The Australian Geoscience Council is the Peak Council of geoscientists in Australia. It represents nine major Australian geoscientific societies and has a membership of over 7000 professionals. The geosciences are critical for Australia. The mineral and petroleum industries are the main export earners and underpin the nation’s wealth creation. The geosciences are needed to discover, develop and manage these resources. Our future prosperity will depend on these industries remaining healthy, innovative and internationally competitive. In addition, we face huge challenges in respect of sustainability and survival on planet Earth. Issues of land degradation, water resources, energy supplies, climate change, urbanisation and natural hazards affect not just Australia but the whole Earth. These important matters require input from the geosciences.