International Law

The Australian media and blogosphere are all abuzz about Kevin Rudd's announcement yesterday that he will convene an Australia 2020 Summit in April:

The Rudd Government will convene an Australia 2020 Summit at Parliament House on 19 and 20 April to help shape a long term strategy for the nation?s future.

The Summit will bring together some of the best and brightest brains from across the country to tackle the long term challenges confronting Australia?s future ? challenges which require long-term responses from the nation beyond the usual three year electoral cycle.

To do this, the Government will bring together 1000 leading Australians to the national Parliament to debate and develop long-term options for the nation across 10 critical areas:

1. Future directions for the Australian economy ? including education, skills, training, science and innovation as part of the nation?s productivity agenda
2. Economic infrastructure, the digital economy and the future of our cities
3. Population, sustainability, climate change, and water
4. Future directions for rural industries and rural communities
5. A long-term national health strategy ? including the challenges of preventative health, workforce planning and the ageing population
6. Strengthening communities, supporting families and social inclusion
7. Options for the future of indigenous Australia
8. Towards a creative Australia: the future of the arts, film and design
9. The future of Australian governance: renewed democracy, a more open government (including the role of the media), the structure of the Federation and the rights and responsibilities of citizens
10. Australia?s future security and prosperity in a rapidly changing region and world.

Participants will be selected by a 10 member non-government Steering Committee. The Summit will be co-chaired by the Prime Minister and Professor Glyn Davis, Vice Chancellor of the University of Melbourne.

Read the rest of the media release here.  While some (most?) are understandably cynical that this will be little more than a meaningless gabfest, I am hopeful that this will provide an opportunity for a cross-section of the Australian community to contribute in a real and positive way to the agenda of the Rudd Government.

Although it is not yet clear what procedure will govern the selection of the 1000 Australians who will participate in the Summit, if I was selected to participate I believe I could make an original and constructive contribution to the discussion.  My interest and research in the regulation of new communication technologies and social media, coupled with my teaching in and passion for the role of government and constitutional law, I believe I would offer a unique perspective in two of the critical areas: either "Economic infrastructure, the digital economy and the future of our cities" or "The future of Australian governance: renewed democracy, a more open government (including the role of the media), the structure of the Federation and the rights and responsibilities of citizens".

I hope this post doesn't come across a campaign stump speech or as an example of an out-of-control ego on my part, but I just wanted to declare my interest in being involved in what could be an important event for Australia.  At the very least I do plan to make written submissions to the Summit whenever they are formally called for.

Two final points before I hop off my soapbox.  First, I wanted to thank Nick Hodge who has very kindly included me in a list of potential participants:

On the internet side of this weekend in Canberra I?d like vote up six independent, smart thought leaders in the future of technology space. Cameron Reilly, Stilgherrian, Mark Pesce, Peter Black ,Laurel Papworth, Duncan Riley

It is real honour to be included alongside with such impressive individuals.

Second, over at Bloggerati you can vote for who you think should be involved in the Summit.  As Laurel Papworth has already observed "it probably won't do anything but at least you feel like you had a say".  Anyway, you can vote here.