Opinion
Understanding and improving how Australia makes its future
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We regularly highlight and analyse key issues relevant to the future Australians want to make. We hope you enjoy the content, share it with others and tell us what you think, because the best thinking can come from anywhere.
What we have learned from more than 12 years of engagement with leaders across the future-making system, and how we are working with politicians to address our findings
Australia is a rich country that has walked into trouble across economic, environmental, and social issues. Through listening and observing, developing, testing, and iterating, we arrive at methods that provide us with new insight into complex challenges.
When things get tough, we need to talk.
But, as Next25 research shows, Australia finds it hard to constructively discuss contested issues, and this is a key contributor to the country’s underperformance.
And things are getting tough in Australia.
Australians feel that our core institutions do not act in the public interest, compounded by a lack of engaged public decision-making. But polycrisis encourages us to think in shared dimensions, and therefore, is not only a means for us to describe current global conditions, but in an era of low-cooperation, also helps us to collectively focus, then prepare for the future.
Taking a look back at 2022, here are six examples where positive steps have been taken by Next25 and others toward a flourishing Australian future. We all have a role to play in the country’s future. Let’s make it together by building on these successes and lessons in 2023.
Think of all the disruption and intractable problems facing Australia and the globe right now. If the nation can improve at having constructive conversations, we have a much greater chance of navigating disruption long-term. Demonstrating what’s possible, read on to find out what Next25 is doing to address this and positive examples of constructive discourse taking place across the country that we can all learn from.
Sparked by shared experiences as women in politics and as participants in Next25’s Leadership course for parliamentarians, four NSW women MPs have united across party lines to create an initiative in collaboration with Next25 that will transform the experience of parliament for women and improve democracy for all.
What’s holding Australia back from embodying the ‘fair go’”? And what does living up to it look like in practice? Read a summary of Next25’s third Navigator snapshot Providing a “Fair Go” for All to find out more.
The “fair go” has been part of Australia’s psyche for decades, but what does it mean in practice? As Miriam Margolyes explores the “fair go” in the new tv series Australia Unmasked, Next25 has been doing some investigating of our own. Does your idea of the “fair go” sit closer to equality or equity?
The 47th Australian parliament has more women, First Nations, and non-European members than ever before. However, there is still ground to be made toward diversity and inclusion. The public needs to know they can rely on the country’s leaders to represent all voices in creating a strong future.
Read a two-minute summary of our latest research that brings the complexity and diversity of public opinion to the surface through the voices of men and women across age groups.
With the election campaign now behind us, Next25’s research offers emerging and established leaders a go-to guide on what the public wants and levers to unlocking progress on the nation’s most important issues.
Next25 Navigator 2021 reveals that one of the biggest gaps between Australia today and the future our country wants is the problem of not taking responsibility for mistakes. Next25 has delved deeper into this issue through 40 qualitative interviews - with many saying the problem is getting worse.
We are thrilled to announce that we have enrolled four big-thinkers to the Steering Committee who will bring their expertise and knowledge to our next phase of work on enabling and embracing constructive discourse in Australia.
The upcoming federal election is an opportunity for Australia's political leaders to raise the nation’s sights beyond the pandemic. Australia is good enough to respond to the crisis and address the bigger picture.
Australia’s national discourse is holding us back from achieving the desired future. Next25 Recoded found three reasons why.
What’s holding Australia back from the desired future, and what’s needed to get there? Next25 Recoded has interviewed emerging and established leaders from across the country to find the answers.
Last December, Next25 had 12 wishes to improve how Australia makes its future. In particular, we wished for an independent ACCC-style body focused on anticompetitive, misleading, and deceptive conduct and structures in Australia’s political and election systems. Three failures stand out that make such a body even more pertinent today.
Global inaction on climate change is not consequence-free for Australia’s society, economy, environment, or national security. Until we improve how Australia makes its future, our nation’s success is in jeopardy.
Australia’s fifth Intergenerational Report claims we are well placed for a bright future. However, only 39% of Australians are confident our country will be better in 5-10 years.
