1000 Australians will meet and discuss 10 topics over 3 days in Canberra.

Will this hot-housing of brains and brilliance deliver inspirational solutions to some of the most pressing social, environmental and economic issues facing the nation?

More importantly, will what they come up with as "solutions" to the questions they are given to ponder be given serious consideration by government?

Or will this Summit simply be a bit of political theatrical drama dressed up to look like a serious government initiative?

Of particular interest to me is the Indigenous component of the 2020 Summit. In this forum participants will be asked to consider;

• 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.

Many of these questions have already been researched, answered and discussed ad nausea and then written up in numerous government funded inquiries and reports.

What will this Summit generate other than more of the same advice they have already been given?

Will Fed and State Labor governments ignore some of the more controversial issues emanating from the Summit in preference to their own policies that are aligned often to the populist policies of those they have chosen to participate in this Summit?

Noel Pearson is a case in point.

The fall out from this Summit could be counter productive to its intentions.

What’s your opinion?

Rainer I hope at the 2020 summit they make some tough recommendations to help out the black fella’s!

1. Economic incentives to get families away from whoop whoop and into civilisation.
2. All aboriginal parents should be taught how to raise children which will be able to get on in not just black communities but also white.
3. Those living off welfare should only be given food stamps or a form there of so as to stop them blowing all there money on liquor and other miscellaneous substances and force them into finding work.
4. Getting them more involved in the mining boom or the running of big stations.
5. If they are young and jobless they should get a universal boot up the arse to move to somewhere where they can work. Unemployment is about 4.2%! There should be no excuse!
6. LOTS AND LOTS OF TOUGH LOVE.

Rainer what more needs to be done to preserve indigenous cultures? I was in NT recently and there are quite a few aboriginal museums and art galleries there which were quite interesting. There is black fella tv on the abc or sbs and I am sure there is a plethora of written and record history and culture of the aborigines. What more do you think is needed

Dear Ranier....

of course it will be a talk-fest.. just like many Christian Conferences.

We get in a hot shot "International Speaker"... he delivers a soul stirring message... and we go back to our normal lives.

I do see value though in such talk-fests, as they can change the attitudes of important key people... who in turn can have a broader impact later.

Also, it depends on what is viewed as a 'positive outcome'.. if 'return Australia to Indigenous rule' is not discussed and promoted..I guess there will be some there or observing who will describe it as a total flop.

There will be a spectrum of opinions, and expectations. But don't get ur hopes up too far,...Easy Times gave you a list of possibilities, and I by and large agree with most of them. Food Stamps especially. but on point 1.. bring them in from Whoop Whoop...not sure if that's such a great idea.

Dear Rainier,

I am optimistic about the 2020 Summit.

According to Rudd - 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 it needs 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, it needs 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.

The fact that the future of indigenous Australia is included in the 10 challenges along with strengthening communities, supporting families, and social inclusion, plus a long-term national health strategy - including the challenges of preventative health - is a very positive step.

The fact that the Government promises to provide its reasons for embracing its course of action for the future - means that it will be accountable.

I agree with the Government's belief that Australians, whatever their political views, can come together to build a modern Australia capable of meeting the challenges of the 21st century.

Nothing like this has ever been attempted in the past - let's not put
a damper on it - before it even gets under way.

I will watch the outcomes with hardly suppressed cynicism.
I am willing to bet that all the findings will presume a business as
usual approach, modified only to suit a politically correct salute
to global warming.

There will be no assumption that fuel for food production and all
other purposes will be in short supply.
Remember that even Shell believes that there will supply problems
five years before 2020.

Likewise there will be no recommendation on what method should be used
to ration petrol and diesel fuel. There will be no recommendation to
reserve from export any part of our natural gas or coal.

Mark my words and I give you permission to say "See you were wrong" if
someone wakes them up.

I read the list of participants with boredom - same old faces as before. Rudd reckoned he did not want the usual suspects. He should have ruled out all trade union officials, all reps fromt he 'big end' of town, all academics and all former politicians. Journalists should have been permitted to attend to report rather than participate.
This is a Labor Party bash - and you can bet your life that union officials will be paid for by the unions and that CEOs will find a way to use it as a company tax deduction and academics will get money from the university coffers...and the journalists will put it on the expense sheet...definitely a Labor Party Love In and I am less optimistic than ever about the future of Australia

Rainier, I just gotta be cynical about this. Welcome to the next installment of the Culture Wars, wherein 'consensus' is achieved for collectivist solutions to social questions that will become reference points repeatedly referred to for the next 20 years.

Good will come of it, as well as bad. It's a lucky dip.

Foxy said:

"For too long Australian policymaking has been focused on short-term outcomes dictated by the electoral cycle."

How true this is. Probably the biggest single weakness of democracies.
Regretably, I think the only answer to this is a combination of strict control of electioneering such that we have a chance to reallllly assess the 'real' agenda's of parties and longer terms in office.

If a party is in office for longer, it gives lobby groups a better chance to change things mid term.

At the moment.. it is the best time of all to actually try to DO something as Rudd appears to be doing.. he has the most time to absorb it, translate it into policy and fine tune it over the next 3 yrs.

IF..however, they came up with something like this in the last 6months of a term.. the cynicism and cries of "Its just playing politics" would be very loud.(and believable)

YVONNE.. r u there....cooooeeeee ? :)

Thanks all for your contributions, keep them coming.

How will they distill and create consensus?

I've been informed that they will create groups of 25 people - with a facilitator and lots of buthcers papers and crayons.

I imagine they will simply create statements that are then sent onto the steering committee who will then release these 'solutions' or 'ideas' to the media.

What happens next is anyone's guess.

How will it inform policy?

I agree that this has all the hallmarks of creating another culture war.

If you've ever facilitated a group discussion you would know that its not easy to reach consensus - either about the accuracy of the problem posed - or the solutions being put forward.

More soon...

Dear Rainier,

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 set objectives.

The Government has no interest in a talkfest, as I've stated previously. The Government's interest is in harnessing and harvesting ideas from the Community that are capable of being shaped into concrete policy actions.

Again, as I've stated previously, 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, it needs to develop an agreed national direction that looks at the next ten years and beyond.

The PM is trying to do just that.

Rainier

I share Foxy's optimism as well, although I didn't at first. But the list of invitees is broadening, for example in my email today from ANTaR:

"ANTaR's National Director, Gary Highland, has been selected to be part of the Australia 2020 summit being organised by the Federal Government on 19 & 20 April in Canberra. The Summit aims to 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. Gary will have the opportunity to discuss some of the key issues on Indigenous rights on behalf of ANTaR."

I don't agree with all the choices, but this Summit doesn't look anything like the one Howard set up to discuss the Republic.

If it was a Labor Party love in why was Miranda Devine invited? If it was about the culture wars why isn't Keith Windschuttle on the list?

I tend towards optimism with reservations on the actual summit, but if you've ever attended anything like this you'll know that the most useful and interesting things happen in the less formal bits. People from different interest areas and backgrounds gasbagging over coffee is often far more productive than the main event. They often form partnerships and go off afterwards to produce something new. Those kinds of networks are the more promising aspect in my view, bringing together people who might not otherwise meet

The "Cliche Kid" is all about image and spin.It is a Labor party mutual admiration society.Kevin will get his advice from the bureaucrats and the side show will roll on.Kevin is,clever and witty yes,but I don't see much substance or real leadership behind the facade.

The Cliche Kid is tough and strong,
The Cliche Kid just can't go wrong,
The Cliche kid eats ME TOO Bars,
And that is the sum of his song.

When I have been involved in an exercise like this anything over about
15 people becomes unmanageable. With 100 in each panel it will
be like any large meeting of people with different ideas trying to
reach any sort of agreement.
They will gravitate in different groups and each group will be small
enough to internally come to an agreement, but there will inevitably
be about 8 or 10 opinions for each of the ten panels.

It is far too cumbersome.

Dear Arjay,

"Every journey of a thousand miles
begins with one step."

Chinese proverb.

Or to put it another way:

Stick your neck out, volunteer, have a go, reach out beyond your best performance, and when you do, do so with style, elan, panache.
You will learn more from a brilliantly executed failure than from a success planned within the dreary safety of what you already know.

Winning easy, is boring, pointless work.

After seeing the list of names and the limited topics I have a very dismissive attitude to this conference. It's basically a circus and will achieve nothing.

Dear Steel,

If the country's 'Best and Brightest' are unable to achieve anything, then who can?

And, what kind of a dismal future do the rest of us have to look forward to in that case?

What do you suggest?