What Have Citizen Juries Ever Done for Us?
Wednesday, September 15, 6.00pm - 7.00pm AEST
There have been several proposals over the decades for Australia to store radioactive waste from offshore nuclear power stations. In 2015, a South Australian Royal Commission report argued that it would be a great economic opportunity for South Australia to store international radioactive waste. However, when a 350-person citizens’ jury examined it, they found the safety wanting and the figures rubbery. This is one of the best examples of how a Citizen Jury got it right and stopped a nuclear waste dump from going ahead.
Panel:
Professor Ian Lowe: Formally educated in physics, Ian Lowe has been working for the last forty years on aspects of energy supply and use, especially environmental consequences such as climate change, as well as the broader issue of sustainable futures. Professor Lowe was an expert witness at the 2016 South Australian Citizen Jury
Dave Sweeney: Dave Sweeney has been active in mining, resource and nuclear issues for three decades through his work with the media, trade unions and environment groups. He leads the Australian Conservation Foundation’s nuclear free campaign and is a co-founder of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017
This is a free event, but registration is essential
Why An Independent Media Is Essential To A Healthy Democracy
Wednesday, September 29, 12.00pm - 1.00pm AEST
In a 2020 public lecture, Ita Buttrose - current chair of the ABC said that “Countries that have popular, well-funded public broadcasters encounter less extremism, and corruption and have more press freedom.” In a time when right-wing extremism is on the rise and groups and the promotion of division and anti-vaccination conspiracy theories, a free press is more important than ever. This Webinar looks at how independent the press in Australia is and what can we do to improve it
Panel:
Jonty Low: Jonty Low, was appointed as the Chair of Australian Associated Press, the first woman to hold the role since the national news agency was formed in 1935 by Keith Murdoch, the father of media baron Rupert. When NewsCorp and Channel nine stopped their investment in AAP in 2020. The agency’s future looked uncertain. One journalists tweeted at the time that…..”Seriously bad indeed. AAP may not be a public name, but the work of its journalists helps make sure we hear about what’s going on in our parliaments, courts and communities. Still waiting for this Government to show any support for public interest journalism”. Jonty spearheaded the effort to save the agency, securing funding from the government and philanthropists
Quentin Dempster: Quentin Dempster is a journalist, author & broadcaster. In the early 80's his reporting of corruption in Queensland was instrumental in triggering The Fitzgerald Inquiry. From 1992-1996 Quentin was the staff elected Director on the ABC board. He was awarded the Order of Australia in 1992, and in 2002 he was awarded a Walkley award for his outstanding contribution to journalism
This is a free event, but registration is essential