This article first appeared in The Guardian, Nov 17, 2017 Events on opposite sides of the globe in recent days should give us real hope that coal’s deadly stranglehold on our health, our planetary home, and on our democracy, is finally slipping. At the UN climate meeting… Read More
This article was first published in the Canberra Times, Nov 17, 2017 All of a sudden, it seems terribly obvious that Australia’s 120 year old Constitution is past its ‘best by’ date. From the exclusion of First Nations people to 19th century dual citizenship rules to the… Read More
EMPTY SEATS: We are left with an increasingly deep democratic deficit. Photo Credit: JJ Harrison The disqualification of Hollie Hughes from serving in the Senate raises some very troubling questions that we, as a country, have to grapple with urgently. Coming on top of the dual citizenship kerfuffle,… Read More
This brilliant panel deeply engaged with questions of inequality, the future of work, Universal Basic Income and more. Panel members were: L-R: Ben Spies-Butcher, Chris Twomey, Elise Klein Eva Cox (by video link) Eva Cox is a public commentator, community change agent, well known feminist, on a postage stamp, Boyer Lecturer… Read More
This excellent and thought-provoking panel ranged from questions of “post-truth” politics and deliberate obscuring of the truth through to how to positively use values to shift opinions when facts do not. Panel members were: L-R Rod Lamberts, Benedetta Brevini, Julie Macken, Mark Chenery Dr Rod Lamberts Dr Rod Lamberts is… Read More
Uncle Les Coe’s knowledge, experience, wisdom and provocation brought one of the most important and powerful perspectives to the conference. You can listen to it here: Uncle Les’s extraordinarily warm welcome to country, at the Tent Embassy, was also one of the highlights of the conference. We thank… Read More
Stephen Healy is a senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Culture and Society, University of Western Sydney and a recent arrival to Australia. He has a Doctorate in Geography and his research focuses on community-based approaches to sustainable economic development. Dr Healy’s presentation to the plenary, entitled The Commons: what, why… Read More
Kate Raworth is a renegade economist focused on exploring the economic mindset needed to address the 21st century’s social and ecological challenges, and is the creator of the Doughnut theory of social and planetary boundaries. She is a Senior Visiting Research Associate at Oxford University’s Environmental Change Institute. Kate’s plenary… Read More
This challenging panel and workshop delved into the work being done at local council and community levels to face up to the climate emergency. Panel members were: Bryony Edwards, Philip Sutton Bryony Edwards In addition to working full time as a human service data analyst, Bryony campaigns for safe climate… Read More
This stimulating debate and discussion session challenged us to consider deeply what democracy is and can be. Panel members were: L-R Clare Ozich (obscured), Stephen Healy, Joan Staples, Simon Copland Clare Ozich Clare Ozich is the founder and co-editor of Green Agenda, an online political publication exploring green politics. She… Read More
