MacroMelbourne Initiative: developing strategic responses to disadvantage in Melbourne: today and in 2030: response paper

The 'MacroMelbourne Initiative: Developing Strategic Responses to Disadvantage in Melbourne: Today and in 2030' is a valuable report which maps the current research on disadvantage in Melbourne with a view to the future. The aim is to stimulate strategic thinking on issues of disadvantage and consider possible courses of action. At this stage the report is aimed broadly and is intended to promote discussion prior to a confirmation of the Initiative's values, vision and strategic focus, as such it has an important contribution to make. The strength of the initiative would lie in its independence from political vagaries and fads and its ability to provide a sustained and pragmatic contribution to addressing disadvantage. In this context I applaud the report's emphasis on the multidimensional, structural and distributive elements of disadvantage and support the focus on resilience, connectedness, accessibility and place. The real challenge will be to engage philanthropic and corporate donors to engage with the issues in an effective way.