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FCP Australia is a place for thoughtful writing and podcast conversations shaped by lived experience, conscience, and a concern for how decisions made at a distance affect ordinary Australians.
For most of my life, I was focused on family, work, faith, and getting on with life. Like many people, I trusted that our institutions broadly worked as they should. That changed during the COVID era, when policies began to touch children, vulnerable people, livelihoods, and conscience in very real ways.
A Familiar Thread: What an IDAHOBIT Motion in South Australia's Parliament Reveals
Most parliamentary motions create no law and attract little attention. Yet a recent IDAHOBIT motion in South Australia's Parliament offers a revealing case study in how regulatory power can gain acceptance long before legislation arrives.
Mark Neugebauer - FCP Australia
Jun 1814 min read
The Check We Never Built
Madison built three checks on power. He assumed a fourth: an informed public capable of judging government action. This essay asks what happens when the information environment itself begins to weaken that capacity, and whether democratic accountability can survive without it.
Mark Neugebauer - FCP Australia
Jun 1718 min read
South Australia’s Late Term Abortion Discussion: A personal reflection, a deep dive, and a call to action
South Australia's late-term abortion debate forces difficult questions about law, viability, faith, and human dignity. This Christian reflection examines the legislation, the broader cultural forces shaping the discussion, and why many believers believe now is the time to engage.
Mark Neugebauer - FCP Australia
Jun 1128 min read
Who Targets the Church? How International Philanthropy Is Influencing Religious Freedom in Australia
Who is driving the push to remove religious protections from Christian schools and organisations in Australia? This article traces a documented pathway from international philanthropy and advocacy networks to legislative efforts in South Australia, examining how law, policy, funding, and institutional influence have converged in the ongoing debate over sex, gender, and religious freedom.
Mark Neugebauer - FCP Australia
Jun 218 min read
South Australia Election 2026: A Christian Perspective on Labor, Liberals and Voter Shifts
A reflective Christian analysis of the South Australia election, exploring Labor’s return to government, Liberal fragmentation, the rise of One Nation, and what shifting voter behaviour reveals about faith, culture, and political responsibility.
Mark Neugebauer - FCP Australia
Mar 228 min read
Net Zero Governance Loop: A briefing document for Councillors.
A practical guide for councillors on understanding the Net Zero Governance Loop, and how to assess energy proposals grounded in real-world constraints, costs and community outcomes.
Guest contributor
Mar 176 min read
When Voting Becomes Compulsion: A Question for South Australia’s Electoral System
When voting becomes compulsion: examining South Australia’s preferential voting system and whether voters should be required to rank candidates they oppose
Mark Neugebauer - FCP Australia
Mar 115 min read
Who Gets to Debate? Public Broadcasting and Fair Electoral Contest in South Australia
Should a publicly funded broadcaster limit election debates to only two parties? Examining debate access, media visibility, and democratic contest in South Australia.
Mark Neugebauer - FCP Australia
Mar 105 min read
Dignity at the End of Life: What the South Australian Ramping Crisis Says About Our Health System
Record ambulance ramping in South Australia is not just a logistical failure. It is a warning sign of deeper pressures, chronic disease, ageing demographics, and a healthcare system built to treat illness rather than prevent it.
Mark Neugebauer - FCP Australia
Mar 106 min read
Beyond the Campaign: The Constitutional Questions Behind South Australia’s 2026 Election
As South Australians prepare to vote in March 2026, much of the public conversation centres on party competition and campaign dynamics. Yet this election is taking place within a changed constitutional landscape, prompting important questions about representation, democratic legitimacy, and the structure of political choice.
Mark Neugebauer - FCP Australia
Feb 254 min read
The High Cost of Entry: Why South Australia's Funding Rules Risk Freezing Democracy
By: Mark Neugebauer 5 January 2026 As South Australians head toward the March 2026 state election, public debate is understandably dominated by personalities, cost-of-living pressures, and policy promises. Yet beneath the surface, a quieter force is shaping whose voices actually reach voters. While South Australia’s highly restrictive, often described as world-leading, limits on political donations were designed to clean up politics, the way public funding is distributed risk
Mark Neugebauer - FCP Australia
Jan 53 min read
Why South Australian Elections Feel Like Two-Horse Races, Even When They Aren’t
By: Mark Neugebauer 4 January 2026 As South Australians approach another state election, a familiar pattern is already taking shape. Media coverage is narrowing around two leaders, two parties, and two competing visions of government. That focus, however, is not evenly textured. The Liberal Party, currently grappling with internal fractures and declining membership, has attracted headlines largely through stories of instability and leadership tension. Labor, by contrast, has
Mark Neugebauer - FCP Australia
Jan 45 min read
South Australia, Before We Vote: Power, Accountability, and the Questions That Matter
By Mark Neugebauer 2 January 2026 South Australians are no strangers to resilience. We have rebuilt after fires, floods, and economic shocks, and we understand the need for governments to act decisively in times of genuine crisis. But resilience should never require silence, nor should preparation come at the cost of accountability. As another state election approaches, this is an appropriate moment for voters to pause and reflect on how power is exercised in South Australia,
Mark Neugebauer - FCP Australia
Jan 24 min read
These annexures are shared for transparency and historical context. They reflect my thinking at the time they were written, not necessarily my current conclusions.
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