Funny thing about these visionaries AFAIK none of them rode there on a pushbike and stayed at a backpackers hostel.

You make the point that the summit did not address the crucial problems of our current society, citing peak oil, transport, presumably of goods as well as public transport, the dying river, population.
Though hinted at the lack of a flow of accurate information to the electorate was not considered.
This despite several recent examples in which public information did not match the reality. Iraq springs to mind but such deception as this is quite common, as John Quigly records in ‘The Ruses for War’. The techniques for wider misinformation in Australia was analysed by Alex Carey and brought up to date by Francis Wheen in “How Mumbo Jumbo Conquered the World’.
In a word information is now labelled ‘Spin‘.
But the use of information to control people goes further for we now have data bases for issues that concern each electorate and thus what should be targeted by local members for re election, such as Voter Vault.
Maybe this does not matter for accurate information would limit opportunity for scams such as the latest Sub Prime Mortgage whose origin lies in removing many of the financial controls designed to prevent a rerun of the 1929 crash.
But this goes even further for the market economy as a paradigm for stable economic growth, less government interference that is a free market much talked up in the media, is a scam. Not only has GDP growth been less than formerly but economic crashes and bail outs are more frequent, debt higher and indeed much that had been regarded as of sound value is worthless. Government spending as percentage of the GDP increases and funding of superannuation is based on a volatile and often worthless market.
Financial movement is unhindered promoting profit but less stability.
Does this matter when people in general seem content to live in an unreal world one which like the press offers short term satisfaction of needs, trivia and entertainment?
Perhaps not for humans seem to be prone to short term views a fact well played upon by market gurus, and voiced by the media.

Naturally ‘Spin’ as information is not the only item of sensitivity to the establishment missing from the Summit.
Also missing is the now apparent to all need for a new economic paradigm, presumably one in which the assumption of infinite resources and ability to find substitutes needs to be updated for reality.
A recent article has pointed out that the much critiqued ‘Limits to Growth’ is now proving to be correct on many issues, appearance of problems just taking longer than forecast. Daly, in Daly and Cobb “For the Common Good” suggested earths resources be priced and their misuse of this capital noted. Many disagreed and this and many similar achieved obscurity, dismissed as an attempt by the green lobby to dictate to business.
Granted if such is built into a new paradigm the capital value of resources will be higher so many having been squandered. Similarly infrastructure has been under funded with the swing to privatisation, to the point of interfering with profits.
More partnerships of private and government funding is necessary should business require a profit.
Equally any new paradigm must accord due notice of the elite’s needs for control and recognise their creative ability in inventing yet another, well, spin.

Great article Michael. It asks many questions and not just in the energy area.

I'd love to see a complete list of all participants, their area of expertise and their history of political party membership.

One area that intrigued me was industrial relations. I have not seen one comment on what our industrial relations system will be like in 2020 or even 2012 for that matter. Unionists were conspicious by their absense from the great ideas summit. Does that mean 'the best and brightest' are to be excluded in that particular area. I reckon that's been the case for years anyway. Not much changes ... does it eh?

I totally agree Michael. The Summit was dismal in the lack of discussion on our most urgent issue – peak oil, and apparently also on other issues of paramount importance; especially the basics of sustainability and the complete absurdity of the continuous growth paradigm.

‘How can we now get the public to take seriously peak oil concerns when these have not been rubber-stamped as 'valid' by Rudd’s Summit?’

With great difficulty.

I could never have believed that the Summit could be this bad.

This, combined with Rudd’s increase to immigration and pending increase to the baby bonus, is very ominous indeed. He is shaping up to be considerably worse than Howard.

Michael, I agree-I believe the summit process is one that is positive, but ignoring peak oil and assuming the economy built on cheap oil will be immune is crazy. The biggest issue we will face in the next ten years will be fossil fuels basically running out. I see an almost calous disregard for the effect fuel costs will have on the vast majority of Australians who live far from public transport and jobs. As an inner city dweller there is almost a gleeful anti -suburbs snear when talking about peak oil. Most summiters would not be from the far flung burbs but these are the people who will be most affected as their incomes are be chewed up trying to get to their jobs and schools 20-40 km away. As someone said our future is inner city eco enclaves surrounded by Mad Max suburbs.