We often hear the term "public interest" used to justify the priorities, decisions, and actions of individuals and organisations. Politicians use it to justify their policies; businesses invoke it to substantiate major projects; academics claim it to get research grants; courts use it in their judgments; and the media use it to support publishing decisions.
Despite the frequent use of the term, there is no clear understanding of what Australians believe is in the public interest or how well Australia is delivering on that expectation.
Our purpose at Australian Futures Project is to maximise and share success across current and future generations. From our first decade of research, engagement, and action, we know that the public interest is a powerful way to define what Australians mean by “success”. That is why we are working to understand what is in Australia’s public interest.
We have conducted extensive research into the public interest in terms of what it means and how progress is evaluated. What is clear is that the public has little direct input into shaping the public interest. Instead, it is the loudest voices who define what the public interest is and what Australians want for their future, while the public has no mechanism to define it for themselves.
This has left Australians feeling increasingly frustrated. Many believe that they cannot play a meaningful role in making the future Australia wants and that leaders (including in government) do not care about the public at large.
Without engaging with the public to understand the public interest, Australia risks sleepwalking into our future. Or worse still, leaving our future vulnerable to be hi-jacked by a powerful few who misrepresent the views of the public for their own gain.
This is why we are launching Next25 Navigator, an ongoing study that answers the question, “What future does Australia want and are we on track?” This is ground-breaking work that will for the first time deliver a working definition of what is in the public interest from the perspective of Australians.
The Navigator will clearly show the direction Australians want our country to head over the next 25 years, where we’re doing well and where we’re falling behind, what we should focus on first, and who should be involved in the decision-making and action.
We will release the inaugural report on 31 March 2021. The report will highlight what Australians rate as important, where we stand today, and where we want to see improvement in the future.
Armed with the knowledge from Navigator, everyday Australians, government, experts, media, business, and others with a stake in Australia’s future can actively create the future Australia wants, and at the same time hold powerful people and organisations to account when they wrongly claim to be working in the public interest.
Help us make the future Australia wants and stay up-to-date with the latest information about the Navigator by signing up here.