It would be fair to say that, in the last few years, people in Australia have seen the most dramatic change of their lifetime unfold across the nation. Some good, some devastating, and some seriously confronting. How can we be sure that, through this change, we are moving in the right direction? How do we know if we are tackling problems at the root cause to ensure we aren’t just chasing our tail? Next25’s Recoded program uncovered five opportunities that can unlock nationwide progress – going beyond band-aid approaches and short-term solutions. But unlocking these opportunities requires mighty effort. So, as we close out 2022, we want to reflect on and learn from people doing this hard work for Australia’s future. Despite immediate challenges like floods, inflation, labour shortages, cyber vulnerability, and inequality – there are signs of optimism for Australia’s future.
So, where does the work need to be done? Next25 has identified five opportunities for positive change:
Galvanising National Identity: Articulate an honest, inclusive, and inspiring national identity that everyone can subscribe to despite our differences
Benchmarks Beyond GDP: Define national success on not only economic but also social and environmental factors
Constructive Discourse: Become better at constructively discussing complex and contested issues despite our varies experience and perspectives
Engaged Decision-Making: Enable Australians to contribute to, and feel represented by, the decisions made on their behalf
Trust in Government: Restore Australians’ trust in politics and the public service
Next25 knows we can’t do this work alone, so we engage with and support others to take steps of their own. While we’ve been building and running initiatives to unlock these opportunities, others across the nation have also been doing their bit. Here are six examples from 2022:
1. Commitment to a Voice to Parliament – Galvanising National Identity and Engaged Decision-Making
The government has committed to enshrining an Indigenous voice to parliament that would enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to advise the parliament on policies and projects that impact their lives. Embracing and recognising First Nation’s people in this way demonstrates progress towards a more inclusive national identity and more engaged decision-making.
2. Progress on National Anti-Corruption Commission – Trust in Government
Federal Parliament has legislated a National Anti-Corruption Commission that seeks to bring greater transparency and integrity to politics. The independent body will investigate serious and systemic corrupt conduct in government. Bringing a higher standard to the Federal Parliament in this way is a step in the right direction for rebuilding public trust.
3. Embracing traditional knowledge systems – Benchmarks Beyond GDP
The State of the Environment report, released by the Minister for the Environment and Water the Hon. Tanya Plibersek, MP earlier this year, hailed the success of First Nations rangers using traditional knowledge systems to manage more than 44% of protected national areas. This signals a move toward new national goalposts where the environment and First Nations practices are included in measures of success.
4. Next25 Leadership – Trust in Government
With 8% of sitting parliamentarians (State, Territory, and Federal) currently alumni of our Leadership course, Next25 continues to build momentum with politicians who want to work differently, improve their own leadership, and bring positive change to the system. This work provides parliamentarians with a pathway to restoring trust with the public by improving self and system.
5. Improving Democracy: Improving NSW Parliament for Women – Trust in Government
After four NSW women parliamentarians participated in our Leadership course, they approached Next25 to build and run an initiative to help improve the parliamentary experience for women. This initiative can help rebuild trust with the Australian public by providing a beacon of possibility for positive change in the political sphere. The work by NSW women parliamentarians could serve as a blueprint for improvement in other Australian parliaments, for women and for other marginalised and / or underrepresented groups.
6. Federal “well-being” budget 2022 – Benchmarks beyond GDP
This 2022 Federal budget included a promise by the government to benchmark the budget’s impacts on Australians’ well-being. We hope this signals a nationwide move toward new definitions of success that encompass social and environmental factors as well as economic prosperity.
These are just some of the actions taken by us and others in the past year to unlock opportunities for nationwide progress. Next25 will continue to address opportunities through designing, building, scaling, and running game-changing initiatives. And as Australia continues to adapt and face new challenges, we will identify further opportunities for improvement. We are all part of the system. 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.
Visit our website to learn more about how we are addressing these opportunities and download the full Recoded Report for a deep dive into the research behind this work.