A functional public service with integrity has to be about more than policing personal power and profit. What do we want from our public service, and how can we reclaim it as something for all of us?

Like most people, I find the mere thought of surviving a global pandemic only to enter into a global war too horrid to deeply contemplate. But a war involving nuclear-armed superpowers would certainly impact us all, whether we feel inclined to contemplate it or not…. 

Has the public service lost its mojo? Are we too caught up in judging policy by its short-term effect on the budget bottom line, instead of its holistic effect on society? And do public servants exist to serve the government of the day, or the Australian public? Millie had the pleasure of listening to some of our country’s most senior current and retired public servants air these ideas, in a fascinating and candid conversation about public service for the public good.

A summary of the key themes from a fantastic panel discussion on care where Beth Thornber, Arnagretta Hunter and Matt Grogan explored questions such as ‘How do we value care and recognise how essential it is to our existence?’ And, ‘what sort of infrastructure do we need to put in place to care for each other and to be cared for?’

Millie attended Empowered Communities: Next Steps, the Community Independents Convention and she’s still buzzing… Celebratory, humble, collaborative and fun, Millie reflects on some of the key themes about how the community Independents are doing democracy differently.

What if we can take this opportunity of a newly elected government... in all its ongoing peril and possibility, to galvanise around a new ‘why’, that speaks to universal needs and human motivations? What if we can find a way to articulate that the individual issues we care about are really just pieces of the same solution?

Words are powerful, particularly at election time. Three word slogans shape debate and lies become understood as truths if they are repeated often enough. To create an agenda for the public good we need to recognise the power of words and use them to our advantage…

What would it look like to have a budget for the public good?
Think of the things the government could be budgeting for that would help us here: no new coal or gas and a serious approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions; proper staffing ratios in arenas that truly matter like healthcare, education and social services; safe and secure housing for everyone; retrofitted buildings and landscapes that are climate positive and robust in the face of disaster.

Imagine waking up and knowing that if you lose your job, health, family, you’ll be cared for. That there would still be meaningful (not de-meaningful) ways for you to connect with others, and that your contributions to society will be supported and validated. That would be freedom…

As a woman of colour and culture my artistic activism voice is creating culturally safe spaces for people of colour. I held space for women of colour to talk and to create art as they discussed what public good means to them. We talked about belonging, cultural safety, the importance of fun and so much more...

What is the purpose of our public institutions? How do they best serve us as a community? And in this time of disruption and restructure, can we remember to look beyond the glossy reports and key performance indicators to true purpose?

From street parties, to community visioning, to town hall meetings and more…. The most effective examples of community stepping up are when people connect their local work to systems and institutions of power so that these institutions too are changed.

A vision is like a kite, high up in the sky. But what tethers it to earth – to people and their lived experiences; and to our collective sense of power and agency? If the vision is the kite, where is the string?

Faith, like salt should add flavour rather than dominate. A fascinating conversation about the public good with members of the Uniting Church.

What do poets think about the public good? A delightfully poetic conversation about the role of poetry and arts in serving the public good…

Gloucester is a town full of people who know all about the public good and how to provide it. Whether it’s supporting community members through life’s ups and downs, helping to secure a safe climate future by fighting off a coal mine, or running their Sustainable Futures Convention, Gloucester is a small town with a big impact…

We talk with more wonderful Australians about the importance of contribution and connection to community. As always it’s wonderful to hear what people want for their communities…

We talk with five incredible women from Frankston, Victoria about their lives and communities: about who they are and what they and their communities need, how we might meet those needs better as a society…