Singer, who has lived in St Kilda (when he’s in Australia) since 1996, says he was attracted by the council’s innovative experiment in participatory democracy. "I’ve had a long term interest in making the world more democratic. In fact, my very first book was on the subject of democracy and disobedience, and emphasized the importance of real participation in the democratic process." "The way Port Phillip Speaks is organised is a big departure from the traditional town hall meeting where sometimes the loudest voices dominate. I’ll be interested to see if it does actually allow more people to have a say. I’m also keen to see how participants handle the technology of key pads, laptops and big screens."