The 2020 summit discovers New federalism. Gough Whitlam should be proud of them. The proposals to cut down on duplication and conflicting State laws have been brewing for 35 years.

Needing a police check recently for a national volunteer organisation, I applied to the WA authorities and received a "National Police Certificate'. It certified that the applicant did "not appear on the disclosable court history records of any Australian Police jurisdiction". It wasn't good enough. Apparently Australian Federal Police have their own check so you have to be cleared by them as well.

Waste? A waste of time? Potentially disastrous if one database has serious convictions which the other doesn't reveal? Draw your own conclusions!

There is supposed to be a national system of teacher registration. However, when you move interstate you must take out and pay for the local version. Classes in WA go without teachers while the system goes slow and discourages potential applicants. More wasteful duplication. Another disincentive for the teaching profession.

Good thing we only need only one passport!

Good ideas need political will. Let's hope that the summit adds some backbone to our decision makers. I wonder if anyone mentioned plastic bags?

(Personal disclosures: I was an unsuccessful applicant for the summit. It looked like a success to me: ?????.)

Update: I forgot to mention that you have to get a police check for teacher registration as well.