Australia has a strong hand. Are we playing it well?
06/07/2026
Thank you to everyone who joined us in Canberra for State of the Nation 2026.
Across three days, we tested the Progress 2050 agenda against the biggest questions facing Australia. The conversations were robust and, at times, challenging. That is exactly what State of the Nation should be.
My clearest takeaway was one of genuine optimism, led by the Prime Minister in his opening address, around our ability to determine our future even, and especially, in an uncertain world. Australia holds a strong hand: capable people, deep capital pools, trusted institutions and good ideas. The task now is to play that hand deliberately. This was the attitude participants and speakers alike brought to discussions.
Nowhere was this clearer than in the discussion on Australia's place in the world. We were reminded that being a middle power is not about choosing between partners. It is about having a strategy for all of them: the United States, China, Canada, Indonesia and beyond. Our superannuation pool, like Canada's pension system, gives us genuine agency, if we choose to mobilise it toward productivity, resilience and national interest.
The AI discussion carried the same message. Australia does not need to lead every part of the AI ecosystem. We need to be clear-eyed about where we build capability, where we reduce dependency and where we create leverage, across data centres, energy, skills, research and the trusted institutions that let us apply AI well. That is the shift from sovereignty to agency. It puts Australia in the driver's seat, not the passenger seat.
None of this matters unless it delivers for all Australians, across every generation. That is the test CEDA applies to every reform we champion: does it lift productivity and living standards in ways people can actually feel, in their wages, their housing, their services and their children's prospects?
Which brings me to the social compact. It is easy to agree Australia needs one. It is harder to define it, and harder still to deliver it transparently enough that people trust the process. The Governor-General's call for care, kindness and respect in public debate was a reminder that trust is not a soft add-on. It is the foundation that lets us make hard trade-offs together. Premier Malinauskas made a similar point on social media reform: imperfect action, taken openly, beats endless deliberation.
Our State of the Nation report and conference confirmed the urgency of Progress 2050. Our task now is to turn Australia's strong hand into transparent, tangible outcomes for every Australian, at every stage of life. If you were unable to attend, check out a summary of the event.
While we were in Canberra, the Government passed the first tranche of its tax changes. We will need to keep a close eye on the impact on investment. There are further changes to come on CGT reforms for innovative start-ups and we have encouraged members to lean in with their feedback and concerns to ensure the detail is right. You can find the consultation paper here.
Thank you again for being part of the conversation.
Queensland’s energy roadmap and updated investment frameworks are reshaping the state’s energy system. In Brisbane on 15 July, at Accelerating QLD Energy Investments we'll look at opportunities for unlocking Queensland’s future energy system.
Join us in Sydney on 12 August to hear from Minister Anoulack Chanthivong and a panel of industry leaders at Data Centres and NSW’s Digital Future, to examine how new energy, water and planning settings are reshaping the economics of data centres and what it will take for NSW to secure its digital future.
Then on 26 August in Sydney, ASIC Chair, Sarah Court, outlines ASIC’s strategic priorities for the year ahead, and the regulator’s role in enabling productivity, fostering commercial confidence, and supporting wealth creation for all Australians.
Welcome to our newest members BESIX Watpac, Perenti and Queensland Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Child Protection Peak. Thank you for joining us.