In Australia we’ve got the dominant view that hung parliaments and large cross benches are ‘unworkable’ and ‘feral’. Why? In Europe hung parliaments are normal, and there are often many parties represented in the parliament.

Would we benefit from more diverse parties and viewpoints in parliament?

The underpinnings of our civilisation are based on an untenable premise.

We seem to spend a lot of time telling people they’re wrong (and even stupid) – in politics, in the media, on social forums. Nobody ever seems to change their mind. It all seems a bit boring and pointless. Can we change the way we communicate and actually have an effect?

I feel like environmental issues are so easily shut down as being unimportant, for “hippies” or are important but only as they don’t come at the expense of the economy. With so much evidence suggesting if we don’t do something, major disastrous circumstances will result. Are people living in denial? Do they believe this is just another unfounded, doomsday prophesy? And how will sustainable development ever occur if we can’t even get people on-board supporting this issue.

Travel from state to state and country to country, and regional phrases and slang make language so much richer. How do we reflect our sense of place, and sense of fun, in our choice of words?

Tired of seeing the millionaires, billionaires and entitled, the greedy and the grasping, getting positions of power. They regard us as merely as workers or profit makers, or a rubble to be strictly controlled.

Whether it’s gun control or bicycle helmets, Australia’s Common Law leads to a duty of care. What would the world look like if this was adopted internationally?

The answers will have little value if we can’t agree on some common principles of ethics

Because this is one of the root environmental problems we face. My grandmother was born into a world with 75% fewer people and this seemingly unstoppable growth undermines all of the good we do. If we halve consumption and double the world’s population, we have achieved nothing, but forced sterilisation is obviously completely unacceptable, as is the total freedom to have 9 children if you feel like it. You should care because at the moment the future does not look like now with more electric cars; you should more picture 40m people in rags foraging in a gravel car park the size South Australia for 27 potatotes.

I wonder how much the western world’s pursuit for economic growth, personal wealth and status ultimately has an impact on our levels of happiness, mental illness and capacity to generally have little empathy for others, even just on a day-to-day level between mates. Or is this just human nature? Are we fundamentally greedy bastards?

I am fascinated by individuals’ inability/unwillingness to take full responsibility for their choices, especially when it comes to looking after themselves.