The Australian Collaboration is a collaboration of peak national community
organisations representing social, cultural and environmental constituencies
and interests.
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Aims and Roles
Aim
The overall aim of the Australian Collaboration is to help to achieve
an integrated and sustainable ecological, social, cultural and economic
environment in and outside Australia.
Roles
The three main roles adopted by The Australian Collaboration
to further this aim are:
A forum for interactions between national community organizations
The Collaboration acts as a forum for interactions and exchanges between leading
national community organisations, each working in distinct fields and representing
distinct constituencies.
Research and Publications
The Collaboration’s research and publications concentrate on major
issues in Australian society (the basic ingredients of a just and sustainable
Australia, comprehensive reporting of all key trends, greater attention
to the long term, the underpinnings of democracy, reconciliation, international
responsibility, social issues). A distinctive characteristic
of the Collaboration’s work is that it draws upon outstanding academic
researchers around Australia.
Education
Education has an important place in the activities of the Collaboration. The Collaboration has worked closely with schools and university lecturers to develop an extensive range of Fact and Issue Sheets and with schools to prepare Study Guides to enable teachers and students to gain maximum educational advantage from the Fact and Issue Sheets.
International and national recognition of the challenges associated
with the aims of the Collaboration
There is growing international and national recognition of the significance
of the challenge associated with the achievement of sustainability (the new
relationship required between social, environmental and economic concerns),
a challenge with which the Collaboration is especially concerned. Examples
are:
- The Global Compact for world business leaders introduced by Kofi Annan, UN Secretary General in 1999, focusing on human rights, labour and the environment.
- The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) report
Policies to Enhance Sustainable Development (2001): To achieve “development
that lasts, based on linking the economic, social and environmental objectives
of societies in a balanced way,” ..will require “greater integration
of environmental, social and economic policy at all levels.”
- Former Premier Steve Bracks, Victoria: “ Getting the balance right between
economic, social and environmental goals is our greatest challenge.”
- Former Premier Dr Geoff Gallop, WA: “For many years we pursued economic,
social and environmental goals in isolation from each other. We have come
to recognize that our long term well-being depends as much on the promotion
of a strong, vibrant society and the ongoing repair of our environment as
it does on the pursuit of economic development. Indeed, it is becoming obvious
that these issues cannot be separated. The challenge is to find new approaches
to development that contribute to our environment and society now without
degrading them over the long term.”
The Australian Collaboration believes that it is well placed to
help to address these challenges.
Recent Releases
Wrongs, Rights and Remedies
by Spencer Zifcak and Alison King
Find Out More
A Big Fix
New edition
by Ian Lowe
Find Out More
