2020 Summit

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd organised the 2020 Summit to bring together the 'best and brightest' minds in Australia to come up with creative ideas to provide direction for Australia leading up to the year 2020. It was held on 19-20 April 2008 .

Participants were nominated and 100 people were 'invited' in each of ten streams. Questions have been asked as to how 'representative' the participants really were. Other commentators have noted that many of the recommendations from the Summit, such as a republic and a Bill of Rights, are already Labor Party policy.

The 2020 Summit is over but the recommendations and the comments still go on... Undoubtedly it will take on a life of its own. The suggestions from the Summit will become 'policy' approved by the 'people'. That is already Mr Rudd's comment on the republic issue!

Peter has written a three page analysis of the Summit, which we sent on the E-News email system.

Has the bubble been burst already?
Analysis of the 2020 Summit by Peter Stokes. 24 April 2008.

Information on the Summit:
* Australia 2020 Summit website
* About the Summit
* Summit Topics
* Steering Committee Members
* Participants - listed by topic area and state
* Australian 2020 Summit - Initial Report to the PM
- the recommendations of the 10 groups after the Summit.
* Webcasts of the Summit - available until 24 May 2008.
* Submissions made to the 2020 Summit

Andrew Bolt sums up:
Rudd's mates steer the ship - 23 April 2008.

New website is due in May 2008...

Posts about the 2020 Summit
The following information was posted on our Latest News page in the lead up to the 2020 Summit and following it...

21 April 2008 - The 2020 Summit is over
Well, the 2020 Summit is over. Many of the proposals coming out of the Summit seem to have been supported by Kevin Rudd before the Summit actually happened - a republic, child care, indigenous issues, a Bill of Rights. Some commentators have noted that many of these were actually Labor policy - or close to it...
But is that because of WHO attended?
* No pro-family advocates, but many supporting the opposite agenda.
- Shelley Argent of PFLAG representing homosexual rights, but no one opposing the normalisation of homosexuality.
- Dr Caroline de Costa, the doctor who was the first to use RU 486, but no pro-life advocates.
* Many advocates for a republic, some with well-known views including David Marr. The monarchists claim it was stacked. Phillip Benwell lists the Governance attendees and notes no monarchists were included. Many of the same people called for a Bill of Rights.
Each of the ten areas came up with one 'top' idea:
Click here to read them.
So how could the result have been any different?
Brett Solomon, the Executive Director of GetUp!, a left-wing political activist movement, calling for a vote and promoting the Republic...
I read that only individuals attended the Summit, and no 'interest groups'! Who are they kidding?
Read Andrew Bolt's analysis of the attendees:
Moses Rudd scales summit
Andrew Bolt, Herald Sun, 9/4/2008.

4 April 2008 - 2020 Summit to be held 19-20 April
The 2020 Summit organised by the federal government and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd will be held in Canberra on 19th and 20th April 2008.

The Summit will address 10 areas - including health, communities, the economy, etc etc. One federal Minister or Member of Parliament has been chosen to co-lead each of these topic areas along with 10 people chosen for the steering committee representing each area. The Steering Committee has now selected 1000 people (100 for each area).

Information on the Summit:
* Australia 2020 Summit website
* About the Summit
* Summit Topics
* Steering Committee Members
* Participants - listed by topic area and state

The participants at the Summit are being hailed as 'the best and brightest minds' but others have noted there are many bright minds who have not been included in the Summit!
Others also claim to have the 'best and brightest minds' - Future Forum 2020 claims that it "features workshops by Australia's "best and brightest" minds" - but none of their noted and accomplished speakers are included in the Australia 2020 Summit!

Some have called it a "talk-fest" - but others have claimed that it shows the Rudd government is 'listening' to the people.
Who knows? As one commentator noted, it will attract all sorts of ideas - from the practical and sensible to the 'wacky'!

Discussion Papers
Discussion Papers for each topic in the 2020 Summit were released yesterday (3 April):
Discussion papers - Click here to go to the 'Summit Topics' page and click on the topic you are interested in - an overview is provided, plus a Background paper in Powerpoint and pdf form at the bottom of the page.
Christian Kerr analyses the Discussion Papers in The Australian - click here .
Media Report:
Best and brightest ideas thrown on summit table
The Age, 4 April 2008.

In an insightful analysis of the current state of Mr Rudd's government, The Australian warns that Mr Rudd needs to focus on two or three key ideas rather than try and follow a multitude of ideas. The paper warns that his political 'honeymoon period' is coming to an end - meanwhile Mr Rudd is travelling the world to promote the global nature of Australia and the world.
Rudd should take a long-term view
The Australian, 3 April 2008