History
On 24 April, 2015, under an Abbott Government in a country that seemed to be heading backwards on many fronts, a collection of senior civil society leaders from diverse sectors came together to ask, ‘What is our “yes?”’ In other words, what is our shared analysis of the country we dream of, and the change needed to create it? This led to a series of gatherings, known for a time as A24.
Naomi Klein was present at one of them – on Wednesday, 9 November 2016 – the very day Donald Trump was declared winner of the US presidential election. She writes about the experience in the opening of her book, No is Not Enough:
“At the time, I was in a meeting with around fifteen heads of various Australian environmental, labor, and social justice organizations. We were having a discussion that circled around a key insight. Up to now, the fights against global warming, racism, inequality, violations of Indigenous, migrant and women’s rights, as well as many other progressive battles, have often been broken up into their own boxes or siloes. But we had been asking, as so many movements are today: how do they intersect? How can they be tackled in tandem, at the same time? What values would govern such a movement? And how could it translate into political power?” (page 15)
Inspired in part by Naomi’s organisation and The Leap Manifesto in Canada, these leaders raised money to embark on a national research project, to listen and define that collective ‘yes’ in the language of everyday people. This became the vision & nine pillars, and unravelling and remaking the systems for this vision to be realised is now the ongoing work for an Australia reMADE.
Recognition and gratitude to The Australian Conservation Foundation, Action Aid, Community and Public Sector Union, GetUp, Greenpeace Australia Pacific, the National Union of Workers and Oxfam for financially supporting the very early days of this project.
Read on to learn more about the individuals who helped to kick things off.
Louise Tarrant, Chair
Louise has always been a reMAKER and a connector of people and ideas. She has spent most of her working life in the union movement excited and energised by the passion and courage of people, many of whom had very little, working together for respect and a better future. Whether it was as a telephonist or the National Secretary for United Voice, in those struggles she learnt the power of hope and ambition: don’t fight for too little – dream big and organise accordingly.
More recently Louise has been involved in the environment movement, particularly as a Board member of Greenpeace Australia Pacific. Again, those early life lessons of ‘go big’ or ‘go home’ resonate.
Louise can be as nerdy as the rest of us – wanting to understand why things aren’t better, and asking what stands in the way and needs to change? Not surprisingly she loves a good book and a framework or two.
Cassandra Goldie
Cassandra has been CEO of ACOSS since July 2010. With public policy expertise in economic and social issues, civil society, social justice and human rights, Cassandra has represented the interests of people who are disadvantaged, and civil society generally, in major national and international processes as well as in grassroots communities.
Cassandra has previously held senior roles in both the NFP and public sectors, including as Director of Sex and Age Discrimination with the Australian Human Rights Commission, Director and Principal Solicitor with the Darwin Community Legal Service and Senior Executive with Legal Aid in Western Australia.
Cassandra has a PhD from the University of New South Wales, a Masters of Law from University College London and is an Adjunct Professor with the Faculty of Law, UNSW.
In 2014, Cassandra was voted one of the Impact 25 Most Influential People in the Social Economy and recognised by the AFR in 2015 on their Annual Overt Power List. In 2018, Cassandra was recognised as one of Australia’s top 50 Outstanding LGBTI Executives by Deloitte.
Archie Law
Archie is Chair of the Sydney Peace Foundation which awards the annual Sydney Peace Prize. He was the founding Executive Director of ActionAid Australia, an anti-poverty agency active in over 40 countries. Archie has significant field experience and has worked in conflict affected environments with both the United Nations and non-governmental organisations in Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
Archie has been working on building a vision for the new Australia from the very beginning of this project. He loves this country and is passionate about working with all Australians to create the country that we want. A country that treasures its culture and its people and shares its values with the world.
Kelly O’Shanassy
Kelly is the CEO of the Australian Conservation Foundation and a sustainability leader, experienced in executive roles in business, government and the community sector. In her career, Kelly has led the charge to boost clean energy, save water and protect Australia’s rivers, reefs, forests and wildlife. She believes strongly in utilising ‘people power’ and ‘un-usual’ partnerships to advocate for a better future. Kelly believes if we work together, we can remake Australia into something better for people and nature.
Ann Porcino
Ann is a strategist, facilitator and consultant. Director of RPR Consulting she facilitates bold conversations about the critical issues of our time, inspiring hope and building strategies for change. Ann has been part of building Australia reMADE since its beginnings and coordinated the work that turned discussions with people across the country into Australia Remade. She is also the Deputy Chair of the Secretariat.
Ann came to Australia from New York in the 1980s. She started work in Australia as a hospital CEO and then director of Australia’s health accreditation agency. She has decades of experience in senior management positions and as a strategic consultant across civil society and with government. She works with many progressive organisations and leaders. Ann is deeply committed to enabling the people she works with to build alliances, tackle underlying systems and find new ways of working to serve humanity and the planet.
Ann lives in Sydney close to her daughters, husband, friends and violin.
David Ritter
David is the Chief Executive Officer of Greenpeace Australia Pacific.
Before taking up his present position, David worked for Greenpeace UK in a series of senior campaign positions. Prior to joining Greenpeace, David was one of Australia's leading Indigenous rights lawyers and the author of two books on native title. David's most recent book is The Coal Truth: The Fight to Stop Adani, Defeat the Big Polluters and Reclaim our Democracy. He lives in Sydney with his partner and two daughters.
David has been involved with Australia reMADE since the beginning and is excited about the potential for this work as a key step towards our shared flourishing future.
Paul Oosting
Paul was the National Director of GetUp from 2015-2022. He led GetUp’s successful 2016 election campaign which focused on multiple areas such as stopping funding cuts to local hospitals, holding corporate tax dodgers to account and keeping climate action at the top of the agenda. In 2017, Paul ranked in the top 10 of the Australian Financial Review’s Power Index of the most covertly powerful people in 2017. Before joining GetUp, Paul led the successful campaign to stop Gunns’ proposed pulp mill in Tasmania. The campaign resulted in the protection of over 160,000 hectares of Tasmania’s ancient forests.