Who should be chosen?
Our PM, Kevvie has decided that a kilo of humans shall be chosen from amongst the people to tackle the TEN BIG QUESTIONS. Apparently these cover such things as productivity, the digital economy, water, health, indigenous people and services and the arts.
That’s seven things but I’m sure the other big things will be announced shortly.
Apparently the idea is that there will be ten groups of a 100 people each, chosen on merit says Kevvie, to discuss these issues:
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
So who should go? Why should they go? Should they stay at the Sheraton?
Well let’s just deal with the first question as the answer to the second question is ‘because Kevvie wants to and we voted for him’ and the answer to the third is best answered by the chosen kilo themselves.
Who should attend the Jabberfest of Chosen Kilo?
Doubtless many of you think I’m being a little less than respectful of this notion. I guess I have to admit that that is not an entirely unmeritricious assertion. After all can a 1000 people or even a 100 yackety yack-yacking away solve anything? Is it best perhaps to let ideas unfold organically amongst small groups of people or even individuals.
Well I can’t say with absolute certainty. Anyway the point’s moot innit? It’s gonna happen. So my contribution, which is an absolute waste of time I’m sure, is to call upon Ozblogostan to have its say. You do this by posting a comment with those you think worthy. You may even wish to nominate the problem that they should be addressing. If they’re obscure you might want to tell us a little about them. Don’t fear, you can post a comment using a false name and an entirely fictitious email address.
I’ll leave it up for a little while. Once I have a healthy selection of candidates (assuming that happens) I’ll get an online poll together and we can vote on the various individuals. The poll I guess should be ideally chosen problem by problem. So ten polls?
After all that’s done I’ll post the results and email Kevvie to tell him what we find.
I expect he’ll respond with a succinct little PR blurb. I doubt he’ll pay attention otherwise. But who cares who we think is good. Winning online popularity contests is hardly an indication of merit, is it? 
Cheerio.
adrienswords said,
February 6, 2008 at 2:51 am
I would like to commission the Grand Dour Old Fart Robert Hughes to give a keynote address designed to startle the delegates out of complacency by insulting our useless country. It shall be called Australia: Why I Left This Shithole.
Only half-joking.
Not my real name said,
February 6, 2008 at 7:10 am
I would like to nominate Tim Flannery, Peter Garrett, David Gulpilil, Germaine Greer and Rod Quantock.
Punditgames said,
February 6, 2008 at 7:12 am
Keith Windschuttle should ne hired to write the national history curriculum
Ungrateful Troublemaker said,
February 6, 2008 at 10:24 am
Me.
Don’t expect me if transport is not provided free. Won’t be there if I don’t get decent accommodation – free. Can’t come if meals are not provided free – that includes the conference dinner. Will be otherwise engaged if I have to pay any other costs at all of attending Australia 2020.
Don’t quibble. These are my minimum conditions. There is NOTHING negotiable downwards here. If the Rudd government is too cheap to meet my very modest needs — too bad — they’ll have to make do with somebody else..
Ambigulous said,
February 7, 2008 at 3:43 am
Mike Fitzpatrick, INTELLIGENT ex-VFL player
Robert De Castella, INTELLIGENT former Olympian
Robert Merkel, energy policy expert
NOT Hawkie
NOT Paul Keating
NOT “Iron Bar” Wilson Tuckey
NOT failed Premier Joan Kirner
NONE OF: Robert Manne, Gerard Henderson, Judith Brett, David Marr, Christopher Pearson, Mungo McCallum (all score way too highly on smugness index)
NOT Clive Hamilton – he’s had a fair crack of tyhe whip
Cathie Freeman
ex-Senator Natasha Stott-Despoja
Kate Ceberano
Peter Corris (former historian, novelist)
a volunteer for Red Cross
a volunteer for Salvation Army who works with homeless and/or drug dependent
a psychiatric nurse [to assist best & brightest? after stoushes??]
a shearer
Steve Bracks
Peter Beattie
Brian Howe
Tim Costello [but not his bro']
Fred Chaney
NOT Malcolm Fraser – he’s heard often enough
NOT Gough whatsisname – ditto
a plumber & gasfitter
a postal worker
a Telstra linesman
an interstate truck driver
persons who speak (any of) Indonesian, Tagalog, Chinese, Khmer, Vietnamese, Spanish, Italian, Greek, Arabic, Portuguese, Thai, Tetum, Maori, etc
an accountant
an engineer
a financial planner
a retiree on a pension
an unpublished poet
Ungrateful Troublemaker said,
February 7, 2008 at 9:09 pm
Adding to Ambigulous’ list:-
A serving member of the ADF below the rank of sergeant/petty officer.
The spouse of a serving member of the ADF.
Anyone living where broadband, mobile phones and public transport don’t exist. [this is the Lucky Country, isn't it?]
An ex-prisoner or a prisoner currently in custody.
A lone father without custody of his kid[s].
A small business operator who has gone broke.
A small business operator who is in financial difficulties.
A carer.
A non-celebrity multi-millionaire.
Several unemployed mature aged workers.
A client of Vinnies, Sallys or a similar charity.
An owner-builder.
A person who grows their own veggies.
Anyone who owns an older car and is struggling to keep it on the road.
An Aussie ex-pat who has no intentions of ever returning to Australia to work – not ever!
And now the fun bit:-
NOT any high-ranking trade union official who has never been on the tools.
NOT any of Australia’s corporate high-fliers – unless they submit to frequent sobriety tests throughout the talkfest [that way we'll avoid the Yeltsin syndrome].
NOT anyone who has had anything to do with Australia’s perpetual balance-of-payments disasters or with that lunatic wool floor price scheme.
NOT any of the fools from the upper echelons of the RSL.
NOT John Howard [unless in a cage for his own protection].
NOT anyone mixed up with military procurement, defence sales or any other multi-billion dollar wasting of my bloody money.
NOT any shock-jocks [they've got their own circuses].
and LIMIT the lawyers to a maximum of 25% of the total of participants.
Enjoying Diversity said,
February 8, 2008 at 1:36 am
I would nominate Michael Kerjman – an educated English-second-language- speaking Aussie professional with a clear vision of Australian issues.
Let you check Internet by yourself.
Ungrateful Troublemaker said,
February 11, 2008 at 9:32 am
Hey, where are the rest? Australia’s traditional apathy again?