Jenny Macklin is former deputy leader of the Federal Parliamentary Labor Party, the first woman elected to a leadership position in a major Australian political party. In the Rudd-Gillard governments, she was minister for disability reform, families, housing, community services. As minister for Indigenous affairs, she oversaw the Apology to the Stolen Generations and developed the Closing the Gap framework. She established Australia's first national paid parental leave scheme, reformed the pension, led the design and implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme and helped establish the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. She served as member for Jagajaga for twenty-three years.

Co-writer of Making Progress, Joel Deane is a poet, novelist, journalist and speechwriter. He has published eight books and been a finalist in numerous literary awards, including the Walkley Book Award, the Prime Minister's Literary Award, and the Melbourne Prize for Literature.