Mariana Mazzucato and John Thwaites, Melbourne Senior Policy Roundtable
Monday 10 December
Professor Mazzucato met with the Hon. Chris Bowen MP, the Opposition Shadow Treasurer in the Federal Parliament and other members of the Opposition economic policy team, including Shadow Finance Minister, Jim Chalmers, and Shadow Minister for Justice and Financial Services, Clare O’Neil MP. The focus of the conversation was how to translate the mission-led innovation model into policy and strategy.
Tuesday 11 December
In the morning, a policy breakfast was hosted by Martin Hoffman, Secretary of the New South Wales Department of Finance, Services and Innovation. Participants included some of the leading figures in innovation policy and strategy at the national and state level and the conversation explored the role, capabilities and culture of the public sector and its leadership. Mariana explained why that formed such a central theme in her framing of mission-led innovation, what specific capabilities were now at a premium in a confident and creative public service, and how some of those capabilities can be nurtured and deployed.
Participants:
Adrian Turner (CEO, Data61), Alan Finkel (Chief Scientist & Interim Chair – Innovation & Science Australia), Alex O’Mara (Deputy Secretary, Create NSW, Department of Planning & Environment), Andrew Cappie-Wood (Secretary, NSW Dept of Justice), Bill Ferris (Former Chair, Innovation & Science Australia), Chris Roberts (Board Member, Innovation & Science Australia), Clare Gardiner-Barnes (Deputy Secretary, Transport – Freight, Strategy & Planning), Elizabeth Mildwater (Acting Secretary, NSW Dept of Transport), Jason McDonald (Chief Domestic Policy Advisor, Prime Minister & Cabinet), Kate Connor (Acting Deputy Secretary, NSW Department of Justice), Mariana Mazzucato (Director of the UCL Institute for Innovation & Public Purpose), Mark Cully (Chief Economist, Commonwealth Dept of Industry), Martin Hoffman (Secretary, NSW Dept of Finance, Services), Martin Stewart-Weeks (Board Member, CPD and Founder, Public Purpose Pty Ltd), Roy Green (Special Advisor and Chair, UTS Innovation Council), Tim Reardon (Secretary, NSW Dept of Premier & Cabinet), Travers McLeod (CEO, Centre for Policy Development), Trevor Power (Head of Division, Industry Growth, Commonwealth Dept of Industry).
Public sector roundtable, Sydney
Later that morning, Mariana met with Ian Learmonth, CEO of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC), one of the world’s largest “green banks” and an increasingly influential provider of long-term, “patient” capital and investment to support a major transition to green economy, particularly in energy. The conversation explored ways in which the CEFC could engage Mariana’s thinking and experience to more effectively frame both the work of CEFC and the power and impact of new forms of bold investment strategies for different aspects of Australia’s green transition.
Wednesday 12 December
The visit shifted to Melbourne and started with an invitation-only roundtable that brought together a formidable group of senior policy makers, investors, business people and innovation leaders to tackle tough questions about how Australia could reconfigure public policy and delivery systems to tackle its big challenges. What would that look like in Australia? What would be some of the practical considerations of reform and new practice for the public service, for policy and political leadership, for the interaction between business and government and, crucially, for the quality and value of engagement with citizens and communities?
Participants:
Anna Skarbek (CEO, ClimateWorks), Ben Rimmer (Former CEO, City of Melbourne), Blair Comley PSM (Former Secretary, New South Wales Department of Premier and Cabinet), Charlie Day (CEO, Office of Innovation and Science Australia), Clare Savage (Deputy Chair, Energy Security Board), David Martine (Secretary, Department of Treasury & Finance, Victorian Government,) David Williamson (Deputy Secretary, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Australian Government), Don Russell (Board Member, CPD), Heather Ridout AO (Independent Non-Executive Director), John Thwaites (Chair, Sustainable Development Institute, Monash University), Kathryn Fagg FTSE (Non-Executive Director), Ken Smith (AMCEO and Dean, ANZSOG), Kristin Tilley (First Assistant Secretary, Department of the Environment and Energy, Australian Government), Mariana Mazzucato (Director of the UCL Institute for Innovation & Public Purpose), Mark Burford (Special Adviser to the Vice Chancellor and President, Monash University), Martin Stewart-Weeks (Board Member, CPD and Founder, Public Purpose Pty Ltd), Melinda Cilento (CEO, CEDA), Miranda Stewart (Director of Tax Studies, University of Melbourne), Nadine Flood (National Secretary, Community & Public Sector Union), Nicholas Gruen (CEO, Lateral Economics), Richard Bolt (Former Secretary, Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources Government of Victoria), Rod Glover (Director, Monash Sustainable Development Institute), Sam Mostyn (Board Member, CPD and and Non-Executive Director), Simon Hollingsworth (Deputy Secretary, Victorian Department of Treasury and Finance), Simon McKeon AO (Chancellor, Monash University), Travers McLeod (CEO, Centre for Policy Development).
Senior Policy Roundtable discussion hosted by MSDI and CPD in Melbourne
Prior to the round table, Mariana met with Ken Smith, Dean of the Australia New Zealand School of Government to discuss ways in which the IIPP’s teaching and research work, including its new MPA in Management and Public Value, could be integrated into teaching and learning platforms for Australian leaders in government, business and civil society.
The day concluded with a dinner, hosted by the Vice-Chancellor and President of Monash University, Professor Margaret Gardner. Around the table, the themes of the roundtable were explored in more depth and detail — what will it take to shape big, bold public missions for public value with a new language about, and confidence in, the capacity of the public sector.
Thursday 13 December
In the morning, Mariana met with a group of senior officials from the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU). The conversation raised some important observations about the role and value of unions, both as part of a larger movement in wider civil society as well their role as organisations in the industrial relations and employment system.
The ACTU’s emerging “Just Transitions” initiative in the energy and resources sector was seen firmly as an example of a more positive approach to co-shaping markets and sectors as they make important structural changes. Participants agreed this approach should be as important for the big challenges in other domains; for example, the need to design new systems of health and social care.
Friday 14 December
Following the FYA breakfast gathering, Mariana Mazzucato met with the CEO of the CSIRO, Dr Larry Marshall, and exchanged ideas and insights about the fundamental importance of well-funded public research in fuelling a strong, innovative and competitive economy. CSIRO’s work in support of several major “missions” focused on big Australian social and environmental challenges was discussed, along with opportunities for concrete links between CSIRO and IIPP such as through the Mission Oriented Innovation Network (MOIN).
