Behind the day to day tussles over specific reform agendas, there is always a deeper and more fundamental struggle, where every debate about solutions to long-term unemployment is also a debate about human nature; every debate about poverty alleviation is also a debate about what constitutes an acceptable level of inequality; and every debate about the level of social spending is also a debate about whether there is such a thing as society, and, if so, what a good one would look like. The discussion paper, Reclaiming our Common Wealth makes a case for reconnecting public policies to shared values and openly stated principles. Future papers and articles will present brief, accessible summaries of the principles neglected in current government policies, and explain their implications for policy makers.

Editorial: the TAAA principle

The policy portal has come a long way since July 2005 when we added a separate policy section to the website and the weekly email. After the launch of Reclaiming our Common Wealth and the creation of a separate policy edition in June this year, the policy portal has evolved into a virtual think tank; developing new ideas, stimulating debate, and promoting policies that are both practical and sustainable over the long term. One of … more

Citizenship and the common wealth

This is an edited version of an address given at the Wattle Day forum on ‘Australian Values & Citizenship’ on 1 September  2006 at the National Museum of Australia. Citizenship and Australian values Around two years ago we started to hear talk about “Australian values”. Even Simpson and his donkey were invoked as a call to a values-based national moral rearmament. And for a long time we have heard about the virtue of “family values”, … more

Reclaiming the Australian Commons

In 1990, while finishing off my economics degree at the University of NSW, I wandered to Randwick for a bite to eat with some friends. I was learning a great deal about economics at the time, and I was convinced that what I was learning would make not just myself but Australia wealthy; ensuring Australia's international competitiveness at a point when national economies were becoming increasingly interconnected. Some of the ‘economic wisdom' of that era … more

 

Reclaiming Our Common Wealth

Reclaiming our Common Wealth: policies for a fair and sustainable future calls for the development of public policy based on Australia’s long term interests and values. Calling on all Australian politicians to re-think the way they develop public policy, Reclaiming our Common Wealth argues that the short-term thinking of the election cycle is damaging Australia’s long-term interests. We need a new approach to policy development based on consistent principles, underpinned by enduring values. In recent … more

Eating the Seed Wheat

‘Our Common Wealth' is not about policies and programs. It is about the values and principles which should underpin policies and programs. It is a statement of where the Centre for Policy Development stands. We have spelled out the values driving our own policy development and we are calling on all political parties, both state and federal, to do likewise. We decided to develop this manifesto for three main reasons. The first is that we … more

Where is the leadership, where are the policies to sustain “Common Health” in Australia?

Providing equal opportunities for citizens to avoid illness and receive quality care is arguably the ultimate social justice issue. Health is inextricably linked to happiness and that fact alone should demand health policies focussed on equity. Health is also a major determinant of individual and community productivity, further strengthening the case for health policies that will help as many of us as possible to be both happy and productive. We are a wealthy country and … more

 

From the ground up: the movement for real community values

It's good to be here today at the launch of the 'Our Common Wealth' project — which is a welcome contribution to the national debate. I come to today's forum with a particular perspective: – The changes to the federal industrial relations laws; – The impact of these changes on the working families I represent; – And the way unions are building a community alliance from the ground up to fight the changes. I want … more

The environment: a time to choose our future

To anyone with even a modest understanding of humanity's place in nature and our absolute dependence on the natural world, the response of governments and institutions to the massive environmental changes the world is now facing appears morally and ethically negligent. In the face of human induced climate change and a mass extinction crisis we urgently need to fill the gaps in our knowledge of how natural systems work and of how to protect, sustain … more

Revaluing education

Inequality in schools and under-investment in higher education It certainly is time for a new debate in this country about the pressing need to re-examine the values and principles which underpin our education systems. There are two issues — growing inequality in access and success in schooling and the decline since 1997 in public outlays on universities — that have serious consequences for us all. Both of these phenomena stem from the same underlying value … more