Comments on: Australia 2020 Summit - Links (End of Day 1)

By: Guy

Guy — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 23:33:02 +0000

Thanks Dave. I might look into a day 2 round-up, but I am already behind the eight ball know it seems. It’s sleep time over in London for me now. Haven’t had a chance yet to read up on the news from the second day of the summit, but from your comments it sounds a little disappointing.

Matthew, that’s an interesting take. Again, I will have to go away and do some reading tomorrow London time to catch up on what has eventuated.

By: Matthew Gee Kwun Chan

Matthew Gee Kwun Chan — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 10:28:57 +0000

On the 7′o clock news, the Rudd 2020 summit sounded more like a Howard nuclear inquiry as in the result was already known and a fact or ideas finding forum just confirms those preconceived ideas to give more creditability.

By: Dave Bath

Dave Bath — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 06:57:24 +0000

Thanks for putting this together. Looking forward to your day 2 roundup.

Although when you say “fairly confident that some degree of begrudging consensus can actually be reached on most of the big issues facing the nation”, you’ll be disappointed when you read the final report. Big issues with major disagreement? (Clean coal - some say only hope, others say no hope. Genetically Modified Food - some enamoured, some hating).

Most of the agreement involves “On X we need more data and more gabfests”

By: Guy

Guy — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 13:11:16 +0000

Indeed.

I think there will be always differences of opinions on most of the issues, often falling along the predictable ideological lines, but sometimes stratified based on income, background, geography, and so on. On the other hand, I am actually fairly confident that some degree of begrudging consensus can actually be reached on most of the big issues facing the nation. At the end of the day, if a policy makes sense and achieves its objectives, it makes sense, no matter what one’s personal politics might be.

By: Matthew Gee Kwun Chan

Matthew Gee Kwun Chan — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 12:52:02 +0000

The media seems to be loving the making of stark distinctions and differences. Do you think in political reality that such differences are big, small or non-existent?

By: Matthew Gee Kwun Chan

Matthew Gee Kwun Chan — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 12:45:31 +0000

Well do you want a fully functioning independent country or a constipated failed state?

By: Guy

Guy — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 11:45:32 +0000

There’s certainly something to be said for Australia’s remarkable ability to effectively take the piss out of everything.

By: JP

JP — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 11:31:22 +0000

Thought you might be interested in this link as well… Just for comic interest…

http://alsblog.wordpress.com/2008/04/18/2020/