WHILE juries have long been a feature of courtrooms, they are increasingly being used to help mediate public policy in Australia.

Citizens' juries are groups of everyday citizens randomly selected to deliberate on an issue, with an aim to bring about an outcome.

The idea was floated by former mayoral candidate Bron Larner on the Southern Downs Residents' Action Group Facebook page as a way of engaging the public in decision-making by Southern Downs Regional Council.

Mayor Tracy Dobie said the juries had not come up in discussions about public engagement.

Cr Dobie said citizens' juries might not contribute greater community feedback than existing consultation.

"I think (ratepayers) have elected the council and expect council to make the decision on their behalf," she said.

"Where possible, we've put some of these matters for public consultation but it is not always possible to do that.

"Citizens' juries would be no different to what we've done with developing a waste strategy for Ballandean by engaging members of the community.

"Though public consultation has been effective, it's still only a small number of people who provide feedback - of the 19,000 registered voters in the council area it's only a small number who are interested in these issues.

"While (the) council is interested in increasing our public feedback, citizens' juries have not been raised by (the) council."

Unlike existing advisory groups which require

people to sign on for two years ratepayers could be called at random to serve on a citizens' jury.

The applications of the juries are diverse.

Eurobodalla Shire Council on the New South Wales south coast last month received a citizens' jury report on whether the council was spending properly, and in Geelong a jury was formed after all councillors were sacked last April.

Noosa Shire Council has engaged a jury to resolve problems of waste management and the Fraser Coast used a jury to produce a list of priorities for the Maryborough CBD.

A similar Lismore CBD Citzens' Jury also involved members of the local Chamber of Commerce.

Proponents of this

method claim it is more democratic because it actively involves voters in governance.

Action Group secretary Andrew Gale said the concept had potential.

"If it was an indepen- dently selected jury, the idea has tremendous merit," Mr Gale said.

"It's closer to democratic models used in Switzerland where they have used panels of citizens to make decisions and it becomes a lot less political than our system.

"I wonder though if

the juries would have an ability to change policy, or whether (the) council could just override those recommendations.

"In any case the council would need to be receptive of the concept."