We can build a more inclusive government and economy out of the pandemic – this blueprint shows us how

A community-led research agenda to respond to crisis – introducing the Real Deal report.

Citation:

Tattersall,  A. (2020) We can build a more inclusive government and economy out of the pandemic – this blueprint shows us how.. Conversation, Sept, 29..

Overview

When the COVID-19 pandemic transformed our lives earlier this year, our political leaders joined hands and said we were all in this together — and for a while we saw glimpses of a different kind of politics.

But as things got tougher, the cohesive National Cabinet became more fractious. The blame game and “politics-as-usual” took over and distracted from finding new solutions to tough problems.

With the country facing an uncertain economic future, researchers at the University of Sydney have brought together community and climate groups, unions and business groups to identify strategies for creating a different way of making policy and building a new economy coming out of the crisis.

The product is our “Real Deal” report released this week.

The Real Deal isn’t a typical policy document that outlines a magic bullet to the problems the pandemic has created.

We tried to break with the old battlegrounds and ideologies that have failed us over the last century. Instead of calling for unfettered free markets or big welfare states, or simple solutions like budget surpluses or endless stimulus packages, we are calling for a new relationship between the markets, government and civil society.

At the centre of this, we are arguing for a more collaborative approach and for mass community participation to be valued in public life.