Beyond the Roundtable: Why Australia's Future Needs All of Us

This week, key policymakers, economists, and national leaders gathered in Canberra for the Economic Reform Roundtable — a significant moment aimed at setting the course for Australia’s economic future.

While I wasn’t physically in the room, I was connected to the conversation. Through ongoing engagement and weekly national briefings in the lead-up to the roundtable, we contributed ideas, feedback, and the voice of small business to the broader discussion. Association leaders like myself were also in the room at the COSBOA National Small Business Summit in Melbourne — a space just as vital to the national conversation.

Two different forums. Two very different perspectives.
But one clear truth: Australia moves forward when we all have a seat at the table.

Policy Can Set the Direction — But People Drive the Change

In Canberra, the conversations centred on tax reform, housing, skills, sustainability, and productivity. The tone was serious. The stakes, high. The outcomes? Still unfolding.

Meanwhile in Melbourne, small business leaders shared the real-world implications of those policy decisions:

• How will reforms ease red tape?
• Will they support workforce development?
• What will it take to keep the doors open, the lights on, and the teams growing?

It was a powerful contrast — and a necessary one. Policy is only effective when it lands well on the ground.

We All Have a Role to Play

Consensus isn’t easy — especially across government, business, unions, and communities. But the absence of immediate agreement isn’t an excuse for inaction.

If anything, it’s an invitation:

• To keep turning up
• To keep listening
• To keep building bridges between decision-makers and those living the outcomes

Whether you’re leading a business, running a household, managing a team, or influencing a community — your role matters.

Leadership today isn’t about holding all the answers. It’s about asking better questions, bringing people together, and moving forward even when the way isn’t fully clear.

So Where Do We Go From Here?

The roundtable has ended. The summit has closed. But this moment — this opportunity — is just beginning.

Let’s not reduce it to a headline or hashtag. Let’s turn it into action.

• Keep contributing — through our networks, our industries, and our communities.
• Stay connected — because reform that listens is reform that works.
• Lead with courage — especially when the solutions aren’t easy or instant.

Australia’s future depends on what happens in both the corridors of Parliament and the cafes of small-town main streets.

We don’t need to wait for permission to lead. We just need to choose to.

Michelle Blicavs
CEO | Advocate | Builder of Better Business and Braver Leadership
Because shaping the future isn’t about being in one room — it’s about being present, persistent, and part of the solution.