Tim Costello, Chief Executive of World Vision Australia since February 2004, co-chaired the stream on strengthening communities at the recent 2020 Summit. This is what he had to say.
Submitted
23/05/2008
By
Andrew
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Updated
12/09/2008
So Tim are you happy with the way things have gone over the last couple of days?
Yeah, look I am. I’m very happy. I described it as a high wire act without a safety net, it could have gone badly wrong and there was some nervous moments, but we kept our balance and I believe we have come up with great goals, great policies, great ambitions.
Fantastic. Now, there’s been a lot of talk about the summit being just a two day talkfest. First of all, do you think this is true? Secondly, if it is, is that necessarily a bad thing?
Well how else do you communicate without talking? What’s wrong with talking? A national conversation is not a bad idea. But if you mean that there was no outcomes, I think there was great outcomes. I think the National Development Index, the Social Action Plan and Disability Insurance for everyone are fantastic outcomes.
Finally, what sort of symbol has this weekend been to the wider community and how important is that symbol?
It’s the symbol of saying that not only is there a government opening up to new ideas but actually taking them seriously; listening, costing them, and responding to them. And for invigorating community that’s a huge symbol.
It’s as if the government have done all the steering on a boat called society and told the rest of us to row, and now there allowing the community to put its hands on the steering wheel and have a say in deciding the direction of society.
Tim Costello has been voted as one of Australia’s 100 National Living Treasures. In 2004, he was awarded Victorian of the Year, in 2005 was awarded Victorian Australian of the Year, and in June 2005 he was made an Officer of the Order of Australia.
He is currently Chairman of the National Australia Bank Community Advisory Council, a member of the Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Foundation, and a member of the National Aid Advisory Council. He studied law and education at Monash University, followed by theology at the International Baptist Seminary Rueschlikon in Switzerland, and a Masters in Theology at the Melbourne College of Divinity.
