“We cannot be mere consumers of good governance, we must be participants; we must be co-creators.” Rohini Nilekani

On a daily basis our lives are guided by governance in one form or another, some we can see and some we can’t, and most of which we take for granted having never really given any regard to its inception or purpose. However, I question what type of society would we live in without some level of governance in place? At our Leadership in Action program day, we explored the importance of governance and the need for people to step up and use their voice.

We know governance provides the rules, systems and mechanisms that makes things work. Morgana Ryan, Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, described the roles of Boards, Committees, CEO’s and other key stakeholders, and how there is an order in the organisational hierarchy, bound by a constitution, all there to build stronger communities and businesses.

Bruce Anderson, Director of the Anderson Partnership pointed out, stepping up requires passion and commitment, a willingness to be more than just ‘interested’.

Marcus Stewart, of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria described the journey Aboriginal people and their communities are undertaking to achieve a Treaty between themselves and the Victorian State Government. Describing himself as an elected Piñata, Marcus was able to present, through the shared stories of lived and historic experience, an example where elected State Governments no longer (if they ever did) serve all the people they’re entrusted to represent equally.

Supporting change and avoiding making the same mistakes requires commitment and courage. The sounds of more people’s voices echoing learnings of the past, with a view to the future, will be the enablers of good governance.

Are you ready to step up to a governance role? Be brave, the future is bright.

I acknowledge and thank all of the day’s presenters Morgana Ryan, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors; Bruce Anderson, Director, The Anderson Partnership; Marcus Stewart, First Peoples Assembly of Victoria, and Andrew Wear, Author Recovery, for their insightful presentations and building upon my faith in ‘Governance’.

Peter McLauchlan and Paul Dunn, 2021 Program Participants.