hello world!
I have been a community builder, networker and social entrepreneur, bringing people together to empower ourselves in relation to Big Government and Big Business. I am Director of Civil Society Australia, a voice for families, communities and voluntary associations since 2007. Before that, I founded the Social Entrepreneurs Network (Australia/New Zealand) in 2001. I have helped develop co-operatives and mutuals, disability and mental health groups, rural and regional enterprises, church organisations, and indigenous self-help initiatives. I have led community efforts to reform NDIS, health care, natural disaster prevention and recovery, indigenous self-help, banking and finance, small business representation and community self-organisation, but at every turn I have experienced obstacles placed in our way by governments.
To make progress now, we need to enter the political arena to clear away the impediments to a stronger, more innovative Australia. I started life as a historian. In the 19th century, Australia was known as the “social laboratory of the world”, the most democratic, innovative and egalitarian country on earth. In the 20th century, we lost our way and now we are languishing. We need to change direction in this country urgently. We need leadership.
