Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Google results for Australia 2020 Summit

What a huge response to a great idea. Sadly so many in the media are already anti-idea. Whatever happened to optimists?

2020 Summit to 'address national challenges' - ABC News ...
2020 Summit to 'address national challenges'. Posted February 3, 2008 13:19:00. The Federal Government has announced that 1000 experts will be invited to a ...www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/03/2153089.htm - 17k - Cached - Similar pages
Nelson welcomes 2020 Summit - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting ...
Mr Rudd is inviting 1000 of Australia's "best and brightest" to the 'Australia 2020 Summit' at Parliament House over the weekend of April 19-20. ...www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/04/2153408.htm - 51k - Cached - Similar pagesMore results from www.abc.net.au »
'Limited topics' for 2020 summit NEWS.com.au
THE Prime Minister's super talkfest will not cover too many topics because it wants to be effective, the co-chairman of the summit said.www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23155401-421,00.html - Similar pages
Prime Minister of Australia - Media Release - Australia 2020 Summit
The Rudd Government will convene an Australia 2020 Summit at Parliament House on 19 and 20 April to help shape a long term strategy for the nation’s future. ...www.pm.gov.au/news/releases/2008/media_release_00020.cfm - 25k - Cached - Similar pages
2020 vision: Rudd summit to map future - National - smh.com.au
KEVIN RUDD will ask 1000 of the 'best and brightest brains' to map out a strategy for Australia's long-term future in areas ranging from the economy and the ...www.smh.com.au/news/national/2020-vision-pm-looks-ahead/2008/02/03/1201973740462.html - Similar pages
2020 summit not just another talkfest The Australian
Wide-ranging forum to focus on long-term challenges.www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23153777-16741,00.html - Similar pages
Jewish voice muted at 2020 summit The Australian
KEVIN Rudd is under pressure from the Jewish community to change the date of his Australia 2020 summit which clashes with Passover.www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23157001-601,00.html - Similar pagesMore results from www.theaustralian.news.com.au »
LIVENEWS.com.au > National > 2020 Summit: Rudd optimistic about ...
The Prime Minister has vowed to do whatever it takes to solve the country s biggest problems when he meets with our best minds in April.www.livenews.com.au/articles/2008/02/04/2020_Summit_Rudd_calls_for_meeting_of_the_minds - Similar pages
LIVENEWS.com.au > Multimedia
03/02/2008 , 10:23 PM Kevin Rudd has proposed an Australia 2020 Summit so that thousands of citizens can suggest solutions to the nation's problems. ...www.livenews.com.au/.../01/0001&to=01/01/0001&page=2&sc=Published&so=DESC - 19 hours ago - Similar pagesMore results from www.livenews.com.au »
Net Traveller - Tom Worthington: Australia 2020 Summit
On 3 February the Australian Government announced it will hold an Australia 2020 Summit at Parliament House in Canberra, 19 to 20 April 2008. ...www.tomw.net.au/blog/2008/02/australia-2020-summit.html - 12k - Cached - Similar pages
2020 Summit to 'address national challenges' - Just In - BigPond News
The Federal Government has announced that 1000 experts will be invited to a summit at Parliament House in April to help the Government shape long-term ...www.bigpond.com/news/breaking/content/20080203/2153089.asp - 38k - Cached - Similar pages
2020 Summit 'no talkfest' - Top Stories - BigPond News
Somewhere lurking out there in the Australian community are new ideas and expertise that Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is desperate to get his hands on.bigpond.com/news/topstories/content/20080204/2153436.asp - Similar pagesMore results from bigpond.com »
Crikey - 2020 summit: Talk for the sake of a talkfest - 2020 ...
First community cabinet meetings, now a 2020 summit. Labor's approach of government by stunt is shaping up nicely, writes David MacCormack.www.crikey.com.au/Politics/20080204-2020-summit-Talkfest-for-the-sake-of-a-talkfest.html - 58k - Cached - Similar pages
Think tanks welcome 2020 Summit - Yahoo!7 News
Some of Australia's leading think tanks have welcomed the ideas summit proposed by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.news.yahoo.com.au/080204/21/15q6h.html - 23k - Cached - Similar pages
BLOGGERATI AUSTRALIA WEB 2.0 / Upcoming News / 2020 Summit Australia
Bloggerati Australia Rating and Ranking of Web 2.0 Australian News.bloggerati.com.au/upcoming.php?category=2020SummitAustralia - 30k - Cached - Similar pages
Policy by year's end - National - theage.com.au
Mr Rudd yesterday announced that a thousand people will be invited to Parliament House for the Australia 2020 summit in late April where "the best and ...www.theage.com.au/news/national/policy-by-years-end/2008/02/04/1201973777251.html - Similar pages
Print Article: 20-20 summit not covering too many topics: Co-chair
One thousand people will be invited to Parliament House for the Australia 2020 summit in late April where "the best and brightest" will look for answers ...www.theage.com.au/cgi-bin/common/popupPrintArticle.pl?path=/articles/2008/02/04/1201973776563.html - 6k - Cached - Similar pagesMore results from www.theage.com.au »
Australian Labor Party : Australia 2020 Summit, TV interview
So that’s why we’ve put out a target of what do we want Australia to be in a decade’s time, hence the summit for 2020. The second reason is this, ...www.alp.org.au/media/0208/tvipm040.php - 15k - 21 hours ago - Cached - Similar pages
Australian Labor Party : Australia 2020 Summit; Rio Tinto ...
Australia 2020 Summit; Rio Tinto; Indigenous Apology; Mortgage Stress; Gunns; Inflation; Appointments; Balibo Five.www.alp.org.au/media/0208/pcpm030.php?mode=print - 22k - 19 hours ago - Cached - Similar pagesMore results from www.alp.org.au »
Think tanks welcome 2020 Summit - ABC News (Australian ...
Mr Rudd is asking 1000 of Australia's top brains to map out strategies for the future at a '2020 Summit' in Canberra on April 19-20. ...abc.com.au/news/stories/2008/02/04/2153736.htm - 40k - Cached - Similar pages
Yahoos 2020 Summit - Politics - Australian News Message Boards
2020 Summit to 'address national challenges' http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/03/2153 089.htm?section=australia ...au.messages.yahoo.com/news/politics/194737/ - 10k - Cached - Similar pages
Re:Nelson supports 2020 Summit - Politics - Australian News ...
Nelson supports 2020 Summit, Reply to this message. The Government had no interest in a "talkfest", Mr Rudd said yesterday. It wanted to harness and harvest ...au.messages.yahoo.com/news/politics/195786?p=last - 7 hours ago - Similar pagesMore results from au.messages.yahoo.com »
Scopical - News Business & Finance, Sport, Politics, Tech/Media ...
The Opposition Leader today backed the Australia 2020 summit, to be held in April, saying that it would engage Australians in thinking about the nation's ...www.scopical.com.au/articles/Politics/2452/Nelson-backs-2020-summit - 14k - Cached - Similar pages
Get Farming: Prime Minister of Australia - Australia 2020 Summit ...
PM: The Government’s decided on the 19th and 20th of April to convene an Australian 2020 Summit. The reason we are doing this is because we believe the ...www.getfarming.com.au/pages/farming/speeches_view.php?sId=9200020080204120207&cId=1&tId=C - 42k - Cached - Similar pages
Pages - mediaplayer - MyTalk.com.au
Now playing: Steve price looks at the Australia 2020 summit called by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. Highlights. Melbourne University vice-chancellor Glyn Davis ...www.mytalk.com.au/aspx/pages/mediaplayer.aspx?t=audio&w=6399 - 21k - Cached - Similar pages
2UE Sydney - mytalk.com.au – Talk back radio live on the web ...
Australia 2020 summit gabfest? PM Rudd has announced a thousand people will be invited ... Is Kevin Rudd's 2020 summit on the nation's future a good idea? ...www.mytalk.com.au/Stations/Talk/2UE/ - 66k - Cached - Similar pagesMore results from www.mytalk.com.au »
2020 Summit 'no talkfest' - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting ...
Mr Rudd is holding a two-day summit in Canberra next month - the 2020 Summit - to help him map out policy ideas for the next 10 years. ...www.abcscience.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/04/2153436.htm - 22k - Cached - Similar pages
The Blender: Australia 2020 Summit: Rudd's bold vision
Have you heard about the Australia 2020 summit? Well, it's going to be on April 19-20, 2008 and draw 1000 of Australia's "best and brightest brains" to ...www.worldvision.com.au/stir/blender/forum_posts.asp?TID=2483 - 18k - 23 hours ago - Cached - Similar pages
PollieGraph - What governments do: the Rudd 2020 summit
newmatilda.com\’s blog: keeping a wire on Australian politics.www.newmatilda.com/polliegraph/?p=228 - 24k - Cached - Similar pages
The 2020 Summit will be dominated by: newmatilda.com
The 2020 Summit will be dominated by:. Interest groups. 33% (1 vote). Union bosses. 33% (1 vote). Corporate leaders. 0% (0 votes). Climate Change ...www.newmatilda.com/2008/02/04/2020-summit-will-be-dominated-: - 41k - Cached - Similar pages
[PDF]
State Library of Victoria Public Libraries 2020 Summit œ 6 March ...
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTMLPublic Libraries 2020 Summit œ 6 March 2006. E nga mana, E nga reo, E nga iwi. Tena koutou, tena koutou katoa. Section 1 œ Introduction and background ...www.libraries.vic.gov.au/.../Public_Libraries_Unit/penny_carnaby_speech_to_state_library_of_victoria.pdf - Similar pages
[PDF]
Public Libraries 2020 Summit – 6 March 2006
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTMLPublic Libraries 2020 Summit – 6 March 2006. Meeting the challenges of the future: State Library of Victoria and the Council of Australian ...www.libraries.vic.gov.au/downloads/Public_Libraries_Unit/annemarie_schwirtlich.pdf - Similar pages
Rudd Flatters Obrien With A Summit Invite
Australia 2020 Summit, TV interview Kevin Rudd - Prime Minister - TV Interview ... Australia 2020 Summit; Rio Tinto; Indigenous Apology; Mortgage Stress; ...www.plugger.com.au/like/rudd_flatters_obrien_with_a_summit_invite/1705168/ - 49k - 17 hours ago - Cached - Similar pages
North Queensland Register - nqr.farmonline.com.au
Key rural issues will feature in Kevin Rudd's 2020 summit, where 1000 of the "best and brightest brains" will map out a strategy for Australia's long-term ...nqr.farmonline.com.au/news_daily.asp?ag_id=48382 - 63k - Cached - Similar pages
2020 vision: Rudd summit to map future - National - Political ...
The Prime Minister said yesterday a two-day Australia 2020 summit in Parliament House in April would bring together talented people from outside government ...hawkesbury.yourguide.com.au/articles/1175067.html - 130k - Cached - Similar pages
- Google News
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd "couldn't care less" about the political views of delegates to his 2020 summit and expects to have concrete policy ideas worked . ...news.google.com.au/index.html?ned=au&filter=0&scoring=d&ncl=1127219904&hl=en&topic=n - 39k - Cached - Similar pages
- Google News
Nelson backs 2020 summit Scopical, Australia - 2 hours ago Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson ... Best, brightest gathered to fix the nation at 2020 Summit ...news.google.com.au/index.html?ned=au&ncl=1127219904&hl=en&topic=n&scoring=n - 38k - Cached - Similar pages
Sky News: Rudd's Super Summit
The Prime Minister says he is confident the upcoming Australia 2020 Summit, announced yesterday, will lead to long term solutions to the some of nation's ...www.skynews.com.au/news/article.aspx?id=215247 - 12k - Cached - Similar pages
Rudd's 2020 vision looks past technology: News - Communications ...
Professor Glyn Davis, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Melbourne and Rudd's co-chair for the summit, said Australia 2020 is an "extraordinary ...www.zdnet.com.au/.../soa/Rudd-s-2020-vision-looks-past-technology/0,130061791,339285631,00.htm - 72k - Cached - Similar pages
Entrepreneurs have much to offer to Rudd’s 2020 digital agenda -
The Australia 2020 summit will bring together 1000 of Australia’s best and brightest to set out a roadmap for Australia’s future in 10 key areas, ...www.smartcompany.com.au/Free-Articles/The-Briefing/20080204-Entrepreneurs-have-much-to-offer-to-Rudds-202... - 42k - Cached - Similar pages
News Headlines
Prime Minister announces Australia 2020 Summit. Monday, 04 February, 2008. Subscriber Only. To read CCH Select stories in full, you must have a subscription ...www.cch.com.au/fe_news.asp?document_id=98458&feed_id=0&e=1 - 53k - Cached - Similar pages
Rudd expects policy ideas by year's end
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's expects to have concrete policy ideas from his 20/20 summit worked out by the end of this year. ...news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=374951 - 77k - Cached - Similar pages
The Australian Index - Exploring Australian Blogs
Last Update: Kevin Rudd Announces Australian 2020 Summit Monday, 4th Feb, 2008 09:52:03 ... Last Update: Australia 2020 Summit - Kevin Rudd and Mark Pesce ...theaustralianindex.com/?pageNo=8 - 52k - Cached - Similar pages
NewsBreak :: Rudd expects policy ideas in focus by year's end
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's expects to have concrete policy ideas from his 20/20 summit worked out by the end of this year. (The Age — 37 minutes ago) ...newsbreak.com.au/related/a1039543 - 36k - Cached - Similar pages
National Union of Workers - ACTU Media Release - Reserve Bank ...
Australia’s unions have welcomed the Prime Minister’s announcement of the Australia 2020 Summit and look forward to participating. ...www.nuw.org.au/articles/nat/MediaReleases/holdrates - 42k - 22 hours ago - Cached - Similar pages
Wisdom not just for politicians: Swan : thewest.com.au
One thousand of the "best and brightest" will be invited to Parliament House for the Australia 2020 summit in late April to look for answers across 10 ...www.thewest.com.au/aapstory.aspx?StoryName=456540 - 43k - Cached - Similar pages
Rudd expects policy ideas in focus by year’s end
Mr Rudd yesterday announced that a thousand people will be invited to Parliament House for the Australia 2020 summit in late April where “the best and ...www.thewest.com.au/printfriendly.aspx?ContentID=57020 - 6k - Cached - Similar pagesMore results from www.thewest.com.au »
LaborNET: Workers Online Live News Feed: Work families can't ...
Australia's unions have welcomed the Prime Minister's announcement of the Australia 2020 Summit and look forward to participating. ...www.labor.net.au/news/1202080322_29326.html - 32k - Cached - Similar pages
whitepages.com.au - Search for an Australian Business, Government ...
Queensland Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce says the '2020 Summit' planned by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd shows he has no ideas of his own. ...www.whitepages.com.au/wp/latestNews.do?newsItem=2153983.xml - 33k - Cached - Similar pages
FarmOnline - www.farmonline.com.au
Key rural issues will feature in Kevin Rudd's 2020 summit, where 1000 of the ... The Prime Minister yesterday announced the two-day Australia 2020 summit ...www.farmonline.com.au/news_daily.asp?ag_id=48382 - 60k - Cached - Similar pages
Jewish groups want summit date changed - Breaking News - National ...
Jewish groups have asked Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to change the date of his 2020 summit because it clashes with the important Jewish holiday of Passover. ...news.theage.com.au/jewish-groups-want-summit-date-changed/20080204-1pwv.html - Similar pages
[PDF]
Education excellence takes centre stage
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTMLeducators at the Schools. In: 2020 Summit in. Melbourne earlier this. month. “Education in 2020. will be global, in the. sense that students will expect and ...www.det.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/publ/distribut/EdTimes/edtimes-nws-vol14issue8.pdf - Similar pages
Rudd summit not interested in lobby groups - Yahoo!7 Sunrise
The Federal Government is inviting 1000 experts to Parliament House to attend the ‘Australia 2020 Summit’. The summit will address the top ten issues facing ...au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/b/sunrise/4178/rudd-summit-not-interested-in-lobby-groups - 29k - Cached - Similar pages

Monday, February 4, 2008

MindMapping the Australia 2020 Summit


I'm starting an Online Australia 2020 MindMap.


Would you like to contribute to this?


If so please post a comment with your email. Once I've grabbed your email I can remove your comment if you like...


Sunday, February 3, 2008

Kevin Rudd Announces 2020 Summit

The Hon. Kevin Rudd MP
Prime Minister of Australia

Dear Prime Minister

Thank you for deciding to conduct a 2020 Summit. The only person afraid of sharing an idea or asking for them is the person who never has one!

I expect your official MySpace page will soon be updated, so I will wait until it has before I share your URL.

As blogs are essentially 1 on 1 with the reader, let me share a quick piece of trivia. A decade ago I created a free email service called Kmail! It was to be Australia's alternative to Hotmail, yet also the bubble burst. So I'm tickled pink( royal blue?) that the name Kmail has been resurrected.

If I was to offer just one idea for you and your colleagues, it's this...

Let's ask the USA to help end starvation BEFORE 2020! 25,000 people will starve to death today. So why not feed just 12 more people a day and end starvation in 5.7 years? It's cheap too - but more later...

America will have a new president and the world will have a new opportunity. Kennedy said let's send a man to the moon and it happened...

So if the world focussed a little more on the war on starvation rather than the war on terror, the world will come to respect Australia, Britain and the USA once again.

Yours respectfully,
Jonathan Crabtree

http://waronstarvation.blogspot.com/

Official Australia 2020 Summit Media Release

Media Release

Australia 2020 Summit

3 February 2008

The Rudd Government will convene an Australia 2020 Summit at Parliament House on 19 and 20 April to help shape a long term strategy for the nation’s future.

The Summit will bring together some of the best and brightest brains from across the country to tackle the long term challenges confronting Australia’s future –challenges which require long-term responses from the nation beyond the usual three year electoral cycle.

To do this, the Government will bring together 1000 leading Australians to the national Parliament to debate and develop long-term options for the nation across 10 critical areas:

  1. Future directions for the Australian economy – including education, skills, training, science and innovation as part of the nation’s productivity agenda

  2. Economic infrastructure, the digital economy and the future of our cities

  3. Population, sustainability, climate change, and water

  4. Future directions for rural industries and rural communities

  5. A long-term national health strategy – including the challenges of preventative health, workforce planning and the ageing population

  6. Strengthening communities, supporting families and social inclusion

  7. Options for the future of indigenous Australia

  8. Towards a creative Australia: the future of the arts, film and design

  9. The future of Australian governance: renewed democracy, a more open government (including the role of the media), the structure of the Federation and the rights and responsibilities of citizens

  10. Australia’s future security and prosperity in a rapidly changing region and world.

Participants will be selected by a 10 member non-government Steering Committee. The Summit will be co-chaired by the Prime Minister and Professor Glyn Davis, Vice Chancellor of the University of Melbourne.

This Steering Committee will select up to 100 participants in each of the Summit areas who will attend in a voluntary capacity. The participants will be drawn from business, academia, community and industrial organisations, the media and include a number of individual eminent Australians. Summit participants will be invited in their own right rather than as institutional representatives from any particular organisation. Each of the 10 Summit areas will be co-chaired by a Federal Government Minister and a member of the Steering Committee.

The Summit will have the following objectives:

  • To harness the best ideas across the nation

  • To apply those ideas to the 10 core challenges that the Government has identified for Australia – to secure our long-term future through to 2020

  • To provide a forum for free and open public debate in which there are no predetermined right or wrong answers

  • For each of the Summit’s 10 areas to produce following the Summit options for consideration by government

  • For the Government to produce a public response to these options papers by the end of 2008 with a view to shaping the nation’s long-term direction from 2009 and beyond.

In providing this response, the Government in providing may accept some options and reject others – but will provide its reasons for embracing its course of action for the future.

The Government has no interest in a talkfest. The Government’s interest is in harnessing and harvesting ideas from the community that are capable of being shaped into concrete policy actions.

Government, irrespective of its political persuasion, does not have a monopoly on policy wisdom. To thrive and prosper in the future we need to draw on the range of talents, ideas and energy from across the Australian community.

For too long Australian policymaking has been focused on short-term outcomes dictated by the
electoral cycle. If Australia is to effectively confront the challenges of the future, we need to develop an agreed national direction that looks at the next ten years and beyond.

For these reasons, the Government will also be inviting the Leader of the Federal Opposition to participate in the Summit, together with State Premiers, Chief Ministers and their Opposition counterparts.

In addition to those participating in the Summit, all Australians will be invited to make submissions on each of the 10 future challenges. These will be submitted to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet which will act as the secretariat for the Summit. An Australia 2020 website will provide a digital forum for this purpose.

The Rudd Government believes Australians, whatever their political views, can come together to build a modern Australia capable of meeting the challenges of the 21st century.

CANBERRA

(02) 6277 7744


Australia 2020 Summit


Future Directions for the Australian Economy - Education, skills, training, innovation and productivity

The Australian Government is committed to building on our $1.2 trillion economy so that we can compete with the leading nations in a world economy that is being transformed by globalisation, new technologies, and the rise of China and India. While we take full advantage of the mining boom, we must also build long term competitive strengths in the global industries of tomorrow -industries that will provide the high-paying jobs of the future.

In implementing the Government’s human capital agenda, the objective is to build a world class education system that can transform our workforce into the best educated and most highly trained in the world. This in turn is aimed at boosting long-term workforce participation and productivity. This program has begun with the immediate priorities of expanding training places to tackle the skills crisis, as well as providing universal early childhood education, a rigorous national school curriculum, improved information technology and trades training infrastructure for the 3.3 million young Australians at school.

The Australia 2020 Summit will examine:

  • After a long period of sustained economic growth and with the added benefits of the global mining boom, how do we best invest the proceeds of this prosperity to lay the foundations for future economic growth

  • How we best prepare for a global economy that will increasingly be based upon advanced skills, advanced technology, low carbon energy sources and integration with global supply chains

  • How we take advantage of Australia’s proximity to the fast growing economies in the world

  • How Australia attracts and retains the most talented, creative and highly skilled people, including researchers and scientists, entrepreneurs, and professional and skilled workers

  • How we ensure that our children have the highest quality teachers, whether in early childhood, school, TAFE or university, including dealing with the crisis in maths and science related disciplines across the education system

  • How we foster innovation in the workplace; encouraging the transfer of ideas across businesses and economies.

Economic Infrastructure, the digital economy and the future of our cities

The Australia Government is committed to building world class infrastructure to improve the competitiveness of our businesses and quality of life in Australia’s cities and regions. Our priorities for advanced infrastructure include modern, safe and efficient freight and passenger transport networks, a high speed National Broadband Network, and reliable water and energy infrastructure. World class broadband infrastructure alone could add $20 billion to the Australian each year according to some estimates. Modern infrastructure is critical to reducing costs for business and building the platforms for future economic growth.

The Australia 2020 Summit will examine ways to:

  • Boost public and private investment in economic infrastructure

  • Improve planning and coordination of infrastructure investment across different levels of government and the public and private sectors (including maximising the most efficient future design of our cities)

  • Ensure that digital technologies are harnessed to improve consumer services, business productivity and the delivery of government services.

Population, sustainability, climate change, and water

The Australia Government is committed to decisive action on climate change, to transform a current threat into an opportunity. As the driest inhabited continent in the world, Australia is more vulnerable to climate change than almost any other developed nation and we need a comprehensive plan to facilitate population growth. But climate change also gives Australia a unique opportunity: with our abundance of natural resources, sun, wind and ocean tidal flows, we could be a world leader in the global low carbon energy revolution that will transform the global economy in coming decades.

The Australia 2020 Summit will examine:

  • How Australia develops a long term plan to adapt to the growing impacts of climate change on our environment

  • How does Australia best plan for its long-term water and energy needs

  • How we position Australia to become a global leader within the next decade in the new low carbon technologies and industries

  • How do we plan future population growth at a national and regional level, given the constraints of water shortages and sustainability

Future directions for rural industries and rural communities

Australia's 130,000 farmers generate $30 billion worth of exports each year and are custodians of 60% of our land mass. The Australian Government is committed to working with rural industries, and the communities they support, to grow their contribution to Australia’s economic prosperity and our social wellbeing. The Government is also committed to examining how best to deliver services to rural communities in the future.

The Australia 2020 Summit will examine:

  • What rural industries are best positioned to take advantage of the global consumer markets of the 21st century

  • What options are possible for effective structural adjustment for rural industries and communities suffering the long term impact of climate change

  • What is the most intelligent form of support the Government can provide to ensure the long term sustainability of rural and regional communities, including the fostering of the next generation of Australian farmers.

A long-term national health strategy

The Australian Government is committed to improving the overall health of our nation through improved preventative primary health, increased access to general practitioners and new dental care services. Investing in prevention can reduce the estimated 550,000 chronic or preventable admissions to hospital each year. The Australian Government is also committed to reforms to improve our hospital system and to ensuring Australians are able to access the best possible care when they experience serious illness or disease. The Government is also committed to a greater national medical research effort – particularly into the major disease categories impacting millions of Australian families.

The Australia 2020 Summit will examine:

  • How we invest to help prevent chronic and acute health problems

  • How we plan to ensure all Australians continue to have access to the very best of modern medical technology including pharmaceuticals

  • How we meet the emerging regulatory challenges of modern medical technology

  • The use of electronic infrastructure to facilitate efficient and effective patient care

  • Strategies to preserve Australia’s internationally unique blend of public and private health services

  • How Australia best plans for the future demands on our medical workforce.

Proposals identified at the summit will also be provided to the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commissions for consideration.

Strengthening communities and supporting working families

The Australian Government is committed to practical measures aimed at helping families cope with the collision of work and family life. The Government is also committed to examining new possibilities in partnership with the community, church and charitable sector. Through its focus on social inclusion, the Australian Government is also determined to reduce the barriers to full participation in the economy and Australian society, address locational disadvantage, isolation and the economic dislocation experienced by a significant minority of Australians.

The Australia 2020 Summit will examine:

  • How we provide practical support to families to combine the tasks of work, raising children and caring for ageing parents

  • How we make a long term difference on homelessness

  • How we better harness the goodwill and commitment of the Australian community through voluntary and community organisations and philanthropic endeavour

  • How we build social capital within and between communities, particularly those that are cut off from the economic mainstream.

Options for the future of Indigenous Australia

The Australian Government is committed to closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australia. This includes the gap in literacy, numeracy, infant mortality, health outcomes and overall life expectancy.

The Government is also committed to working with Indigenous Australians to ensure they are able fully to participate - both socially and economically in the life of the nation. This includes providing access to high quality education, health services generally and addressing alcohol, violence and homelessness in those communities where these threatens the safety and wellbeing of individuals and families.

The Australia 2020 Summit will examine:

  • How we forge a new partnership with between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australia to overcome disadvantage and provide practical pathways to the future

  • The role of targeted programs and interventions such as the Northern Territory Intervention and the Cape York Welfare Reform Trials in achieving change in remote communities

  • How we might promote economic development in remote Australia to provide Indigenous community members with the opportunity to be economically independent

  • Improving access to mainstream programs by Indigenous Australians

  • Promoting and preserving Indigenous culture, languages and traditions.

Towards a creative Australia: the future of the arts, film and design

The Australian Government is committed to promoting a national culture of creativity, innovation and enterprise. The Government is committed to examining new forms of advancing the arts, film and creative design across Australia, including urban design. The Government is also committed to examining how best we deploy our national and international broadcasting capabilities, both to enhance Australia’s creative industries, technologies and expertise – as well as promote a new, modern and innovative Australia to the rest of the region and beyond.

The Australia 2020 Summit will examine:

  • Future directions for Australia’s principal arts bodies

  • Future directions for the ABC, SBS, Australia Television and Radio Australia

  • How best to develop a globally innovative and competitive film industry

  • How to encourage participation in emerging global industries such as game design, the internet 2.0, graphics-rich applications and animation

  • How we build on the creative sector’s potential as a major Australian export industry.


The future of Australian governance: open government (including the role of the media), the structure of government and the rights and responsibilities of citizens

The Australian Government is committed to greater access to freedom of information, effective parliamentary reform and removing as many dysfunctional dimensions to the Australian Federation as possible. The Government is also examining ways in which Australians can increasingly deliberate in the making of government policy through a range of mechanisms, including community cabinets, as a part of a commitment to contemporary democracy.

The Australia 2020 Summit will examine:

  • How best to implement an effective an agenda of open government which best balances the legitimate requirements of the media and the confidentiality requirements cabinet government in Westminster system

  • How best to engaged the community in government decision making

  • What forms of Federation reform are appropriate for the future to maximise outcomes for the economy and the community

  • How to ensure the future viability of local government operations and infrastructure provision.

Australia’s future in the region and the world

The Australian Government is committed to restoring Australia’s place as a nation of creative middle power diplomacy – both in our region and in broader international forums. Australia has the potential to be a significant force for good in our region and on the world stage, including through our diplomatic efforts, increased contribution to efforts to reduce extreme poverty and fostering stability and peace in our region.

The Australian Government is acutely aware of the new range of security, economic and foreign policy challenges across our international operating environment. The Government is conscious of the need for creative, long term responses to these challenges.

The Australia 2020 Summit will examine:

  • How Australia best protects its national security interests in the face of an increasingly complex threat spectrum, including terrorism, bio-security and other threats to human security – as well as the adequacy of existing institutional arrangements for dealing with the threat spectrum into the future

  • How Australia should maximise its cooperation with its long-standing ally the United States

  • How Australia engages with China and India in the coming decades as both play an increasingly important economic and political role

  • How Australia can make the greatest contribution both within and outside the framework of the United Nations in addressing the challenge of extreme poverty

  • The long-term adequacy of Australia’s existing foreign language capabilities to meet increasingly complex challenges presented by the globalisation.

The Government may add to or amend the questions in each of these 10 challenge areas following the settlement of conference participants. Full agenda papers will be circulated to conference participants approximately one month prior to the Summit.

Source: http://www.pm.gov.au/news/releases/2008/media_release_00020.cfm