Spread the word
20-Twenty
The Australia 2020 Summit is on this weekend ... finally, a good excuse to be stuck to the tube for 48 hours straight.
"The Prime Minister of Australia Kevin Rudd 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 (which begs the question, why wasn't I invited? Hmmm? *Taps foot impatiently*) 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:
- The Productivity Agenda – education, skills, training, science and innovation
- The Future of the Australian Economy
- Population, sustainability, climate change and water
- Future directions for rural industries and rural communities
- A long-term national health strategy – including the challenges of preventative health, workforce planning and the ageing population
- Strengthening communities, supporting families and social inclusion
- Options for the future of indigenous Australia
- Towards a creative Australia: the future of the arts, film and design
- 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
- Australia’s future security and prosperity in a rapidly changing region and world."
Areas that particularly interest me have been bolded - the others, I really couldn't give a fuck about. It will be interesting to see what transpires though, particularly as an old pal of mine, Marcus Westbury, is on the arts, film and design committee. Marcus is the founder and director of the This is Not Art festival ... and he may not remember singing "The Roundabout Song" in the school playground with me, but I sure do, and I'm not afraid of embarrassing myself in order to embarrass him. That being said, I'm sure it would take much more than this to make Marcus blush divinest rosy red. Perhaps if I mentioned the initials J.W. that would cause him to flush a little.
Of course, I must mention that Marcus has been nominated for the wrong team. Victoria? *Bwahahahahaha* ... now, if being on the Mexican team isn't enough to humiliate someone, I don't know what else will.
I'm in love again ... with my new pair of silver slippers that I bought on sale today at Jay Jay's Jeans. I will kiss them and squeeze them and cuddle them and caress them and call them ... Georgette? They're really too pretty to be called George.
The mind boggles.
Add to that new Cookie Monster and Play-Doh t-shirts that were bought at the bargan price of $25 for the pair, and - oh yes, not forgetting to mention the broccoli and spinach seedlings to plant in the garden, and will feed me the equivalent of six for the price of one. I am one happy camper-ette.
One of my ex-students assisted me with my choices today. Well, when I say assisted, he clambered up bags of potting mix, trolleys, and ladders whilst pulling down a variety of price tags. He also turned down the dimming switch on the lights at Jay Jay's, and stole half of my ice-cream sundae.
However, he's also beginning to do his seat-belt up by himself.
One step at a time.
Looking forward to catching up, ho.