Canberra, 10 February 2025 – Independent MP Dr. Sophie Scamps will introduce the Wellbeing of Future Generations Bill to Parliament this morning, mandating that government decisions consider the long-term interests of current and future Australians. Driven by youth-led non-for-profit, Foundations for Tomorrow volunteer team, who have united voices nationwide through the For Our Future Campaign. The Bill is also backed by the Intergenerational Fairness Coalition, reflecting broad support for future-focused governance.
Seconded by Mrs Bridget Archer MP, the Bill will propose four key measures:
1) Introduce a Federal Legislative Framework for the wellbeing of future generations;
2) Establishing a Positive Duty to Consider the Interests of Future Generations;
3) Establishing an independent statutory Commissioner for Future Generations to advocate for and represent Australians' long-term interests and sustainable practice; and
4) Launching a National Conversation on Future Generations to engage Australians in a public consultation to shape the nation's vision for the future.
The proposed independent Commissioner would oversee and advocate for policies aligned with long-term prosperity, while the National Conversation would engage diverse communities to ensure their future needs shape policymaking. Developed through the Australian Parliamentary Group for Future Generations—co-chaired by Dr. Sophie Scamps, Zaneta Mascarenhas MP, and Mrs. Bridget Archer MP, and convened by Foundations for Tomorrow—the Bill reflects strong cross-sector collaboration, backed by years of advocacy and the Intergenerational Fairness Coalition.
Dr Scamps, a former GP and emergency doctor, says this is the very reason she was compelled to enter politics. "Like all parents I want to provide my children with the best opportunity to live a safe, happy and prosperous life. But due to repeated policy failures over decades our young people now face converging crises. We are leaving our kids a far harder world to flourish in than the one we inherited. Many of the crises we currently face have been decades in the making. The housing crisis, the environment and climate crises, the obesity and mental health epidemics, the normalisation of gambling harm, and growing intergenerational inequality. None of these problems have happened over night. Policy makers have known about them for decades and failed to respond effectively," said Dr Scamps.
"Decade after decade, leaders and decision-makers have not acted to make a difference. Instead, repeated short-term, Band-Aid actions have been futile, or even made the situation worse. Over the past three years, I have witnessed firsthand the way that individual portfolios of the same government often work against each other. Portfolios, departments and public bodies should be working in concert with one another, rather than in competition. Australians want long-term solutions. They want politicians to think beyond their own re-election prospects every three years and put some serious effort into turning the ship around for future generations. If not now, when?"
The Bill builds on the growing demand for long-term decision-making in government decisions. Research by Griffith University's policy expert coalition, EveryGen, indicates that 97% of Australians back policies that consider future generations, with 81% believing politicians focus excessively on short-term issues and 78% backing a Future Generations Commissioner. Short-term thinking comes at a cost, with future generations set to bear the financial burden of rising pressures, including an aging population - life expectancy is projected to increase from 81 to 87 for men and 85 to 90 for women, by 2060 (Productivity Commission 2023) - requiring sustainable funding solutions to prevent further economic strain on younger Australians.
Managing Director of not-for-profit Foundations for Tomorrow Taylor Dee Hawkins is a key advocate for the global future generations movement; she believes the nation backs this push for political change: "The growing national movement for intergenerational fairness underscores a clear mandate," said Hawkins. "Australians are calling for governance that transcends electoral cycles to deliver a fair, sustainable future. Continued inaction erodes trust in government and engagement in democracy, highlighting the urgent need for meaningful reform."
Reflecting global best practice, the Bill draws inspiration from the internationally acclaimed Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 and represents another step in Australia's journey toward prioritising long-term wellbeing in government decision-making.
"This approach can also enhance governance efficiency by creating a central anchor to better coordinate long-term strategies. Rather than each government department tackling these challenges separately, it would serve as a hub to support alignment and long-term policy coherence. By adopting long-term solutions and fostering cross-sector collaboration, Australia has an opportunity to be a world leader in securing a resilient, thriving future for all generations," said Hawkins.
In the coming months, this movement, cultivated through the Australian Parliamentary Group for Future Generations and the Intergenerational Fairness Coalition, will continue to push for and advocate for this work, ensuring that today's decisions prioritise Australia's future.
Sign the petition and help build a better future for all Australians: www.forourfuturecampaign.org and join the conversation and support long-term policy making by visiting www.foundationsfortomorrow.org.
About us:
About Foundations for Tomorrow
Foundations for Tomorrow (FFT) is a youth-driven non-profit committed to renewing our approaches to leadership, decision-making and governance. Our mission is to equip Australian leaders to think beyond electoral cycles and financial quarters to make the strategic long-term investments that lay the foundations for a thriving community, environment, and economy for years to come. To achieve this mission, FFT advocates for future generations policy to be implemented now to ensure that current and future generations of Australians are given a fair go. FFT convenes the Parliamentary Group for Future Generations and is a founding member and inaugural chair of the Intergenerational Fairness Coalition.
About the Parliamentary Group for Future Generations
The Australian Parliamentary Group for Future Generations, co-chaired by Mrs Bridget Archer MP, Ms Zaneta Mascarenhas MP and Dr Sophie Scamps MP and convened by Foundations for Tomorrow, brings together Senators and Members of the Australian Parliament who are committed to securing Australia's long-term prosperity. The Group's mission is to align efforts across Parliament and diverse sectors, advocating for integrating future generations' thinking and holistic well-being into today's policy frameworks to help overcome the pervasive impacts of short-termism in Australian policy development. The group has been running since February 2023 and has offered a multi-partisan space for dialogue, cross-sectoral consultation and action planning to improve Australian policy-making.
About the Intergenerational Fairness Coalition
The Intergenerational Fairness Coalition is a collective of more than 20 Australian organisations that recognise the need for increased long-term thinking in Australian policymaking. Our collective mission is to see an intergenerational lens embedded in Australian policymaking supported by meaningful intergenerational engagement, data-driven measurement and accountability mechanisms. We believe in the potential of pragmatic and economically-minded approaches to safeguarding Australia's future to address long-standing and emerging challenges. The Intergenerational Fairness Coalition has also hosted the Intergenerational Fairness Summit for the last two years, The 2024 Summit, hosted in November 2024, brought together over 100 policy leaders, experts, advocates and academics. The intention of this dynamic event was to foster collaboration for a better future and nurture a unified movement for intergenerational fairness, championing policy innovations to protect future generations ahead of the 2025 Australian federal election. The Summit also served as a platform for joint action, forging shared advocacy positions, and channeling insights and proposals directly into tangible action, such as a Private Member's Bill to establish a Federal Wellbeing of Future Generations Act, due to be introduced by Dr Sophie Scamps MP and seconded by Mrs Bridget Archer MP in February 2025.
Coalition Members: ARACY - Australian Research Alliance for Children & Youth; Australian Youth Affairs Coalition; Better Futures Australia; Centre for Policy Development; Deakin University; EveryGen; Foundations for Tomorrow; Foundation for Young Australians; Global Shapers Canberra; Good Ancestors Policy; National Union of Students; Orygen; Parents for Climate; Plan International Australia; Prevention United; Raise Our Voice Australia; Seed Lifespan; The Council for the Human Future; Think Forward; Tomorrow Movement; UN Youth Australia; Women's Climate Congress; VicHealth; Young and Resilient Research Centre; Youth Affairs Council Victoria.
