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Leading political figures to take part in UNE conference

May 10, 2006

Hawker.thumb.jpgThe Speaker and the Clerk of the House of Representatives will be key participants in a public conference about the Australian Parliament to be held at The University of New England on Wednesday 17 May.

Titled "The Australian Parliament: Passing Grade or in Need of Reform?", the free, one-day conference will bring together practising politicians (Government, Opposition and Independent), political scientists, students, and the wider community to discuss the role, function and efficacy of the Australian Parliament and recommendations for its reform.

The Speaker, the Hon. David Hawker MP (pictured here), and the Clerk, Mr Ian Harris, will be accompanied by the Federal Member for New England, Mr Tony Windsor. Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (Liberal, NSW) and Senator Ursula Stephens (Labor, NSW, and President of the NSW Branch of the ALP) will also take part in the conference, which will be open to university students and staff, senior high-school students from across the region, and members of the public.

UNE's Dr Jim Maher, Convener of Political and International Studies at UNE (the group that has organised the conference), will chair proceedings. "The aim is to increase the level of knowledge and understanding Australians have about the workings of the Australian Parliament," Dr Maher said. "To that end the conference will examine the workings of both Houses - the House of Representatives and the Senate - and analyse some of the recommendations for parliamentary reform. There will be opportunities provided throughout the day for questions from the floor, and the conference will culminate with a panel discussion and question-and-answer session."

Professor Alan Pettigrew, Vice-Chancellor of UNE, will officially open the conference, which will convene at 9 am in Lecture Theatre 133 in UNE's Education Building for a 9.30 am start. Speakers from UNE will include the Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Professor Michael Macklin (who is a former leader of the Australian Democrats), and Emeritus Professor Graham Maddox and Dr. Tim Battin from UNE's School of Social Science.

"A further aim," Dr Maher said, "is to highlight the teaching and research conducted by the staff of Political and International Studies in the School of Social Science, and to make prospective students aware of UNE's important contribution in this area."

"Political and International Studies at UNE has an excellent reputation nationally and internationally," he continued, "and this conference will highlight some of the work of the discipline. Some of our past students have gone on to political and diplomatic careers, gained careers as senior public servants or leading journalists, joined NGOs and other such organisations, or taken up teaching positions at universities around the world and at secondary and primary schools. Political and international studies are invaluable foundations for one's career, and for one's role as a citizen."

For more information, contact Dr Jim Maher on (02) 6773 3810.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at May 10, 2006 04:04 PM