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UNE political scientist appointed to national civics education body

October 16, 2006

JMaher.thumb.jpgDr Jim Maher, a political scientist at The University of New England, has been appointed to the Education Reference Group of the Constitution Education Fund – Australia (CEF-A).

CEF-A seeks to educate Australians about their national Constitution and system of government. Focusing particularly on students – primary, secondary and tertiary – it conducts a range of educational activities known as the Governor-General’s Award Programs. Dr Maher’s first meeting with the Education Reference Group will be at Admiralty House, Sydney, on November 2, following this year’s Awards presentation ceremony.

The Director of the Governor-General’s Award Programs, Mr Noel Hadjimichael, said Dr Maher was “recognised as one of Australia’s leading scholars in federalism and power-sharing”.

Dr Maher (pictured here) is the only member of the Group who is not based in a metropolitan centre. “It is important that the voice of regional Australia – and the priorities of those teaching and studying outside the capital cities – be included,” Mr Hadjimichael said.

“Dr Maher’s responsibilities will include assisting CEF-A to engage with the 400,000 young Australians (under the age of 30) who are not enrolled and do not participate in voting,” he explained.

The other three members of the Education Reference Group are also prominent academics – including the well-known authority on elections, Malcolm Mackerras.

New appointments to CEF-A’s Board of Management as Trustees are the Australian author and Foundation Chairman of the Australian Republican Movement, Thomas Keneally, and the former Premier of NSW, the Hon. Barrie Unsworth. They join trustees such as Dame Leonie Kramer AC, DBE, the Hon. Barry O'Keefe AM, QC, and Professor George Winterton.

Dr. Maher has held the position of Convener of Political and International Studies in UNE's School of Social Science, and has organised a number of conferences at UNE focusing on the workings of the Australian Parliament. One of these conferences, in May this year, brought together the Speaker and Clerk of the House of Representatives, Liberal and Labor senators, the Federal Member for New England, Tony Windsor, UNE political scientists, staff and students of the University and local schools, and members of the wider community to critically examine the Australian Parliament. He has also encouraged university students to enter the Governor-General’s National Essay Competition over the past few years. “I feel honoured by the appointment,” Dr Maher said, “and believe it recognises the contribution that UNE’s School of Social Science and Discipline of Political and International Studies have made to political education in Australia.”

“With my experience as a high-school teacher, university lecturer and scholar,” he continued, “I have a broad understanding of the subject and how it is taught, and am looking forward to making a further contribution through CEF-A. I’m a passionate believer in civics education; it is essential, in a vibrant democracy, to have an electorate that can assess policies and make informed electoral decisions.”

Posted by Jim Scanlan at October 16, 2006 03:56 PM