BIG FIXES: Building Bridges to an Inclusive Future

BIG FIXES is about how we, the citizens, the customers and the institutions that shape modern life need to check in, and take stock to ensure we always project the best version of ourselves into decisions vital to our future.

Apart from astuteness, responsibility and optimism, we all need to challenge ourselves to adopt a bigger perspective on the consequences of our choices and strengthen our resolve to build bridges to an inclusive future.

With over a decade of ESG (environment, social and governance) investing, this juggernaut should form an important part of the solution, but regrettably, it has not. Bowditch investigates why modern decision-making is failing to deliver better long-term outcomes when resources, money and capability are so abundant. Redressing the ever more ESG announcements of great intentions and substituting with decisive action has never been more important.

A key thread in the BIG FIXES conversation speaks to building the quality of leadership in institutions and the community sector to more rapidly evolve the ESG space rather than rely on the weight of money. That means rebuilding trust across society – especially between people and institutions – and the importance of having more accountability for the long-term consequences flowing from decisions made by institutions on our behalf.

Bowditch argues infrastructure is an excellent starting point to make big changes in rebuilding trust. But if your vision of infrastructure is roads, bridges, tunnels, schools and hospitals, then your vision is too narrow. BIG FIXES will widen your perspective about infrastructure as the gift that current generations pay forward to future generations, says the Dean of Melbourne Business School, Professor Ian Harper AO.

When we invest in infrastructure, we are expressing hope and optimism for the future. However, investing in infrastructure today also creates the future because good infrastructure empowers human beings to trust and collaborate - unleashing human ingenuity and creativeness that fashions the future.

BIG FIXES critiques governments and institutions that now have an oversized impact on the long-term well-being of our societies. Bowditch pierces through infrastructure policy to reveal the damage caused by a political obsession of governments intent on grand announcements and short-term political gratification.

Experts have acclaimed BIG FIXES as a clarion call to our deeper and more life-giving instincts of our humanity, says former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley.


Infrastructure investors committed to self-improving should heed the call of BIG FIXES, says Ross Israel, Head of Global Infrastructure at QIC. Bowditch highlights the cross-over of infrastructure owners and the importance of stakeholder primacy and customer stewardship to strengthen ESG practices as fiduciaries of capital.

The time has come for all non-executive directors, politicians, officials, engineers, lawyers, architects and economists involved in infrastructure to fulfil their duties more consistently in orchestrating long-term change. BIG FIXES recognises the many challenges and clarifies about what is vital to transforming businesses through collaborations with customers.

New technologies and digitisation of infrastructure services are a powerful ally in putting customers back in control. BIG FIXES will engage and provoke all stakeholders with insights, examples and the customer stewardship framework.

Infrastructure is the fabric beneath us that fuses communities to find renewed purpose, collaborate in making a difference, and secure goodwill and posterity for all. There is absolutely no room to compromise on these precious qualities, only to strengthen them. Yet, because none of these is assured, it is reason enough why BIG FIXES are urgently needed now.