Mr Fletcher has been invited to comment on future directions for rural industries at the summit.

Infrastructure and population drain from country towns are two items he’ll bring up - but Mr Fletcher also has a potential controversial idea up his sleeve.

“We need to talk about abolishing the state governments, if we want to be real about this,” he said. “We have to cut red tape.”

Mr Fletcher raised that idea several years ago after an academic told him it was estimated abolishing the state governments would save $50 billion a year.

“They argued it would save $30 billion without even trying,” he said. “The problem is that everything is controlled by the states - transport, electricity, gas, etc.”

Mr Fletcher, who has spent 35 years building his sheep meat and wool exporting company Fletcher International Exports, will also push hard for better road infrastructure - especially the elusive expressway over the Blue Mountains.

Better access to ports and our shipping lanes from country Australia, and better management of a shrinking world are also important.

“The world is getting to be a smaller place - communications, shipping and air freight has all helped to make it smaller - we must look at how we can use it.”

Population growth, how to manage an ageing population, and better education in country areas are other concerns.

“We need to stop people leaving country towns and cluttering already congested cities - and look at why this is happening,” Mr Fletcher said.”

Some time ago Mr Fletcher convened a meeting on infrastructure in Dubbo. It birthed the idea for the Get Real program, a program that seeks to keep students in school, or at least ensure they have work if they leave.

It’s the Get Real program that gives Mr Fletcher hope that something practical may emerge from the 2020 summit.

“If we can get one major thing out of this and go forward making a difference, that’s what we need,” he said.

“At that infrastructure meeting, the standout was education - we had to stop

kids leaving school and sitting on their butts for six months, get them into a sense of purpose. And I think Get Real helped.”

Parkes mayor Robert Wilson has also been invited to the 2020 Summit.

lynton.grace@ruralpress.com