checked: '2026-06-29'
---

CAfSA is an incorporated association founded in Adelaide in 2023, advocating for randomly selected, broadly representative citizens' assemblies as a policy-making tool in South Australia. The organisation distinguishes citizens' assemblies from traditional consultation, positioning them as particularly suited to contested issues that are difficult for elected politicians to handle directly.

## Advisory board

CAfSA's advisory board is notably cross-partisan:

- **Jay Weatherill AO** — former SA Premier (Labor, 2011–2018)
- **Simon Birmingham** — former Liberal Senator for SA (2007–2025)
- **Iain Walker** — Executive Director, [newDemocracy Foundation](newdemocracy.md)
- **Dr Sonia Randhawa** — [Sortition Foundation Australia](sortition-foundation-australia.md)
- **David Van Reybrouck** — Belgian cultural historian, founded the G1000 Citizens' Summit, author of *Against Elections*

## Notable activity

- **National Conference "Citizen Assemblies — Policy without Politics"** (June 2025, Woodville Town Hall, Adelaide) — featured Nick Gruen, Tim Dunlop, Jay Weatherill; David Van Reybrouck joined by video link
- Regular newsletter series *CAfSA News* (from February 2025)
- Educational resources on citizens' assemblies around the world

## Links

- Website: [cafsa.org.au](https://cafsa.org.au)

## See also

- [Citizens' Assembly](../concepts/citizens-assembly.md)
- [Sortition](../concepts/sortition.md)
- [Sortition Foundation Australia](sortition-foundation-australia.md)
- [newDemocracy Foundation](newdemocracy.md)