Organisation Profile
Issue No. 16 - April/May 2004
CEDA Reveals New Purpose
Since its foundation decades ago, patterned on an American institution, CEDA has been collecting the ideas of leading public and business figures and publishing them to national political leaders. Its function has been to research and debate the opportunities for economic development within a socially balanced and sustainable context and analyse the impacts of those opportunities.
Research is a core activity – CEDA is an approved research institute under the Income Tax Assessment Act — and CEDA often cooperates with tertiary institutions on research projects. Reports are often “sharp and insightful” criticisms of public policy.
Credibility being a fragile commodity, CEDA is discriminating in its membership, known as ‘trustees’. Trustees are invited to join. To transmit findings, CEDA stages meetings where members, speakers and invited guests engage in debate. There are large formal events with a distinguished speaker, at which members may take corporate tables to accommodate guests and employees.
More frequent are informal meetings of 20—50 trustees or their representatives. Private briefings involve only a dozen or so trustees by invitation only.
Research and information publications, published regularly, get considerable attention from decision—makers. CEDA publications and debates receive widespread editorial coverage in the media and Prime Minister John Howard has acknowledged that CEDA makes an important contribution in Australia at the “forefront” of public policy debates.
Historically, CEDA has worked at a federal level but now that the organisation is taking its work to a wider audience the CEO in South Australia, David Shetliffe, finds State Government executives have been listening more carefully to what’s being said in CEDA forums and discussions. CEDA is increasingly “perceived to be a serious contributor to debate”.
“It’s the same at ministerial level. They want to engage, to hear wh...
