BIG ideas are what have made this country great. Australians have been responsible for some -incredible ideas, from Google maps and wi-if technology through to the Cochlear bionic ear, polymer bank notes, spray-on skin, the ultrasound scanner and Snowy Mountains Scheme. 
We are a nation of goers. That's why we haven't had a recession for a remarkable 26 years and why the rest of the world regards us as an economic miracle. We're hard workers, we adapt to change quickly, we're entrepreneurial, and have a magic sense of humour which makes us tolerant and inclusive.
We're not perfect and we can always -improve, but it annoys me how today it's almost regarded as being un-Australian to acknowledge anything we do well. We just seem to be so grumpy these days about almost everything.
My concern is that this "glass half-empty" mindset we've developed is stifling our entrepreneurial spirit. It's undermining who we are, what's made us great and that desire to give it a go. Our ideas, big and small, are being stifled.
My Big Idea is going to change all that and remind us of our -entrepreneurial spirit. That's why Sunrise and I want to be involved. My Big Idea will encourage our creativity and allow our ideas to soar.
You never know what might happen. And that's the incredibly exciting thing about this project. What will it uncover? Is there an idea waiting to bloom that could change the world, a community or a specific group of people. Australians and their ideas -inspire me. Their enthusiasm, their energy, their commitment. I hope you'll be inspired as well and share my passion for the My Big Idea. It might be submitting your Big Idea or supporting someone else's, we can all play a vital role.
At Sunrise, supporting and encouraging good ideas is part of our DNA. As a show we were instrumental in working with the community to develop a best practice blueprint to reform the organ donation and transplant system which led to the creation of the Organ and Tissue Authority and, so far, a 75 per cent rise in transplants.
Sunrise has been a big supporter of the Buy-a-Bale program to help drought-affected farmers feed their livestock in times of hardship. We've helped our sports man Mark Beretta and his Tour De Cure cycling project which has raised more than $20 million for cancer research.
These are just a couple of great examples of ideas from ordinary Australians that have had a huge impact on so many people.
But we want more. We want your Big Idea. And we want to help you make it happen. That's what the My Big Idea project is all about. So many people have a great idea but don't know how to develop it or are too scared to take that first step. Don't worry, that's what we're here to do - to help you, to guide you and inspire you to make it happen.Come on. Give it a go. You know you want to.