Crawford forum to examine systems under strain »

The nation's leading public policy conference which brings together experts from politics, government, business and academia, begins at The Australian National University (ANU) on Sunday. The 2016 Crawford Australian Leadership Forum will focus on the challenges facing Australian policymakers and business leaders as they respond to the interlinked changes in the economic, social, geopolitical and natural systems. In its third year, the Forum brings together 150 of Australia's top leaders - 50 each from business, the public sector and politics, and the research and advocacy community, to address major public policy issues confronting Australian policy makers. "Australia is not alone in facing ever more intense geopolitical, economic and social policy challenges, but finding it difficult to build the political and community consensus necessary to confront them effectively," said Forum chair and ANU Chancellor Professor Gareth Evans AC QC. ANU Vice-Chancellor and Nobel Laureate Professor Brian Schmidt AC will open the conference with a keynote address on Sunday evening at the National Gallery of Australia. Former World Bank President and US Trade Representative Bob Zoellick will appear via video link during the Monday opening session on capitalism, employment and the future, and the Tuesday plenary session on China and the United States. Finance Minister Mathias Cormann and Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen are among the politicians taking part in the forum.