tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post8653113447128538011..comments2024-02-11T19:28:27.997+11:00Comments on Personal Reflections: Sunday Reflections - facilitation, fashion and the 2020 summitJim Belshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-68894661442330430612008-04-22T14:02:00.000+10:002008-04-22T14:02:00.000+10:00Hi Holly, good to hear from you.I am not sure abou...Hi Holly, good to hear from you.<BR/><BR/>I am not sure about your first point. I think that there was a chance to generate new ideas, but it all dependended on the initial suite of ideas. plus the impact of subsequent ideas generation. My concern on the second lay in the nature of the inevitable ideas exclusion process.<BR/><BR/>Now here I want to focus on one of your key points:<BR/><BR/>"And, as countless referendums have demonstrated, what people don't understand they will almost instinctively refuse." <BR/><BR/>This is an important point. Some of the issues coming out of the summit need time and oxygen if they are to survive.Otherwise they are either going to be lost or simply jammed through the system regardless.<BR/><BR/>In all this, there is to my mind a tension between the stated role of the summit and the subsequent use to which the material will be put.<BR/><BR/>I will add some more a little alter. Looking at the time,I need to get abck to work!Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-25741655652704031592008-04-22T12:04:00.000+10:002008-04-22T12:04:00.000+10:00I agree that the time constraints of the summit, g...I agree that the time constraints of the summit, given the numbers, made it almost inevitable that the outcomes were going to be the big ideas that everyone's heard before.<BR/><BR/>I was a delegate at the Youth Summit and we had the same problem. Despite the smaller numbers, plenty of worthy and more original ideas were knocked down just because there was not enough tim to explain or debate the practicalities properly. And, as countless referendums have demonstrated, what people don't understand they will almost instinctively refuse. <BR/><BR/>A lot of people are out there saying that the Summit was a waste of time - I don't agree. Even if it wasn't as representative as it could have been (there were always going to be discrepencies there), at least it served to demonstrate the kind of ideas Australians consider important and stir up some debate in the community (the republic is a good example). <BR/><BR/>At the very least, it has drawn people into various debates about the future of the country, and isn't that how a democracy should function?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-73558388987152048152008-04-21T18:15:00.000+10:002008-04-21T18:15:00.000+10:00You understand my point very well, LE. I would muc...You understand my point very well, LE. <BR/><BR/>I would much prefer to spend my time arguing major issues like general constitutional reform, issues associated with our indigenous people or the real meaning of a true national market. Now I am going to have to spend time defending a system I like.<BR/><BR/>It's all so dumb. If the issue had been left to rest for another decade, then there is a pretty fair chance that the simple effluxion of time would have delivered them the desired result.Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-68695167306153811712008-04-21T09:44:00.000+10:002008-04-21T09:44:00.000+10:00I share your concerns about the practicability of ...I share your concerns about the practicability of the Summit. There just isn't enough time for proper discussion and consideration.<BR/><BR/>Personally, I am in favour of a Republic, but as you say, I think there are more pressing issues in government and administration than this, and it is a divisive issue.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com