Post summit We cannot let points of difference hold us back from working together.
Throughout the weeks leading up to and at the summit itself we remained open and engaged in discussing the key challenges that face our national ability to improve living standards for the people who live in Australia.
I was pleased that the focus was on the high road and we didn't get distracted by any ideological attempts to suggest lowering wages, cutting penalty rates and stripping workplace conditions would constitute reform. 
Instead we stayed focused on the areas of common ground where genuine reform, evidence-based policy and practical actions could be used to improve living standards. Ultimately what we do to improve lives will be how history judges the success or otherwise of the summit.
It won't be through our well worded communiquÃ©, but by the actions we take now to make reform a reality.
I left the summit with the strong belief that there is much common ground between unions, business and community groups.
Unfortunately I couldn't have disagreed more strongly with Treasurer Joe Hockey's assertions that reform is up to us alone.
There is a role for all governments to play in these discussions. Genuine engagement with stakeholders and meaningful commitment to implementing policy that move beyond the news cycle is required if reform is to become a reality. We need to act. Reform is needed. The mining boom is over. The property boom is ending. We need an innovation boom and we need it now.
We need to provide the proper framework for investment, a safety net that protects people and policies that create new jobs. Climate change is an example that presents us with opportunities to create renewable energy industries and advanced manufacturing.
Our focus post-summit must be to implement reforms that kick-start innovation. Investments in research and development as well as education and training are the priority if we are to adapt to the changing nature of work and create secure well-paid jobs that generate better living standards.
Unions are deeply concerned about the changing nature of work with the exponential growth of digitisation and robotics combined with globalisation presenting real challenges for regulators, employers and unions. We have seen how these issues are blurring the boundaries between being an employee and a consumer who derives an income from technology.
We in the union movement are having this conversation now as we need to find ways to strengthen our prospects through innovation in order to get in front of this. Much of the reporting of the summit centred on our discussions about taxation and fiscal policy as being a drag on the economy.
We are committed to reform in these areas, but it needs to be understood that the economy is not a "being". It doesn't have a heartbeat, a brain or a soul. It is an abstract. The economy serves the community not the other way around.
Its purpose is to improve the living standards of people in our communities.
That is why we will always bring the discussion back to how reform can be used to improve living standards, not in the macro GDP sense, but in the real, inclusive, community and shared prosperity sense. By doing this we can start to address the growing inequality in this country where now seven people hold more wealth than the bottom 20 per cent of households.
We see no point improving taxation efficiency just to consolidate more wealth to those who already have it and do nothing for those who are struggling. This sort of reform doesn't improve living standards it just moves people up the BRW list.
Now that the cameras have been switched off and the media caravan has moved on we must continue to work together on reform. The summit communiquÃ© has given us common ground from which to work. Our points of difference remain, but we cannot let them hold us back from working together.
Unions are prepared to work with business, governments and the community sector to improve the living standards of all Australians.
Dave Oliver is secretary of the ACTU.