Dear Mrs Irwin

Thank you for your letter of 29 October 2008 to the Prime Minister regarding the Australia 2020 Summit. The Prime Minister has asked me to reply on his behalf, and I apologise for the delay in replying.

In the lead up to the Summit, the Prime Minister launched a dedicated website - www.australia2020.gov.au - to allow all Australians to participate in a national conversation about the country’s future. Thousands of submissions were posted to the website from all across Australia. The submissions could be viewed by anyone who logged on to the site.

The website continued to accept submissions until the release of the Government’s formal public response to the Summit in Perth on 22 April, 2009. In compiling the response, the Government gave full and due consideration to each of the 962 ideas generated at the Summit.

The Prime Minister is committed to continuing this open style of government that engages the community and welcomes new ideas as we work together to address the challenges of the future.