Australia needs more new talented visionaries speaking out for our future

The Future Summit is not designed to provide one vision for 21st century Australia – it’s about making sure all the options and ideas are on the table. It’s critical for Roux that the Australian community understands the inherent complexity of so many issues facing a developed world nation like Australia.

Take one of the topics – environmental sustainability. The environment debate is too often cast as a black and white argument. Witness the mayoral election in Sydney at present. There’s Clover Moore and the anti-development brigade versus the ALP and big developers.

But the physical environment and how we manage it is never that straightforward and Australia’s future leaders and thinkers need to understand this is the case.

The Future Summit must be taken seriously – its backers include the Business Council of Australia, and three universities – ANU, Melbourne and Sydney as well as the Victorian government.

The Future Summit represents a challenge to existing intellectual framework in Australia. It will allow for new voices to emerge and hopefully the Australian media and publishing houses will stop being lazy and ensure these views and voices are heard, and heard often.