the feed.

Vibrant stories

vibrant city platform

Vibrant thinking

vibrant thinking

Sisu

Sisu

bell hooks and the lowercase convention

bell hooks and the lowercase convention

The Heckman Equation

The Heckman Equation

Arnstein’s Ladder of Participation

Arnstein’s Ladder of Participation

Snowden’s Cynefin Framework

Snowden’s Cynefin Framework

Collective Impact 3.0

Collective Impact 3.0

Burkeman’s Four Thousand Weeks

Burkeman’s Four Thousand Weeks

Ferguson’s Head and Heart Leadership

Ferguson’s Head and Heart Leadership

William’s Model of Citizenhood Support

William’s Model of Citizenhood Support

No Bullsh!t Innovation

No Bullsh!t Innovation

Vibrant leadership

vibrant leadership

Vibrant change

vibrant change

Vibrant future

vibrant future

Vibrant autobiography

vibrant autobiography

Vibrant media

vibrant media

what is
vibrant nation?

vibrant nation is paul mallett’s platform for kind politics — politics based on empathy, respect, and the belief that social, economic, racial, and environmental justice are possible through collective care and action.

Here, paul shares practical, compassionate ideas to build a fairer, more liveable Launceston — especially for those too often left behind.

At its heart is paul’s commitment to everyday people: their voices, their stories, and their power to shape change.

paul believes lived experience, rigorous research, and innovative policy proposals can spark real debate and drive citizen-led action.

vibrant nation exists to bring changemakers together — to build a kinder, fairer, more sustainable city — together.

g’day.

I’m paul mallett — welcome to vibrant nation.

With over 30 years of community service leadership here in Launceston, I’m standing as an independent candidate for the City of Launceston Council elections in October 2026.

vibrant nation is about how we can build a healthier, happier, fairer Tasmania — starting with a more vibrant City of Launceston.

If you want a fairer, healthier, more caring city for your kids, your neighbours, and yourself — stand with me.

If you want a smarter, greener, more liveable city — stand with me.

If you’re ready to build the bridge, fix the mud, and grow a thriving wellbeing economy — stand with me.

Let’s roll up our sleeves, do the hard work now, and set Launceston up — not just for tomorrow, but for our kids’ kids and the next hundred years.

It’s time for action. Let’s get it done — together.

who am I?

Well, I am, like most citizens continually evolving. If asked today I’d say I’m a curious mix of things. I am:

…a dad, a partner, a son, a brother, a friend, a volunteer, an employee;

…a community service leader with more than 25 years experience working in not for profit social justice/health/human services;

…a Health and Physical Education teacher by training, and a social change advocate by choice;

…an avid reader of non-fiction, particularly socio-political issues;

…a close observer of the actions (and inactions) of all levels of government;

…a creative thinker and dreamer of how things could be different and better, particularly for the most vulnerable in our community;

…a passionate advocate for people overcoming adversity – I bat for the underdog;

…a Tasmanian; born, raised, trained and worked here all my career;

…a committed atheist who respects everyone’s right to their faith/beliefs;

…a daily exerciser;

…a landscaper, still in pursuit of the perfect lawn;

…a relentless learner underpinned by, among other things, continuous reading, thinking, and hearing the stories of lived experience of others; and

….a thinker, reflecting on my actions, successes and mistakes – always trying to grow and do better.

faq.

Who are you? Where are you from?

Born in Launceston, Tasmania (Australia), in November 1974, I was the second son of a working class baby-boomer couple. My parents were not afforded the opportunity to achieve formal education qualifications, but they were wise and had enormous respect for education as a way to a better life. It was through their vision and sacrifice that I was afforded the opportunity and resources to learn how to listen, think and act. A product of the late 20th century Tasmanian public education system, I attended South George Town Primary School between 1979 and 1986, George Town High School from 1987 through 1990, and Launceston College in the years 1991 and 1992. I began Tertiary study in 1993 and graduated with First Class Honours from The University of Tasmania in Launceston, in March 1997. There, I completed a Bachelor of Education with majors in Health and Physical Education. My Honours thesis and resultant journal publication focused on youth suicide prevention. In 1998, I moved to Adelaide on an Australian Postgraduate Award Scholarship and entered the School of Education, at Flinders University of South Australia. While there, I attempted a socially critical doctoral research project exploring the purpose and future of public secondary education. Having failed to submit a thesis after 3.5 years I commenced my career in the community services. Now with 25 years experience in delivering and leading community services, I have not wavered from my sense of duty to the public. My life purpose, as a tender-minded, social change activist in to: eradicate the causes of unnecessary suffering in our world, and work as if we live in the early days of a more vibrant nation.

I acknowledge my privileges – I’m a gen-x, born in Australia to working class parents, I’m male and heterosexual, I’m white, I’m able-bodied, I’ve benefited from tertiary education (that I paid for in part), I’ve been continuously employed for decades (give or take being made redundant and starting over several times), and I have knowledge, social, material and personal capital. I also have vulnerabilities – I’m sensitive, I work on maintaining my mental health particularly navigating away from low mood (depression) and living with (high functioning) anxiety. I’m impatient. I find all of the injustices in our community unacceptable (inaccessible or unaffordable health care, aged care and disability care; homelessness; inaccessible or unaffordable access to legal services;  violence of any kind; poverty, joblessness and income insecurity, environmental degradation etc) – and I believe we need to do things better and different, fast! I’m committed to applying my resources (privileges) to the pursuit of social, economic, racial and environment justice.

After two decades working in the community sector and thinking about it, paul established the website in early 2022.  

The website is fully funded by paul at this stage. If additional sources of income are obtained, they will be disclosed in full on this page immediately.  For the record, paul won’t accept support from tobacco nor gambling related entities.

No. paul is seeking to promote ideas that make a difference– not make money. The vibrant nation website exists to add value to the public policy debate and amplify the voices of traditionally silenced groups, particularly children and young people. It is fully funded by paul at this stage.

The vibrant nation store is under construction and not likely to operate for a while.

It does cost a bit to create and maintain a website, conduct public consultations, and host events.  Given this, paul is creating the functionality in the website to ‘sell’ some merchandise that will serve to raise some funds to keep this website going, and also spread the words/ideas of citizens via some cliché items like bumper stickers, t-shirts, hats, coffee mugs and fridge magnets. 

The vibrant nation logo contains multiple symbolic elements and was really fun creating. The overall shape is inspired by our island home. Australia and Tasmania, the home of paul mallett, are evident. The shape of the logo also includes the “infinity” symbol (we think that was pretty clever). This represents the idea that policy development, program delivery, and public service are continuous; this is an infinite game. The logo also includes multiple coloured circles. These overlapping circles represent the coming together of many people, communities, regions, and diverse ideas. Collaboration and creativity will be essential as we address the pressing issues of our time. The circles rising to the top of the logo represent effervesce and seek to remind us that we must be enthusiastic and take action to advance the Australian project. Notice the small circles breaking free at the top off the logo? They are there to remind us that we can break the mould and seek new ways to live, work and play. The colours used in the logo are bold to communicate vibrancy and optimism. There are multiple colours included purposefully to position the website within, around and beyond the traditional party political aligned colours of red, blue and green.

Kudos to the team at Zest in Launceston for producing the logo based on a detailed brief.

Through vibrant nation paul mallett seeks to contribute to the advancement of a kind and just Australia. Yes, it is about ‘politics’ if you define politics as the tension of ideas that are debated in the process of governing and delivering services to communities across a vast and diverse nation. One goal of the vibrant nation website is to ensure that the voices and ideas of traditionally marginalised groups are heard and considered. This makes vibrant nation a political actor.

Yes and no. Yes, vibrant nation seeks to document ideas that all elected representatives, including independents, might consider. But no, paul mallett is a realist, he understand that major political parties have their own platforms and policy development processes and as a consequence the ideas represented here might not fly….  until some of the ideas do.

“All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.”

Arthur Schopenhauer, Philosopher

Yep, paul mallett is a progressive with a history of involvement with the labor movement. He is a member of the Australian Services Union (ASU). He has been a member of the ASU for most of this century. paul is also a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) in Tasmania. In the mid 1990s, while at University, paul was the President of Young Labor in Tasmania. Please note the views on this website reflect the views of paul mallett and have been arrived at independently of the union and party mentioned above.

paul mallett has spent most of his adult life serving others in the community service sector, and has never sought public recognition for his service. He did stand unsuccessfully for election in the City of Launceston in the 2009 local government elections. paul is quiet and reserved; he listens more than he talks; and he passionately believes in the personal agency of individuals to speak for themselves. paul is pragmatic. He accepts that when people are battling day to day to overcome adversity, their time to track and participate in the political debate is pretty limited. The inspiration for the vibrant nation website is to amplify the voices of others and share ideas on how our communities could be different and better. paul believes the political/social change space is not just for the loudest, wealthiest, or most extroverted members of our community… the quiet, softly spoken, and the shy have stories and ideas of merit.

Well spotted! paul mallett is inspired by educators like bell hooks. paul, through vibrant nation, seeks to draw attention to ideas for social, economic, racial and environmental change ahead of self promotion. There is a deeper more complex argument related to challenging power and convention, but for now please accept that vibrant nation and paul mallett are spelt without capital letters to emphasize the work and my message rather than for personal recognition.

committments.

paul mallett seeks to participate in the political process with authenticity, kindness and respect.

The following set of commitments give readers an indication of what to expect in terms of the behaviour of paul mallett:

  • Be kind.
  • Be accessible and listen, seeking first to understand.
  • Be informed and discuss issues, seeking to share my understanding of an issue authentically and without spin.
  • Speak up and speak out, representing issue accurately and fairly, while respecting different opinions.
  • Admit mistakes and learn from them.
  • Cooperation, collaborate and co-design.
  • Problem solve and identify multiple solutions.
  • Answer questions and inquiries directly and promptly.
  • Focus energy and attention on issue and ideas (rather than on opponents)
  • Promote inclusion and democratic participation at all times.

principles.

paul mallett applies the following practice principles in his public work (inspired by the Andrus Institute, Sancutary Model commitments):

  • Non-violence
  • Emotional intelligence
  • Open communication
  • Social learning
  • Social responsibility
  • Democracy
  • Growth and change

links.