I was once asked and gave a quick and definite answer. I have, however, wondered about my answer ever since.

This has been a conspicuous problem with the Howard and Abbott governments, but always a potential one. In the case of climate change it is particularly pressing to take positive action ( see Naomi Klein -This changes everything). Refugee policy would be another issue.

I used to see a lot when I was a child and even though I’m in the garden a lot, they are not.

So many of today’s Grandparents fulfil the role of the Carer for their Grandchildren. On occasion, the Grandparent’s own methods of responding to / dealing with the behaviours of children may differ from that of the child’s parents. What is the expectation in the event this occurs?

It matters to me because the current system of 4 year ‘political power’ doesn’t allow for LONG TERM planning for the community.

It seems as though more and more of us live a life of conformity and order, and few now life a live of ‘being wild’; of throwing caution to the wind; of taking a chance to follow their dream; to embark on an adventure. What is this doing to our evolution as a species? Where will humanity be in a hundred, a thousand years if we give up ‘being wild’ because our fears prevent us foresaking the safe places?

I feel strongly that we should and must treat asylum seekers with compassion and humanity.
I am involved as a volunteer with the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre for last 13 years and have seen the damage inhumane processes have on people including families and children.
I came with my family as refugees in 1939. We were deemed enemy aliens at the time despite escaping the Nazis because of Jewish ancestry. It seems to me that “we” still don’t know who the enemy is!
I would want and keep hoping that more people when realizing the inhumanity being done in our name as well as the millions of dollars being spent from our taxes, that they would want to change the system. there are better ways.

I ask this question because I genuinely ponder over it daily. We are on this constant hunt for self reflection and improvement but really whats the point? We are only around for 80 years or so, why does it matter if we are the best we can be? Why don’t we spend our time attempting to improve the lives of others instead?

We often think about beauty in terms of gender norms, but not often in relation to class. When we try to be beautiful, are we trying to shed any references to working class dom? Why do we describe poor people as “rough”? Are rich people genetically more likely to come out beautiful?

I believe we need to seriously consider a set of complex problems – economic, social, and scientific – that pose great threats to our world. However, if we continue to talk about these problems in ways that create fear rather than inspiration, and look for protection rather than for possibilities, then we may always default to fearing the unknown, rather than embracing change. I also believe that no one perspective or discipline, neither side of politics, nor any one country or group, can solve the world’s problems alone – so I would love to have the Brains Trust’s diversity of experience and expertise applied to identifying the modern world’s great opportunities.

Despite increases in living standards and access to technologies, like the internet and social media, measures of happiness haven’t increased. Is social media making people feel connected but actually making them more isolated?

Capitalism is driven by infinite growth, but the planet cannot sustain this. We are at breaking point now. But it seems to question capitalism is akin to treason.

About one in twenty Australians live overseas at any given time – among the highest ratios of expatriates to residents of any country in the world. Why do so many of us leave? How do we relate to the people and places and culture we leave behind? And why do we come back? Since becoming an expat myself (one of the 200,000 Australians in London) I’ve often imagined that our wanderlust says something about our national psyche. But what?