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1) Kevin, I understand that you have just returned from a conference in Atlanta. What was the main theme of the conference?

The main themes of the conference in Atlanta, Georgia I recently attended (24th -27 April) related to promoting a conservative, free-market view of society and promoting the work of think-tanks around the world and in the US.  Issues discussed included: school choice, promoting liberty, democracy and freedom, environmental issues and limiting government.  The time spent in Atlanta also provided an excellent opportunity to meet with like-minded thinkers from around the world and the US and to learn more about how many under-developed countries are fighting for what we, in the West, often take for granted.  I was especially interested in getting advice on how to establish a think tank in Australia (I was in Atlanta with the support of the Atlas Economic Research Foundation) and to learn more about school choice, represented by vouchers, tax credits and special needs scholarships.

2) Who sponsored or supported it and what would you say were the main issues on the agenda?

In fact, there were 2 conferences, sharing the same venue.  The first was organised by the Heritage Foundation, involving 700 participants from 52 countries, covering a number of issues related to promoting free-market ideas and conservative values.  The economic, cultural and political benefits of capitalism and an open society were discussed as well as the continued struggle against totalitarianism represented by communism and fascism.  The second conference was organised by the Atlas Economic Research Foundation and involved supporting and celebrating the work of international think tanks - especially those that had fought for freedom in Eastern Europe and South America.  One of the main issues was the fate of the school choice movement in the US - we learned about recent developments in states like Utah and Georgia, where debates surrounding school choice had been intense.  Another important issue was the need to celebrate and affirm our Western cultural tradition, especially related to the West's Judeo-Christian heritage, against current developments internationally, illustrated by extreme Islam.  There were also a number of practical sessions about how to establish a think tank and how best to make use of the new technology represented by the internet.

3) What is the Atlas Economic Research Foundation? What are they proposing or what would they like to see?

The Atlas Economic Research Foundation's website is at: http://www.atlasusa.org/V2/ind/.  The foundation was originally established with the support of Sir Antony Fisher and its main purpose is to support and celebrate the work of free-market, conservative think tanks - I attended the conferences in Georgia with the support of Atlas.  The foundation is committed to pursuing liberty, democracy and the types of values associated with the free-market.  Atlas has an extensive strategy to help support think tanks around the world and to promote dialogue on issues such as the benefits of a free market and Western style democracy.  While many of the cold war battles have long gone, symbolised by the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the USSR, the fight for ideas continues and the free world must always be on guard to protect its interests and those of other like minded people.

4) Kevin, I have been to Sydney, Australiaonce for about two weeks and enjoyed it immensely. However, you seem to indicate that Australia has no "think tanks" as we do in America and in other parts of the world. Why do you think this is and what seems to be the problem?

Australia does have a few think tanks (Melbourne's Institute of Public Affairs and Sydney's Centre for Independent Studies are two of the better known) but, compared, to the US, we do not have the same critical mass in terms of debating ideas and shaping the public debate.  Our population and economy is a lot smaller and there is also the fact, compared to the US, with its long history of intellectual debate and experimentation with ideas, that Australia is more statist in nature.

5) Let's talk for a bit about school choice- do individuals in Australia have  "school choice" and if not, why not?

Australia is unusual in the number of students who now go to non-government (private) schools - the figure, nationally is just over 30%, rising to 40% at years 11 and 12.  Part of the explanation is the failure of government schools to meet parental demands and expectations; another significant reason is that we have a de-facto voucher system.  Commonwealth and state governments, to varying degrees, give financial support to the non-government school system.  While we do not have vouchers in the strict sense of the word, money does follow the child, depending on what school he or she attends.  Based on recent figures, it costs about $10,000 to educate a child in a government school, on average, non-government schools receive about $5,000 per student.  Parents sending their children to non-government schools pay twice - once when they pay taxes, for a school system they do not use, and secondly, when they pay non-government school fees.

6) Briefly, what was your overall impression of the conference?

The conferences provided an exciting and stimulating forum to meet like minded thinkers and to learn more about free market, conservative think tanks.  The speakers successfully detailed events internationally, including Chile, China and Eastern Europe and touched on some of the key intellectual debates we now face.  A good deal of the media in Australia is controlled by the cultural-left, and all governments, state and federal, are now controlled by the left-of-centre Australian Labor Party, thus, it was good to talk to and meet individuals putting a different point of view.

7)  Who were some of the main speakers and what points did they have to make?

One of the speakers, Father Sirico from The Acton Institute, spoke persuasively about the need to protect and acknowledge the Western tradition and our Judeo-Christian heritage; especially, given the rise of Islamic fundamentalism.  A second speaker, from Chile, detailed the threat posed by communism in Latin America over the last 30 years and the need to continually struggle for liberty, freedom and an open society.

8)  What do you see as the educational issues facing Australia over the next few years?

Given state and federal Labor Governments now control education, one of the challenges will be to stop education being used as an ideological weapon to overthrow the status quo.  Much of Australian education, especially the curriculum, is very PC, this will only get worse.  A second issue will be how better to promote school choice - many on the cultural-left side of politics (teacher unions, professional associations and teacher faculty academics) are against non-government schools and parental choice.  An added concern is that the value of education is being determined by its contribution to productivity and increased wealth, the moral, ethical and aesthetic values of education is being ignored and many students are leaving school morally adrift and culturally illiterate.

Published May 13, 2008