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  Dealing with the big shift

  editor     |      May 9, 2008

  By Rebekka Tuqiri

  It's easy to forget those first few weeks of parenthood.

  It's easy to forget the total sense of powerlessness and loss of control the arrival of a tiny, helpless, demanding little creature precipitates in the formerly ordered, neat, punctual lives of new parents.

  And it's funny, because part of the reason this first few weeks is so challenging is that it's soon forgotten, and rarely experienced by those who aren't actually physically going through it.

  Until we have our own tiny infants thrust upon us it's rare for most women, and almost unheard of for most men to have even held a new-born.  Yet, suddenly, sleep-deprived, dripping with breast milk, dishevelled and confused, we're expected to understand the needs of a screaming infant.

  And then we catch a glimpse of ourselves in the mirror, and the total disconnect between the societal images of the successful, attractive, well groomed parents, and the reality of the bloodshot eyes and birds nest hair is just too overwhelming.

  A big part of the problem is the expectations we set up for ourselves. If we lived in communities where we had more of an opportunity to come into contact with little ones and the parents of little ones it might be a bit different.

  Not that I'm suggesting you go to live in a hut with your pregnant relatives and extended family. There are better and far more practical ways to solve the challenge.

  It's more about balance. It's about being forewarned so that people can understand what to expect and not to expect in the first six weeks, from themselves, and the baby, and their relationship, and just about everyone else.
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  Realising the Adaptable Workforce

  editor     |      May 8, 2008

  By Justyn Sturrock

  The latest report from IBM highlights how ‘cracking the code for Talent' can help companies take their workforce performance to the next level.

  Today, more than ever, organisations worldwide are focusing their time and attention on maximising the value of their workforces.

  As organisations become more globally integrated, and as traditional geographic and competitive boundaries disappear, the need to identify, develop and connect talent has never been more critical.

  Every two years IBM conducts a global CEO Study where we go out and talk to over 1,000 CEOs, and each time we do this, the people agenda is always top of mind.

  In 2004, when we asked CEOs what their greatest concern was for their organisation, three primary themes emerged: growth, responsiveness and agility.

  And CEOs were almost unanimous in their belief that the greatest hurdle to addressing these themes was the capability within their organisations.
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  Online Question Time for the Hon. Chris Pearce MP, Member for Aston

  editor     |      May 6, 2008

  The first elected representative to take Question Time online is the Hon. Chris Pearce MP, who was elected to represent the Melbourne seat of Aston in the 2001 Federal election. 
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  The source of Australian innovation

  proberts     |      May 5, 2008

  Innovation comes from entrepreneurs – and rarely from science.

  There is a pervasive Australian myth that goes something like this: innovations come from brilliant scientists who pass on their discoveries to grateful businessmen and women and, eventually, the consumer. This linear progression does occur, but is a rarity compared to the real source of Australian innovation – the entrepreneur.

  The world's stock of science and technology is increasing at a rapid rate and, in fact, there is already enough of it around to fuel a number of industrial revolutions. What is in short supply are the people who can assemble technologies and ideas into a coherent business plan, raise the finance and assemble the team that can turn all these inputs into something consumers value – in short, into an innovative product or service.
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  Health Care Agreements: Paper for Open Forum

  editor     |      May 4, 2008

  Tony Abbott reflects on his time as federal health minister and says the upcoming health care agreements could achieve most of the benefits of a federal government's  takeover of public hospitals.

  At the recent 2020 summit, delegates' frustration with the dog's breakfast of divided responsibilities in health was sidetracked into proposals for a national preventive health agency funded by a tax on junk food and a new health equality commission. Keeping people healthy and giving everyone the best possible health outcomes are worthy goals, but are unlikely to be achieved by creating new bureaucracies. Avoiding discussion of today's actual problems by focusing, instead, on vague aspirations for the distant future seems to be the new government's style. Let's find something that sounds visionary, but that doesn't threaten current power structures or imply blame for current problems. That way, we can all be seen to work together.
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  Health Care Agreements: Paper for Open Forum

  editor     |      May 4, 2008

  The Hon. Tony Abbott MP reflects on his time as federal health minister and says the upcoming health care agreements could achieve most of the benefits of a federal government's  takeover of public hospitals.
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  A Continuing and Permanent Ideas Database – A Must!

  Robert_Pitts     |      May 3, 2008

  Australia needs a permanent, highly visible and accessible repository for ideas.

  In 1988 I wrote to the then Minister for Science, Barry Jones and advocated the concept of a centralised ideas database. I envisaged a system where members of the public could submit ideas for inventions, models for governance, infrastructure improvements, etc. via phone, fax, mail or even the newfangled "email".  

  My envisaged model was a system administered by universities who were probably the only bodies at that time with enough computing power to handle the influx of data. Since then, of course, there have been massive advances in internet technologies making such a system not only feasible but, I believe, imperative. It is sad to contemplate that there have doubtless been many creative ideas formulated by ordinary people which have withered and died for want of an avenue for expression.
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  The true nature of the Environment

  quagga     |      April 29, 2008

  How can I be as one with nature?  This blog’s questions/answers will reveal.

  How can I be as one with nature?  This blog’s questions/answers will reveal. 

  Q: What is the environment?

  A: The environment is everything (absolutely everything) that exists! ie: The Universe.
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  Aussie Innovation Community

  aussieinnovation.com     |      April 29, 2008

  Any innovator will know what it is like stumbling through the system, learning about the grants process, looking up relevant programs, wading through related government websites and fighting to find like-minded people. It shouldn't be that hard. A few friends in the right places can make all the difference and that's what www.AussieInnovation.com is all about.
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  Greenhouse Challenge: Can IT deliver?

  editor     |      April 29, 2008

  

  The world's leading analysts predict that energy costs will be eating up more than a third of IT budgets within the next five years, says Sundeep Khisty. 

  Global warming has emerged as the critical issue of the 21st Century. While governments worldwide debate the best formula to cut greenhouse gas emissions, change is inevitable.

  Most world leaders concede that global warming is the fault of human kind and that intervention is a priority.

  A recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), left little doubt on the issue. Drawing on work by 2500 scientists, the UN-backed IPCC concluded that it was more than 90 per cent likely that recent warming has a predominantly human cause.
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  Australia 2020 Summit: A chance to continue the conversation

  editor     |      April 29, 2008

  

  Summits such as this should be extended beyond Australian shores to include our near neighbours, says Ben McDevitt.

  I felt honoured to be part of the 2020 Summit in Canberra.  The opportunity to share ideas with such a diverse array of people from all walks of life on critical issues affecting our nation was fantastic.  My only regret is that the time we had to actually put ideas onto the table was very limited and the opportunity to actually explore those ideas in a meaningful way was virtually non-existent. 

  I think the organisers and facilitators did a great job under considerable pressure to identify key ideas emerging from each of the streams in the limited time available and I was pleasantly surprised at the wrap up session on the second day that some really innovative ideas had been generated.  Prior to attending the summit I held the view that the best we could hope for was to create opportunities for further discussion and I sense that will occur.
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  Inside the 2020 Summit: A healthy look at the future

  editor     |      April 29, 2008

  

  The twelve years from now to 2020 will be constrained by demographic imperatives, economic realities, demands of sustainability, Asian development and climate change. Within those constraints we will have choices – how wisely can we make them, asks Prof Stephen Leeder.

  In proposing a national health strategy, major points of agreement emerged quickly among the hundred delegates in the Health Strategy Stream. The 17 years less life expectancy experienced by Indigenous Australians was unacceptable, and to ensure more equitable care for people in remote socio-economically disadvantaged Australia was urgent. A more energetic approach to IT for a portable, personal medical record was proposed, essential for the decades of care for people with long-term continuing health problems such as emphysema. The continuing value of research was acknowledged.

  Chronic illness scares everyone, especially mental problems, and better linked up care is critical between public and private, health workforce and Commonwealth and States.