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Governor-General officially launches CSI
By CSI
July 28, 2008
The official CSI launch Governor General Michael Jeffery, Peter Shergold and Mrs Marlena Jeffery

The sun streamed through the windows and climate change, high fuel prices and the challenge of China's development dominated the headlines the day the Governor-General, Major General Michael Jeffery, launched the Centre for Social Impact. The Governor-General used each of those three issues to illustrate the need for the Centre, which he described as "not less than an exciting development in our growth and maturity as a nation".

On climate change, "science and technology will provide some solutions, but we also need to consider how we can adjust without conflict", Major General Jeffery said. Meanwhile energy issues were about to shift great power relations in the Asia Pacific, and hundreds of millions of Chinese in rural areas were yet to experience their full share of the benefits of China's economic development.

"We should recognize that in this country, success or otherwise of the transformation of China's economy and probably India's as well will have economic, environmental and social impacts which we would be well advised to plan for."

Fear of resource shortages could also lead to dramatic price rises for which governments needed to plan, Major General Jeffery said. "Price rises based on fear can be minimized through forward planning".

"We need social intervention born of the interplay between social policy and not for profit advocacy".

Characteristics cherished by Australians - such as helping a mate and hard work- were most strongly exhibited in the not-for-profit sector, yet the community and not-for-profit sectors were at times dogged with challenges that held back their contribution. According to the Governor-General, CSI had an "important ground breaking role" in facilitating learning, research and advocacy and building links between the government, business and not-for-profit sectors.

CSI Chief Executive Professor Peter Shergold said that "like all good not-for-profit organisations", CSI's ambition "will always, must always outstrip our resources".

He paid tribute to David Gonski, Robin Crawford, Daniel Petre and Warwick Negus who together have donated $4 million to the Centre, putting it "already on the road" to meeting the requirement to match the establishment grant of $12.5 million from the Federal Government. Professor Shergold also acknowledged and thanked the Helen Macpherson Smith Trust, which has contributed $1.5 million to endow a Chair at the Melbourne Business School.

Professor Shergold spoke of an "enormous groundswell of interest and enthusiasm" surrounding the Centre's beginnings.

For the three partner universities (University of New South Wales, University of Melbourne and Swinburne University of Technology) and their business schools, "the Centre bears testimony to the collective role we can play in providing socially responsible business management", he said.

"Our ambition is to harness entrepreneurial spirit within business, government and social enterprise to marshal our national resources in ways which contribute to social benefit and the public good."

"We will turn this Centre into something of which Australia can be proud", Professor Shergold vowed.

Read the Governor-General's speech.

Read Peter Shergold's speech.

Read the UNSW media release.

View the video of the event.

 
The Centre for Social Impact can be reached on +61 2 9385 6568 or email csi@unsw.edu.au
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