Australian 2020 Summit good for World

William Atkins
Sunday, 20 April 2008 21:06

Science - Health

The initial report, with all of the ideas stated within it, appears at: “Australia 2020 Summit—Initial Report".

This “brainstorming” session highlights many concerns that people have in Australia.

No doubt, its concerns could also be applied to many people around the world. If governments were more open to their citizens’ ideas, more progress would be made in the world.

Such an open forum to discuss national problems, concerns, and ideas is a very important first step to becoming a stronger and more vibrant nation.

Many of these ideas concern the health and welfare of people.

Actress Cate Blanchett was quoted to have said at the Summit: "By 2020 we want to be celebrating the fact that creativity is central to sustaining and defining the nation.” [News: “Ideas flow from future fixers”]

This idea of “creativity” is central to the health and welfare of all peoples. A country—which is simply a group of people—is less creative, is less productive, when its citizens are not as healthy as possible, when they are not as safe as possible, and when their welfare is not of prime importance.

Some people may not like the idea of banning smoking, for example, but it has been shown time-after-time again to have a negative impact on the overall productivity, creativity, health, and welfare of individuals and groups of people.

If nothing else, a government exists to assist in the safety and health of its people. For this reason, many governments have in the past, and are enacting in the present, bans that minimize the impact of unhealthy activities of its people and that maximize healthy activities.

Not without its critics, such legislation will, no doubt, be a larger part of our future as a society.

Of course, not everybody liked the Summit. Please read The Age: “Dissension in the ranks at 2020 summit” and The Australian: “The 2020 Summit – symbolism or substance?”

If nothing else, the Australian 2020 Sumitt shows that a country is dedicated in improving itself, is interested in the thoughts and ideas of its citizens, and is willing to make changes to assure a better position for itself in the world--in the future.

Other countries should, at least, consider such brainstorming summits for the sake of their futures.