2020 Summit

I'm sorry, but I can't support this headline-grabbing Talk Fest.


After the Government has finished handpicking who will choose who will attend, then handpicking who will attend, then throwing in a token number of "community members" we are faced with a large group of (mostly) intelligent, mostly well-meaning, mostly well intentioned individuals.


Their job is, in 2 days, to come up with some ideas for the future. The pay-off? Before the end of the year the Government will respond by saying which ideas it likes, and why, and which ideas it doesn't like, and why. There is no commitment from the Government to turn any of the ideas into policy or to investigate any of these ideas further.

I hope all the participants have a good time and I hope that they leave the summit feeling they have had an influence and their voice has been heard.

Meanwhile we should all be holding our own constant 2020 Summit. Talk with your friends, your family and work colleagues. Don't be afraid to ask people what they think about the future. It is through the sharing of ideas at local community level that the big changes in our society will come.

We have the power to make the future; it's up to us whether or not we exercise that power.