This report outlines a research and organising agenda for a genuine deal between the market, state, and civil society that works for people and the environment.

It harnesses the strengths of university researchers, collaborating with community and business partners, to outline the five benchmarks that can guide the development of a Real Deal, building on the best of existing research on the Green New Deal and the social and economic impacts of the pandemic.

The strength of this project lies in the Real Deal coalition. Instead of creating fast policy, driven by specific issues, we are focusing on building relationships first. Our method is grounded in co-design by a set of groups that do not traditionally work together. We aim to show that it is possible to share challenges and find common ground even in a time of crisis.

The report builds on the lessons made clear by the COVID-19 pandemic: we are facing intersecting crises across health, economy, race and climate. The pandemic demanded policy responses that suspended many of the usual political and economic constraints and opened up new social possibilities. But the deal currently on offer to people in Australia has fallen short of what is needed to address the present emergency and to build a better future.

This report outlines five benchmarks for creating a real deal.

1. Major public investment is back, but policy must be attuned to the shape of the economy too
2. The pandemic exposed pre-existing inequalities and injustices that must be addressed for good
3. We need bold community vision for an economy that serves us all, and a plan to make it happen
4. A real deal is generated by the active participation of people in decisions that affect them
5. Collaboration is the foundation for a real deal that can deliver long-lasting solutions