A poet laureateship is first and foremost a national honour given to an eminent poet; their role is to encourage and champion the reading and writing of poetry.
The existence of a laureateship will demand we make other important changes too, as poetry has long been seen as an afterthought in Australian literary policymaking.
Contemporary UK poet laureates have used their positions to address social issues such as bullying and climate change, collaborating with charities and promoting public engagement.
Historically, poet laureates have celebrated monarchs, but their modern roles include creating new poetry that resonates with public life, exemplified by Duffy's commissioning of wedding poems.
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