AUSTRALIA 2020 SUMMIT OUTCOMES

The future of Australian governance: open government (including the role of the media), the structure of government and the rights and responsibilities of citizens

• Australia 2020 Initial Report [1]

In head-line grabbing style, this stream called for the establishment of an Australian Republic, and an overhaul of our system of federal government, redefining the roles and responsibilities of the different levels of government. Add to this:

• an overhaul of the freedom of information laws
• the introduction of a series of mechanisms to increase civic participation
• the creation of mechanisms for collaborative governance
• community parliaments, and
• an online citizens cabinet

They also called for improvements to remuneration, flexibility and mobility within the public service so as to incentivise movement between the public and private sectors.

But does any of this make sense? Would collaborative governance lead to a more inclusive society or anarchy? And do we really need a republic, or is it just a side show to the real governance challenges facing Australia?

To read pre-Summit submissions by Open Forum participants, click here [1].