News Corp and Sunrise partner on project to develop deeper conversation about Australia’s future
News Corp and Sunrise have partnered with the Australian Futures Project to launch a campaign aimed at sparking a deeper national conversation about Australia’s future.
My Big Idea is an open invitation to Australians to share their ideas in a nationwide competition which will see the top 10 ideas, as voted for by 10-20 judges, developed through a concept phase, but not necessarily produced into a real product or service, in partnership with an organisation partner, including News Corp and Sunrise.
Campbell Reid, director of corporate affairs and content innovation, News Corp Australia, said: “From a News Corp perspective, this is a really exciting program and opportunity because in the middle of an election campaign which is the ultimate manifestation of democracy one thing that is not democratised is the conversation and the discussion people have about what’s important to Australians.
“This project, and the Australian Futures Project, is really about not only giving voice to the real people of Australia about what their values and concerns are but empowering the best of those conversations to become really tangible contributions to society that come from the ground up.
Reid: Delighted to be part of My Big Idea
“The number one thing that News Corp can do through all of its channels is give people a voice and this is a partnership that can not only give people a voice but give tangible contributions to society, so we’re delighted to be the major channel for it to be finding its way into the national conversation of Australia.”
Both News Corp and Sunrise will take on one of the winning ideas and develop them through a design and concept development phase in partnership with the individual or group who submitted the idea.
Ralph Ashton, executive director of the Australian Futures Project, explained: “It’s going to be a little bit horses for courses as our research found about half the people just want to have a say and they don’t have the time or the inclination to be involved in bringing their idea to life. The other half do want to be involved.
“News Corp will get one of these winning ideas. We’ll invite the person who came up with the idea to take part in the process which will be a one to three month process to develop their idea – they can say yes or no. A team from News Corp with support from Pollenizer will then work on that idea.
Ashton: Idea will remain property of original person
“In terms of intellectual property and ownership – essentially the person who submits the idea retains all ownership but in submitting the idea they give a very broad license to us and our partners to work on and develop that idea.
“It’s not that we’re going to create the actual product or service or change what they want in that idea, we’re going to take it through what’s known in innovation world as a design-led prototyping process where the partner organisation will take the idea, research it, modify it if needed and go and ask people whether it’s a good idea and then take it through to where there will be a plan for action.”
My Big Idea asks Australians to submit ideas based on the top 10 desired cultural values developed from the 2016 National Values Assessment which saw Australians express what personal and cultural (or community) values are important to them. They include:
- Caring for the elderly
- Affordable housing
- Accountability
- Employment opportunities
- Caring for the disadvantaged
- Effective healthcare
- Government effectiveness
- Concern for future generations
- Honesty
- Economic growth
Organisations partnering with Australian Futures Projects’ My Big Idea include:
- La Trobe University
- News Corp Australia
- Channel Seven
- Pollenizer
- the University of NSW
- Amazon Web Services
- AT Kearney
- Foundation For Young Australians
- Macquarie Group
- the University of Technology Sydney
- Virgin Australia
Linkedin
My idea is for someone to make a spring type or stretchable bands which would help to bring up shopping from a travel shopping trolley from the bottom to help people unload. Many elderly have bad backs and cannot bend over into these trolleys to unload when they get home.
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My idea came from watching yet another shark attack fatality on our surf board riders. Could a device be invented and placed underneath the surf board, which would scare off shark attacks on surf board riders, giving them a much safer journey whilst out in the ocean.
I have sent this idea (today) to a surf board manufacturer & hopefully it can be done.
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Hello. My idea is that, in recognition of an ageing population, and the fact that our country / planet has only finite resources. Free but not manditory condoms for everyone and that everyone must ” volunteer ” at an old folks home periodically . Continuous economic growth is unrealistic and environmentally unstable. Let’s look after what we have rather than indulge in our insatiable thirst for more. Let’s change the K.P.I.s of our society. Profit = Good… Continuous growth of profit, in my opinion = Bad. Thank you. And yes I appreciate this is logistically difficult . But gees don’t we waste money on some crap?
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1.Graffiti on train windows
My idea is for train windows to have a clear plastic sheet over the glass that will immediately register graffiti attempts and a camera flash and the seat & carriage number.
If the fast electronic response is available from the Opal card and Etag tolls could someone start investigating how this can be done on public transport?
Doorway weapon detection
Is there some way that all entry doors to public places have a plastic tube around the frame which will show up concealed knives and guns? This would be like the tubular Christmas lights.
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