The Prime Minister of Australia Kevin Rudd will convene an Australia 2020 Summit at Parliament House on 19 and 20 April to help shape a long term strategy for the nation’s future.

The Summit will bring together some of the best and brightest brains from across the country to tackle the long term challenges confronting Australia’s future –challenges which require long-term responses from the nation beyond the usual three year electoral cycle.

To do this, the Government will bring together 1000 leading Australians to the national Parliament to debate and develop long-term options for the nation across 10 critical areas:  

1. Future directions for the Australian economy – including education, skills, training, science and innovation as part of the nation’s productivity agenda
2. Economic infrastructure, the digital economy and the future of our cities
3. Population, sustainability, climate change and water
4. Future directions for rural industries and rural communities
5. A long-term national health strategy – including the challenges of preventative health, workforce planning and the ageing population
6. Strengthening communities, supporting families and social inclusion
7. Options for the future of indigenous Australia
8. Towards a creative Australia: the future of the arts, film and design
9. The future of Australian governance: renewed democracy, a more open government (including the role of the media), the structure of the Federation and the rights and responsibilities of citizens
10. Australia’s future security and prosperity in a rapidly changing region and world.

Source: Australia 2020 - About the Summit

Submissions

Contributing a submission to the Australia 2020 Summit is a way for all Australians to be involved in bringing the best ideas forward to address Australia’s long term challenges.

All submissions will be made publicly available on this website and will be presented to the Australia 2020 Summit participants to stimulate discussion and ideas about addressing our future challenges.

Individuals, schools, groups, and organisations are invited to make submissions.

You can contribute a submission online, by downloading a form and mailing it, or by contacting the toll free number to have a form mailed out to you.

Submissions must be received no later than COB Wednesday 9 April 2008.

Written submissions are limited to 500 words per topic and should focus on one of the ten identified areas. You may contribute a submission in one or more policy areas.

Submissions will be collected by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, which is acting as a secretariat for the Australia 2020 Summit.

All submissions require a ‘name for publication’. This can be an individual, group or organisation. In addition to this, each submission is required to include a contact person, their name and details. These contact details will not be published.

Your submission can play an important role in our national discussion about our future and facing Australia’s long term future challenges.

Source: Australia 2020 - Submissions