Pete - It depends what you mean by ‘existing ideas’. The broad intellectual framework I work from is far from original. But I apply it in contexts that other people do not. I’m the only higher education policy specialist from a market perspective, and indeed one of a very small number of people who write about higher education from any expertise-based perspective. I presume that’s the main reason I was invited to 2020.

Similarly, I don’t collect original data. But I do report lots of data that is unreported or unanalysed elsewhere.

(I’m a bit surprised though. From reading your blog, you seem best as a good communicator of existing ideas in a generally intelligent and thoughtful way. Sort of like a thinking man’s Paddy McGuinness. We don’t always agree, but, you’re able to put up well defined reasons for your opinions.)

If there’s one thing you can do, try to make sure that each participant puts a view of something outside their usual comfort zone. That’s the only way the forum will generate any genuinely new, fresh ideas. Otherwise, it’ll just be the usual talkfest with the same old topics and the same old end results.

Best of luck with the Summit.

For example, since there no Australian economists who have won the Nobel Prize, there should have been no economists invited (or, if there are non-government prizes in Australia for economists, only the winners of those prizes should have been invited).

Using objective non-government measures will wittle down the list of ‘best and brightest’ to a more accurate number of 100. These sort of talkfests should at least be realistic about the intellectual talent in Australia as compared to the powerhouses in the UK, US and rest of the world.

And why are so many politicians invited? I’m generalising, but most politicians know how to speak well and build coalitions by compromising their principles for votes… but that doesn’t mean they know how to fix Australia’s problems. And besides, they get enough airtime for their ideas already.

“But it’s good that people admit they are wrong, when they are shown to be wrong.”

Yea, but we’ve been waiting for your admission for years, Spiros.

http://www.edge.org/q2008/q08_1.html