Ideas peak at 2020 Summit

Published: April 21, 2008 - 11:49 AM

The 2020 Summit in Canberra has given the Rudd Government a plethora of ideas.

Participants at the Rudd Government's 2020 Summit in Canberra on the weekend have raised a broad platform of ideas for the Government to map out Australia's future. The overreaching themes of the Summit were addressing climate change issues, strengthening our civil society through solving Indigenous disadvantage and encouraging greater social inclusion across all elements of Australian society, developing our people to better use our skills and education and developing a seamless national approach to all aspects of our economic markets.

Supporters of the Summit say it heralded a new inclusive form of Government for Australia epitomised by the coming together of Oscar-winning stars, social campaigners, millionaire businessmen and Melbourne housewives. Whether or not all attendees felt they have a voice within the Summit rooms remains to be seen. But as evidenced by the outcomes listed in the Summit Initial Report both agreement and disagreement seem to have been embraced and recorded.

The impact of climate change will most likely see energy prices in Victoria and other states rising sharply in the next few years. But householders may see a beneficial impact of the Summit ideas on their household budgets and energy bills if the introduction of a seamless national market is implemented efficiently so that businesses operating across states can reduce their cost of doing business and pass those savings on to consumers giving householders opportunities for cheap energy, electricity and gas. Wholesale energy is traded on a national market but energy and electricity companies - the people who supply you and bill you for your energy - are heavily regulated and currently have to apply for licences in each state and comply to different rules in each state. If these rules were harmonised their savings realised in reducing compliance costs could be passed on to householders and save you money on electricity costs and gas prices.

The real test of the Summit will be in whether this Government can acheive any real measurable outcomes. The Prime Minister has committed his Government to responding to the Summit ideas by the end of the year. The response will not only state those items that will be acted upon by the Government but will give reasons why ideas were chosen or rejected for further action. It remains to be seen if Rudd has given the opposition a brickbat of opportunites for criticism or whether his administration has the political will and ability to tackle a large-ranging social and political agenda that may take a number of terms - and indeed governments - to acheive.

For further information on the Summit go to www.australia2020.gov.au.

« Back to article list