The State of the Nation

GLF 2014 participant David Coombe reflects on the first seminar of the Governor’s Leadership Foundation program – The State of the Nation. Throughout the year various GLF participants will contribute to a series of blog posts about their experiences and insights of the GLF program.

The State of the Nation…

Such a phrase I feel invokes many thoughts and ideas when circulated in our communities. This seminar of the Governor’s Leadership Foundation Program focused on an overview of the debates related to our economy, population, environment and social issues that are facing Australia and South Australia, both domestically and abroad. With such a diverse array of matters that are touched by these topics and how they have and may impact the state of our nation now and into the future I felt ‘although I have my own thoughts and ideas, I am only scratching at the surface’. I’m curious to learn more from my fellow GLFers and speakers, acknowledged as experts in their field.

“Although I have my own thoughts and ideas, I am only scratching at the surface.”

I was interested to hear speakers advocate passionately for their point of view. Throughout the event some guests sought to connect their view point with those of the others, cross pollinating ideas and demonstrating that they are all interlinked. I saw where this did not happen a view point was not socialised, which meant that only ideas that were openly discussed could be aired and considered.

Speakers panel during Seminar State of the Nation, GLF 2014. Photo credit: Michelle Holland FGLF13

Reflecting on the seminar I am left pondering ‘what do we want our nation to look like tomorrow?’ What needs to be done today in order for our society to get there? And what may we have to go without in order for our society, our children and grandchildren to be custodians of a society we are proud to leave to them? It was interesting to note the phrase “we are too Adelaide-centric” appear in the conversation. This is a phrase I have used and heard time and again, but are we acting on our recognition of this?