Australia's leaders gathered at Parliament House for the launch of The National Conversation Discussion Paper: Building the Australia We Want, unveiled at a meeting of the Parliamentary Group for Future Generations. Co-chaired by Senator Maria Kovacic, Dr Sophie Scamps MP and Ms Ash Ambihaipahar MP, the event featured keynote remarks from leading demographer Bernard Salt AM, underscoring the growing national focus on long-term policy and intergenerational opportunity.
The paper, spearheaded by Foundations for Tomorrow (FFT), captures the inputs of a broad range of subject matter experts and many members of the Intergenerational Fairness Coalition, to set out an ambitious proposal to engage Australians in shaping a shared vision for the nation's future. It asserts that this can be achieved through a National Conversation - a large-scale, inclusive dialogue designed to rebuild trust, strengthen social cohesion, and create a public mandate for ambitious, future-focused leadership.
What the paper sets out
Following Dr Scamps' recent introduction of the Wellbeing of Future Generations Bill 2025, which was shaped by FFT's For Our Future Policy Brief, the Discussion Paper represents the next step in embedding intergenerational fairness and long-term thinking across Australian decision-making. It outlines how a National Conversation will:
- Give everyday Australians a voice in shaping the country's long-term vision;
- Rebuild trust and social cohesion across generations and communities;
- Create civic infrastructure that enables long-term leadership; and
- Strengthen democracy by renewing citizens' confidence that their voices matter.
With the support of a growing alliance of civil society organisations, the Discussion Paper has been released as an active draft, open for public input until January 2026. Australians are encouraged to contribute at www.thenationalconvo.org.
The paper highlights successful international examples, including The Wales We Want (2015) and Forward Singapore (2023), where national dialogues helped to shape enduring social compacts and long-term policy frameworks.
What was said
“Following the Economic Reform Roundtable and amid renewed pressure for structural reform, Australia faces compounding challenges, including slowing productivity, the housing crisis, climate pressures, and rising public distrust. The Discussion Paper comes at a pivotal moment, highlighting that to sustain ambitious reform, Australia needs more than economic tools or legislative action, it needs shared civic purpose.” Taylor Hawkins, Managing Director, Foundations for Tomorrow
“It's clear the way we make policy in this country is failing our young people. They will be the first generation in modern history that are worse off than their parents - that should sound alarm bells for every leader in this country. We need to act now to rebuild hope and opportunity for the next generation, and that will require moving beyond short termism and siloed decision-making. It's time for a National Conversation to develop long-term vision that unites Australians to shape the kind of future we want to create together.” Dr Sophie Scamps MP, Independent Federal Member for Mackellar
“Reform only lasts when people can recognise themselves in it. A National Conversation strengthens our democracy by making sure decisions about the future are made with Australians, not for them. The danger is not disagreement, the danger is disconnection. A National Conversation is how we make sure Australians are part of the big decisions that shape their lives.” Ms Ash Ambihaipahar MP
“Our future generations should be at the forefront of our minds when making decisions. I am particularly concerned about the future of young Australians as they navigate challenges like housing affordability and security, social cohesion, and intergenerational fairness.” Senator Maria Kovacic
“Australia is one of the few developed countries that is expected to continue to grow throughout the 21st century. This means that Australia must evolve to be world's best practice at planning for the kind of growth and development that is compatible with our national values.” Bernard Salt AM