The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) launched a national conversation August 29, asking:

What do you think is important in Australian life?

What do you think is important in Australia’s society, economy and environment?

To kick start the conversation, we asked Michael Stutchbury, Economics Editor of The Australian, and Richard Aedy, host of Radio National's Life Matters program to share their views.

Mr Aedy reflected on several areas he sees as important for Australia’s progress, saying “Nobody should leave Year 12, including kids who are planning to go into trades ...because all of them are growing up into a world that requires more understanding of complexity".

Mr Stutchbury said "Well-managed material prosperity provides jobs, improves social cohesion, reduces crime ... Material wealth is a pre-condition for any credible measure of national progress."

We invite you to view these and other opinions, and to have your say at www.abs.gov.au/about/progress/blog .

Your views will help us to improve the way we measure Australia's progress.

“The ABS would like people from all corners of Australia to contribute their views of what they think is important to Australian life”, Brian Pink, the Australian Statistician said.

The full essay by Michael Stutchbury and an audio recording by Richard Aedy can be found on the blog www.abs.gov.au/about/progress/blog. The views of other prominent Australians will appear regularly over the next month.

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