Open Letter to Australia’s Leaders
An invitation to unite Australia around a common vision and a common cause
This is an open letter to CEOs, political and civic leaders, community representatives and commentators who are concerned about the direction of Australian society — socially, politically and economically — and who want to help shape a better future.
The starting point is something every business leader understands: the importance of a common vision.
Successful organisations need a shared sense of purpose — an understanding of what they stand for, where they are going and the principles that guide them. Without it, people pull in different directions, trust weakens and the organisation begins to fragment.
The same principle applies to society.
Without a common vision or common purpose, civil society begins to unravel, as evidenced by the rising levels of domestic, sexual and workplace violence and abuse in the community.
Without a common vision, politics becomes increasingly dysfunctional as groups exploit divisions for political gain.
Without a common vision, it also becomes more difficult for Australia, as a nation, to withstand the impact of global events beyond its control.
Culturally, Australians pride themselves on coming together in times of hardship — during bushfires, floods and other natural disasters.
Australia is now facing a different kind of crisis. It is not as immediate or visible as a bushfire or flood, but it is a crisis nevertheless: the rise of domestic, sexual and workplace violence and abuse.
This crisis is affecting growing segments of the community, straining government resources, clogging courts and filling prisons. Workplace violence, abuse and bullying — both internal and external — are also affecting productivity and the wellbeing of employees.
The solution, we believe, is to tap into that latent sense of community, so often awakened by natural disasters, and direct it towards addressing the rising tide of violence, abuse and other antisocial behaviour.
This is the goal of the Yes, We Signed! campaign.
At the heart of the campaign is the Freedom Declaration for Peace — a simple declaration of shared principles for how we treat one another and live together, based on respect, honesty, tolerance, responsibility and non-violence.
Broader Purpose
But there is a broader purpose to the campaign: to provide a template for how Australia, as a nation, can respond collectively to the challenges of the modern world and the modern economy.
Australia, like many other nations, is at a turning point. Growing social and political divisions risk weakening the social contract, undermining civil society and placing increasing pressure on liberal democracy.
But Australia is also well placed to demonstrate how people united in purpose around a common vision can shape their own future rather than simply become victims of circumstance.
Let’s work together to make this a reality, beginning by tackling the crisis of violence and abuse through the Yes, We Signed! campaign.
Please join us by signing the Freedom Declaration for Peace, displaying the Yes, We Signed! badge on your communications, and encouraging others to do the same.
Yes, We Signed! For a kinder world.