Australia in 2030: Creating the Future We Want
26 September 2017 at 8:50 am
Melbourne will stage a special event in October devoted to examining how Australians can work together to put in place the right long term policy settings that will ensure our nation’s well being and prosperity into the future, writes Cassandra Goldie, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS).
For 60 years, ACOSS and our members across the community sector has sought economic and social change to achieve a fair, just, diverse and sustainable Australia.
We have done this by raising the voices of people on low incomes that so often go unheard. We have done this by convincing our political leaders to adopt policies that benefit everyone, not just those at the top. And we have done this by championing equality and social justice.
But there remains much more to be done, with inequality continuing to grow, ongoing human rights violations against sections of society, and inadequate action on climate change. The question is, how can our democracy address these issues and how can we work together to put in place the right long term policy settings that will ensure our nation’s well being and prosperity into the future?
To this end ACOSS has partnered with VCOSS to stage a special event devoted to this important conversation.
The two day conference on 24 and 25 of October in Melbourne, will bring together hundreds of community leaders, policy and decision makers, practitioners, academics and people with lived experience, to develop a collective vision for the kind of nation we want to have and live in by 2030.
We have chosen 2030 because it is a key year for humanity. It is when we hope to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, which are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure all people enjoy peace and prosperity. It is also the year when the term for the Paris Agreement to control climate change ends.
Given the significance of the 2030 time horizon, it is timely to be asking ourselves as a country what type of future we want as a nation and how we will get there. Central to this vision for the community sector is the need to tackle the issues driving poverty and inequality in Australia, as well as the role and future of the social services sector and the people it serves.
Expert facilitators and some of the country’s most exciting thought leaders will drive conversations and workshops including, Professor Fiona Stanley, ABC Radio presenter Paul Barclay, Guardian Australia’s Lenore Taylor, UN Australian Youth Ambassador Paige Burton, Professor Ross Garnaut, Economist Saul Eslake, Jackie Huggins from National Congress, The Reverend Tim Costello, author and prominent activist Tasneem Chopra, political figures and many others.
Key sessions include; ‘Shaping the future for regional, rural and remote communities’, ‘The future of work’, and ‘Affordable, inclusive and equitable clean Energy’. There is also a key plenary looking at ways to recast the current narrative, engaging with the voices and vocabularies of some of Australia’s most innovative and socially engaged storytellers to explore the role of narratives in mobilising communities, changing perceptions and re-engaging our attention for sustainable social change. With panellists including Lana Woolf, Hip Hop artist L-FRESH The LION, Adrian Dodd and David Gravina, this session is not to be missed by anyone working or interested in the media, communications and the campaigning side of our sector.
The conference also includes a series of interactive workshops on, digital innovation for social change; social innovation for everyone, by anyone; the Future Of Work: Is it already here?; becoming a better advocate for change; how to win hearts and minds; moving beyond diversity to inclusion; and how to leverage partnerships and new coalitions for change.
We hope you can join us for this unique and important event.
More information:
ACOSS National Conference 2017, in partnership with VCOSS
Tuesday 24 October 2017 – Wednesday 25 October 2017
Sofitel Melbourne on Collins, 25 Collins St Melbourne
