Bright ideas fade

April 23, 2008, 9:10pm, 129 views,  Leave a Comment

The consensus which emerged from the 2020 summit appears to be a little shaky, according to a report by Imre Salusinszky in The Australian. Read more

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A Panadol after the party

April 21, 2008, 9:18pm, 299 views,  3 Comments

I don’t always agree with Queensland Senator Barnaby Joyce, but he was close to the mark today with his comments on the 2020 summit. Read more

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Discuss the republic issue

April 21, 2008, 8:44pm, 123 views,  Leave a Comment

I have created a forum post for discussion on the republic issue.

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Rudd shows he can listen, or good PR?

April 21, 2008, 6:13pm, 121 views,  Leave a Comment

Rudd and friends I’ve bagged the 2020 summit pretty heavily here based on media reports and the statements produced. To give some balance, I reproduce a group email I received from a friend Merrill Boyd who was in attendance:

“The PM invited Stewart Ellis (Murray Irrigation Chairman) and I to pull up a chair and have breakfast with him, Lachlan Murdoch, actor Rhys Muldoon and NAB CEO Ahmed Fahour.

“It was a memorable 20 minutes (cameras clicking, TV cameras tuned and excellent dialogue). Read more

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Weak stuff from the rural group

April 21, 2008, 6:02pm, 168 views,  Leave a Comment

This is a verbatim reproduction of the “top ideas” from the 2020 summit’s rural group, with my comments as indicated. Read more

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Republic discussion

April 20, 2008, 9:33am, 148 views,  Leave a Comment

Apparently there was barely a voice to be heard against Australia becoming a republic among the 100 people in the summit’s governance group. Read more

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2020 summit, day one

April 19, 2008, 6:33pm, 172 views,  Leave a Comment

Australia by 2020 will be an independent, confident, prosperous and just nation deeply engaged with and demonstrating a close understanding of regional nations. Read more

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The rural group

April 19, 2008, 5:47pm, 157 views,  1 Comment

A media report has filtered through from the summit’s rural group, including a predictable call for more infrastructure and investment. Read more

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Shallow celebrity view

April 19, 2008, 1:36pm, 116 views,  Leave a Comment

Actress Cate Blanchett says artists can contribute just as much as scientists to Australia’s future.

“Science and art are siblings. Science and art are different outcomes of the same primal urge in us all to engage with, to detail, and to affect narratives and patterns,” she said.

She says a few years ago she met former US president Bill Clinton, who had an interesting take on the value of art to society. Read more

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GG on the money

April 19, 2008, 11:36am, 129 views,  Leave a Comment

Hopefully the Governor-General’s speech struck a chord.

Major General Michael Jeffery urged delegates to use the summit before them as an opportunity to question the “fundamental fabric of our society”.

“Can we do more to strengthen the family unit, to reduce the very high incidence of family break-up, to better prepare young people for adulthood and to strengthen their sense of social responsibility?” he asked.

Major General Jeffery said great ideas had been created in the past and could be created again to forge the future.

“As I move around this country I am constantly struck by the ingenuity, innovation and creativity of our fellow Australians in so many fields of endeavor,” he said.

I suspect a majority of the hand-picked people there are not as interested in family issues and social responsibility as they should be.

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