Episode 44: Australians can elect parliaments that work for them

Introduction from Bronwyn Kelly:

Australians are due to go to the polls in 2025 to elect their 48th federal parliament.

Australian Community Futures Planning (ACFP) is working to ensure it’s easy for everyone to find the factual information they need to decide whether the current parliament has been working well for them or not, and then decide who they’ll vote for in the next parliament.

The information they need will be provided in The State of Australia 2025. This is an independent report to be collated by ACFP which will contain the evidence about whether, during the term of the current parliament and government, Australia moved towards or further away from the future that Australians have said they prefer. This preferred future is described in Australia Together, Australia’s first long term, integrated plan for a better future for our nation. This plan is not emerging from political processes or parties. It’s being developed by Australians for Australians.

Last week I posted an article on how Australia Together helps Australians to elect parliaments that work for them. Today’s podcast is the first in a new series of conversations expanding on that article.

Over the next few weeks I’ll be following through with more articles and podcast conversations about some of the most important Targets and Strategies currently in Australia Together. They’ll cover strategies for:

• fixing Australia’s housing crisis;

• reforming Australia’s Constitution;

• stopping climate change;

• achieving peace, security and independent defence of Australia;

• ensuring prosperity through lifelong educational opportunities;

• establishing a National Accord on Wealth, Welfare and Wellbeing between Australians and their parliaments and governments, including a social wage or "universal basic income" for all adult Australians; and

• reforming Australia’s electoral systems and their funding.

Want to know more about Australia Together?

Australia Together is the nation’s first community designed and driven long term, integrated plan for a better future. It’s designed to help Australians make the best future we can imagine in the 2020s a reality by 2050 or sooner.

Browse the latest Issue of Australia Together - Issue No. 7 - here.

Who’s speaking in this episode?

Today’s episode features a conversation between ACFP’s Founder Dr Bronwyn Kelly and Dr David Kelly.

David is the Executive Director Editorial and Production at ACFP. As an academic David worked in the Department of English at Sydney University, where he pioneered interdisciplinary studies in literature and cinema. He became Chair of the Department of English and Head of Film Studies, and for many years was the editor of the academic journal Sydney Studies in English. In 2015 he established the Camera-Stylo Conference, an international event for the study of literature and cinema. He is Bronwyn’s husband and partner in the development of both Australia Together and Australian Community Futures Planning. 

Next week on the Australia Together Podcast:

Looking into Australia Together Part 1 - Strategies for fixing Australia’s housing crisis.