PM Kevin Rudd in his opening address to 2020 Summit participants 19 April 2008
The initial report of the 2020 Summit held over the last weekend, 19-20 April, is now available for download at the 2020 website.
It is a 39-page report, but it is easy reading. Written in “plain English”, the report also contains some very interesting ideas.
One part of the report we like best is that of “Shared Priorities” which in a way provides the common thread among and across the ten streams or agenda set out for the Summit.
There are four key issues that find common grounds among the ten discussion groups. These are: dealing with a climate change, the need for a consistent national approach particularly in economic policy, the push for a national strategy that will best use the skills and ingenuity of Australians, and the need to strengthen civil society ie, the urgency of redressing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander disadvantage.
That these issues would come out as top priorities was perhaps expected. But what we found interesting is the report’s candor.
For example, we find these paragraphs interestingly simple that nothing was really left to the imagination:
“It is striking how often through the Summit concern arose that Australia has not been sufficiently clever in using the skills and ingenuity of our people. Early childhood services and education are obvious starting points for building capacity, but many argued a broader case for investment in a healthy population with access to necessary social support.
“For a number of streams, this focus on developing our human capital led to wider issues – migration, skills shortages, participation of women, access to child care, family leave, support for disabilities. One strongly held view was the need to enhance creativity and innovation in our communities. People find meaning in their lives through expression, and our nation benefits from innovation. These can happen spontaneously, but many argue for an education system which encourages and trains for creativity, a community willing to accept risk and failure in pursuit of the new, and governments rethinking how and why they support creative Australia.”
We could be mistaken. But somehow, we thought for awhile we were reading a similar report about the Philippines circa 1970s where priorities were set out inappropriately.
The 2020 report is a “must read” especially to businesses and to community leaders. #
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in opening address to Summit participants. Photo courtesy of the Australian Government, Department of Prime Minister & Cabinet. URL: www.australia2020.gov.au
*** Posted at TheFilipinoAustralian.com, 23 April 2008
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