National Initiative for Crop and Community Resilience Roundtable 

16th February 2024

The National Initiative for Crop and Community Resilience (NICCR) is a collaborative effort between UWA, ANU, Uni Adelaide, and UQ, aimed at addressing the intergenerational challenges facing agriculture. Our goal is to advocate for a new research funding model that tackles pressing issues in the agricultural sector, including climate change and the growing global population. We have been engaged in discussions with both State and Federal government, exploring potential avenues for investment in the sector. 

Pathways to Politics for Women UWA Launch Event

16th February 2024

Guests: Carol Schwartz AO (Founder, Trawalla Foundation), Professor Anna Nowak (Deputy Vice Chancellor Research UWA), Hon. Linda Reynolds CSC, Carmen Lawrence AO (Australia's first woman premier) and Kate Chaney MP (first woman Independent member)

On 16 February 2024, Pathways to Politics for Women UWA officially launched in Western Australia. The UWA Public Policy Institute is proud to work with the Centre For Public Value UWA in bringing this program to the women of Western Australia and being part of bringing this program to a national level. The University of Western Australia’s Business School foyer was filled with passion and inspiration for women in politics. Former, current, and future politicians of all levels of government came together to discuss the importance of changing the political landscape.

The Future of Higher Education - UWA Convocation Autumn Ordinary Meeting 

26th March 2024

Moderator: Professor James Arvanitakis (Director, Forrest Research Foundation)

Panellists: Professor Emerita Dr Jane den Hollander AO (former Vice Chancellor, Deakin University and UWA), Professor Andrew Norton (Professor in the Practice of Higher Education Policy, ANU), Professor Peter van Onselen (Winthrop Professor of Politics and Public Policy, UWA), and India Creed (111th President UWA Student Guild)

In light of the release of the Australian Government's final report on the Universities Accord and the anticipated release of the WA State Government's University Sector Review, the UWA Convocation Council and the UWA Public Policy Institute hosted a public panel discussion on The Future of Higher Education.

Smart and/or Just City? Evidence from a Southern Periphery

26th March 2024

Traditional urban and metropolitan planning has to date largely ignored the rapid digitalization of space and data driven governance. Yet, there is little doubt that fundamental social change is in the making in most urban regions. The seminar builds on the concept of urban digital citizenship and asks a series of inter-related questions: Can there be a smart and just city? Can digitization reduce inequality, data colonization and displacement and promote social justice? Can the immense power of digitalization be harnessed by marginalized social groups? In what ways does digitalization impact urban issues such as informal 'grey' spaces, undocumented migration and minority recognition? These questions are explored via an analysis of the consequences of rapid digitization and big data-based policy in the growing Beersheba metropolitan region, Israel. This peripheral multi-cultural southern city was recently declared 'the cyber capital' of Israel. This has propelled the injection of massive funds, the relocation of new ICT military facilities, and the introduction of several development plans for a 'smart city'. A newly devised methodology - DIEP impact - focusing on four key dimensions (data, infrastructure, economic-social and political), is outlined to illustrate how to analyse the impacts of this digital transformation.

The Universities Accord: Implications for Universities Roundtable 

25th March 2024

Guest: Andrew Norton

The Universities Accord final report recommends significant changes to many aspects of Australian higher education policy.  Student contributions would be set according to expected future income and HELP debt repayment policy could change significantly. A new Australian Tertiary Education Commission would allocate student places to universities. Universities would be required to increase their undergraduate enrolments to meet ambitious attainment targets. Universities would also have targets for enrolments from equity groups, with additional funding to support students with high needs. Suggested research policy changes include more support for the indirect costs of project grants.

An 8-point Roadmap to a More Sustainable Future (and how we can all contribute to it)

21st March 2024

Guest: Michael Sheldrick (UWA Alum, Chief Policy and Government Affairs Officer of Global Citizen)

Michael is the Chief Policy and Government Affairs Officer of Global Citizen, founded in Melbourne in 2008. He describes Global Citizen as “a movement of engaged citizens” using their collective voice, learning about systemic causes, and taking action on them.

“We stand at the turning point for the future of people and the planet,” Michael said.

“We need to make major progress and it will be a long and hard path. But, like the great civil rights and anti-apartheid movements before us, we can succeed, because we are more powerful together.”

Representing Care Toward a More Family Friendly Parliament Roundtable 

11th April 2024

Guest: Professor Rosalind Dixon (Professor of Law, UNSW Law & Justice)

Forward Thinking, Straight Talking: Insights from the Inaugural Future Generations Commissioner for Wales

15th April 2024

Guest: Sophie Howe (Inaugural Future Generations Commissioner for Wales)

Policy Taboos: You Can't Say That: American Higher Education and the War on Free Speech

15th May 2024

Guest: Jonathan Zimmerman (Professor of History of Education and Berkowitz Professor in Education, University of Pennsylvania)

Discussing complex dynamics of free speech, education, and discomfort, guest speaker Jonathan Zimmerman spoke on 'American Higher Education and the War on Free Speech'.

AI and Health, Meaning of Health, Live Podcast

1st May 2024

Panellists: Dr Courtney Weber (The Meaning of Health Podcast), Craig Cumming (Research Fellow, School of Population and Global Health), Elizabeth Lang (Founding CEO, Diversity Focus), Leah Roberts (PhD candidate, School of Population and Global Health), Marco Rizzi (Associate Professor, UWA Law School), Tania Harris (Health Consumers' Council, Aboriginal Advocacy Program), and Yuliya Karpievitch (Artificial Intelligence Data Analytics Team Leader, Telethon Kids Institute)

This panel of experts discussed what the rise of AI means for the future of healthcare and the way our health system operates. They explored the implications of using AI to assist with research into new treatments, the legal issues, and the implications for healthcare consumers in the future.

Breakfast by the Bay: Menopause Matters: Igniting change with menopause policy reform

21st July 2024

Moderator: Associate Professor Paul J. Maginn (Director, UWA Public Policy Institute)

Panellists: Dr Dani Barrington (Senior Lecturer, School of Population and Global Health), Francine Eades (Area Director Aboriginal Health, East Metropolitan Health Service), Grace Molloy (CEO, Menopause Friendly Australia), Senator Louise Pratt (Parliament of Australia, ALP), and Dr Rod Guitierrez (Vice President Health and Hygiene, BHP)

Menopause affects 50 percent of the world’s population. Despite this fact, menopause has, until only recently, been cloaked in secrecy; something of a taboo topic; and, a social stigma endured by women. The cloak of secrecy has begun to slowly lift in recent years with media articles, and podcasts shining a light on all things menopause. Crucially, politicians and policymakers are beginning to waken up to the importance of the need to develop policy in order to ensure that women experiencing menopause can continue to play an equal and active role in the workplace, political and civic life, and, within their families and communities. The policy significance of menopause is reflected by the fact that the Australia Senate’s Community Affairs References Committee are currently conducting an inquiry into menopause and peri-menopause issues.

2024 Laki Jayasuriya Oration: From Chengdu to Wellington to Moscow, Australian immigration policy through stories of migrant families

17th July 2024

Guest: Associate Professor Anna Boucher (Chair of the Discipline of Government of International Relations and Associate Professor in Public Policy, University of Sydney)

Immigration debates often focus on numbers – the size of net overseas migration, intake levels and backlog sizes. At this same time, consideration of Australian immigration demands us to evaluate its effects on millions of individuals and their personal, individual stories. Immigration is both large scale and at the same time incredibly personal and granular, making it a contested and emotional policy domain. In this keynote, Anna Boucher sketches major immigration policy trends through the stories of her and her student’s migration pathways. Collectively as people of migrant background they have written this Oration together.

Equal Pay Day Panel Event

27th August 2024

Moderator: Jennie Gray (CEO, Women's Legal Service WA)

Panellists: Professor Alison Preston (Australian economist, Winthrop Professor of Economics, UWA), Jessica M. (Manager, Gender Equity & Women's Health, Centre for Women's Safety and Wellbeing), Lisa Judge (Public Sector Coordinator, United Workers Union), and Professor Alan Duncan (Director, Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre)

Nationally there is a 12% gap in pay packets equating to a difference of 50 days of work. Here in WA the gap is 21.7%. This gap is due to many social and contextual aspects but is overall defined by gender. Women receive less pay then men and in turn less superannuation, less financial security, and less economic freedom. Gender pay gaps are not just a comparison of like roles but represent the difference between the average or median pay of women and men across organisations, industries and the workforce as a whole. This panel of experts delved into the factors that contribute to the gender pay gap, why it's important for organisation's to acknowledge and act on these issues and the connection between this and women's safety.

Community Conversation: Have you recently experienced the menopause transition whilst working in a non-office environment?

7th August 2024

We held a Community Conversation where attendees shared their experiences which will inform the development of a research program to better understand the menopause transition in non-office workplaces. The research program will also investigate potential policy and practice interventions to improve the lives of Western Australians navigating the menopause transition. 

International Policy Requirements for Ocean Energy Developments: Achieving ambitious targets for deployment - An IEA Vision

25th September 2024

Guest: Professor Henry F. Jeffrey (The University of Edinburgh's Institute for Energy Systems and Co-Director UK SuperGen (Offshore Renewable Energy))

While the role that mature renewable energy technologies, such as wind and solar, will play in this global energy transition are well understood, the IEA ocean energy roadmap and vision outlines and forecasts the role that the wave and tidal stream sectors have to play in accelerating the delivery of a global Net Zero future.

This presentation outlined an international roadmap, where the individual and shared responsibilities of the leading countries in the development of wave and tidal stream technologies is quantified with the aim of achieving a globally commercial wave and tidal stream sector.

Professor A.C. Grayling and Kate Chaney MP, In Conversation 

16th September 2024

Guests: Professor A.C. Grayling CBE MA DPhil (Oxon) FRSA FRSL (Principal, Northeastern University and Supernumerary fellow, St. Anne's College Oxford) and Kate Chaney MP (Federal Member for Curtin)

Significant elections are approaching across the globe, from the US to India. Meanwhile, recent elections in the UK and France have thrown up interesting and sometimes surprising results. 

At such times, it is inevitable that political systems and democracy itself come under scrutiny. So, how robust is the democratic process and what steps can we take to safeguard our democratic future?

Breakfast by the Bay: Now for the Long Term: Protecting the Rights and Needs of Children and Future Generations

30th October 2024

Panellists: Kate Chaney MP (Independent Federal Member for Curtin), Bret Hart (Puntukurnu Aboriginal Medical Service), Amie Furlong (Foundations for Tomorrow.org), Jacqueline M. (Commissioner for Children and Young People WA), and Fiona Stanley (Founding Director & Patron, Telethon Kids Institute)

This insightful panel discussed how we can protect the rights and wellbeing of future generations amidst growing social, environmental, and economic challenges. In a time when short-term thinking dominates, it's crucial to ensure our decisions today, lay the foundation for a more just, equitable, and sustainable future for all. 

Raising the Bar Perth - (Sub)Urban Dreams/Nightmares? Blandscapes, Blendscapes, Brutalscapes; and, Brutopianscapes 

29th October 2024

Speaker: Associate Professor Paul J. Maginn (Director, UWA Public Policy Institute)

Paul presented on (Sub)Urban Dreamscapes/Nightmares: From Blandscapes to Brutopianscapes. Perth is a (sub)urban city undergoing rapid transformation, characterised by a dynamic mosaic of evolving landscapes. Are we living in a suburban dream or nightmare?

Robin Winkler Lecture: Mental Health is Political - Global Indigenous Struggles for Racial Justice and Collective Hearing

28th October 2024

Facilitator: Professor Pat Dudgeon AM (UWA School of Indigenous Studies)

Panellists: Dr Stewart Sutherland (Senior Lecturer, School of Medicine, The Australian National University), Associate Professor Jeffery Ansloos (Indigenous Health and Social Policy, University of Toronto), Dr. Mark Standing Eagle Baez PhD, LSP, LCDC, CCBT, MA, MS (President-elect, Society of Indian Psychologists), and Dr. Hukarere Valentine (Senior Maori Clinical Psychologist, Massey University)

In this powerful presentation, we explored how psychology is far from neutral. All research is shaped by the perspectives of those conducting it. This lecture challenged the traditional view of psychology and emphasised the importance of Indigenous research methods in shaping a more ethical, inclusive framework for tackling issues like mental health, social justice, and community wellbeing. 

The Voice Referendum: Reflection on the Road Ahead

10th October 2024

Moderator: Sophie Coffin (Bennett - Litigation and Commercial Law)

Panellists: Tyson McEwan (Solicitor, WA Youth Representative of the Uluru Statement from the Heart), Associate Professor Hannah McGlade (UN Permanent Forum for Indigenous Issues), Aurora Milroy (Director of Policy, National Native Title Council), and Hon. Ken Wyatt (Former Minister for Indigenous Australians). 

A year ago, just over 60% of Australians voted 'No' to the referendum on establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament. This outcome has raised critical questions: What can we learn from the referendum about the journey towards justice and self-determination for First Nations peoples? What does the road ahead look like?

Festival of Urbanism '24: Perth - Public Sub(Urbanism) People | Place | Power

9th October 2024

Moderators: Associate Professor Paul J. Maginn (Director, UWA Public Policy Institute) and Sandy Anghie (Perth Design Week)

Panellists: Dr. Anthony Duckworth (UWA School of Design), Dimity Dennis (Design for Reconciliation), Emma Snow (Town Team Movement), Peter Ciemitis (Hatch), and Ray Haeren (Urbis) 

Great cities thrive on well-designed public spaces that connect communities and foster social, cultural, and economic vitality. This panel discussion dives deep into the dynamic relationship between people, place, and power in shaping our urban future.

Putting a Value on Nature: Environmental costs and policy

23rd March 2023

Moderator: Professor Shamit Saggar (UWA Public Policy Institute Director)

Panellists: Michelle Andrews (Director General, Department of Water and Environmental Regulation), Jon Chadwick (ESG Leader and Partner, PwC), Professor Owen Nevin (Chief Executive Officer, The Western Australian Biodiversity Science Institute)

The 'value' of nature is culturally-dependent and socially constructed, as deeply historical Indigenous ways of knowing and engaging with Country as custodians do not rely on market value, costs and trade-offs, and political agendas. How can we integrate the 'invaluable' into management decisions and policy budgeting? How do we account for the future invaluable quality of nature and its intergenerational costs in policy settings?

Matters of Life and Death: Let's get it right

24th May 2023

Moderator: Professor Shamit Saggar (UWA Public Policy Institute Director)

Panellists: Professor Samar Aoun (Western Australia's 2023 Australian of the Year), Roselyn Scolaro (carer) and Dr Fiona Findlay (Silverchain Group Medical Director)

Considered the 'last taboo', death is celebrated, embraced and feared the world over. How well we navigate it can have a profound effect on both the dying and the family and friends left behind. UWA PPI Director Shamit Saggar chaired an expert panel to discuss compassionate solutions to the biggest issues facing patients and their families.

Breakfast by the Bay: The Albanese Scorecard

17th May 2023

Moderator: Professor Shamit Saggar (UWA Public Policy Institute Director) 

Panellists: Hon. Patrick Gorman MP (Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister), Kate Chaney MP (Independent Federal Member for Curtin), Professor Peter Robertson (UWA Professor of Economics)

One year on from his appointment, our esteemed panellists dissected Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's performance across a broad range of policy issues, including the economy and inflation, anti-corruption and integrity, climate and the environment, Australia's relationship with China and the Voice to Parliament.

In Conversation with Rod Sims AO

2nd May 2023

Guest: Rod Sims AO (former Chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission)

The UWA Public Policy Institute is pleased to present an online discussion between former Chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, Rod Sims AO, and Professor Shamit Saggar on the big lessons for government and business from over a decade of being in the hot seat of Australia's consumer and competition watchdog. 

Official Launch of Indian Ocean Futures: Prospects for Regional Success

23rd June 2023

Moderator: Professor Shamit Saggar (UWA Public Policy Institute Director)

Panellists: Negah Rahmani (Australian High Commission First Secretary in Malaysia), Anu Rammohan (UWA Business School International Relations Director and Professor of Economics at The University of Western Australia), Racheline Tantular (ASEAN-Australia Strategic Youth Partnership Chief Executive Officer and analyst at the Asia strategy firm Lydekker)

From a reimagining of the Ocean as a trade destination rather than simply a route through which trade passes, through to using quinoa to alleviate food insecurity in South Asia, and unlocking the boundless potential of the African diaspora in Australia, Indian Ocean Futures is a prospectus for a concentration of minds, stimulating fresh debate about the extent, limits and nature of greater regional cohesion. 

The Voice to Parliament: Constitutional and legal implications for Australians

30th August 2023

Welcome to Country: Barry Winmar

Moderator: Murray Wesson

Panellists: Ken Wyatt AM, Kim Farmer, Robert French AC and Aurora Milroy

Closed by: Associate ProfessorPaul J. Maginn

This timely event coincided with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's earlier announcement 14th October had been locked in as the date Australians would vote on whether we should enshrine an Indigenous Voice to Parliament in the Constitution. 

The now-formalised Yes case paints the Voice as an opportunity to improve the conditions of First Nations people. It says: "Vote Yes for unity, hope and to make a positive difference." The No case, on the other hand, states that the change is divisive and legally risky, with unknown consequences. "If you don't know, vote no," it states.

So what are the legal implications of enshrining The Voice in the Australian Constitution?

Policy Taboo Series: Corporate managers and woke capitalism with David Yermack

14th August 2023

Presented by: Associate Professor Paul J. Maginn (UWA Public Policy Institute Director), James Arvanitakis (Forrest Research Foundation Director), and Professor Raymond Da Silva Rosa. 

Guest Speaker: Professor David Yermack (NYU Stern Business School)

Until recently, public pressure on major corporations has originated almost exclusively from the political left. Companies have accordingly taken stances on issues like climate change, immigration and gender equality that are now criticised by the political right as "woke capitalism". Disney, Anheuser-Busch and other companies have found themselves embroiler in controversies for which management was ill-prepared.

At the talk, Professor David Yermack dissected (anti) woke capitalism, and discussed the challenges faced by major corporations which are increasingly caught between competing political forces that refuse to allow them to sit on the side-lines of the "culture wars". 

Breakfast by the Bay: Getting it Right - Australia's obligation to our children in detention 

20th September 2023

Panellists: Linda Savage (Children and Young People Ambassador), Professor Fiona Stanley (Founding Director, Telethon Kids Institute), Professor Neil Morgan AM (Former Inspector of Custodial Services in Western Australia), Megan Krahouer (Director, National Suicide Prevention & Trauma Recovery Project), and Dr Hayley Passmore (Lecturer in Criminology at UWA Law School).

Australia is failing to meet its international obligations to detainees, including its most vulnerable - children. A recent Supreme Court decision in Western Australia indicates we are still not getting it right when it comes to our children in detention, with Queensland and the Northern Territory also under fire for youth rights violations. 

This event saw a distinguished panel of experts unpack Australia's obligations under OPCAT, and help plot out the best roadmap to getting justice right for our children.

The Devil in the Retail: Festival of Contested Urbanism  

14th September 2023

Panellists: Michelle Reynolds (CEO, City of Perth), Paula Rogers (CEO, Committee for Perth), Kim Macdonald (Planning and Property Editor, The West Australian newspaper), Damian Stone (independent consultant) and Dr Louise Grimmer (Associate Head Research Performance, the University of Tasmania).

Retailing has long played a major role in the spatial restructuring of Australian cities and set in motion a contest between the CBD and suburbs. The emergence of online retailing over the last decade, followed by the COVID-19 pandemic, has added new complexity, elevating the contest between CBD and suburban-based retail spaces. 

With the pandemic now firmly in the rear-view mirror, this panel discussion seeks to unpack the devil in the retail sector by examining the challenges, innovations, transformations and opportunities for retailing and what this means for Australian cities. 

Navigating Youth Justice: Challenges and Possibilities (UWA PPI Annual Intern Event)

5th October 2023

Panellists: Sophie Stewart (Social Reinvestment WA), Ronald Bin Swani (Social Reinvestment WA), Jacqueline McGowan-Jones (Commissioner, Children and Young People WA), Gerry Georgatos (Founder, National Suicide Prevention and Trauma Recovery Project), and Dr Hayley Passmore (Criminology lecturer UWA). 

Interns: Katherine Ong, Fatima Merchant, Delaney Harper and Rekha Amoganathan

The May 2023 riots at Banksia Hill - Western Australia's only detention centre for 10-17 year-olds - reignited debate about the ongoing failures of the State's youth justice system. Advocates from various sectors, including healthcare professionals, First Nations' leaders and legal experts, have ardently supported reform efforts, striving to ensure the safety of WA's most vulnerable children. 

This event, featuring a panel of distinguished industry experts, engaged with the complex realities of youth justice reform in WA, reflecting on barriers to change, ensuring accountability in the current system and envisioning future pathways.

Breakfast by the Bay: Global Economic Outlook 

28th November 2023

Panellists: Kaylene Gulich (CEO, Western Australian Treasury Corporation) and Cassandra Winzar (Chief Economist, CEDA Committee for Economic Development of Australia)

The final Breakfast by the Bay for 2023 took a wide-ranging look at global economic issues and their implications for Australia and Western Australia. The panel was comprised of a stellar line-up of WA-based economists from academia and industry. 

Not So Free: Why Australian media is dangerously exposed, why it matters, and how to fix it

3rd November 2023

Guest: Professor Peter Greste (Macquarie University)

When it comes to media freedom, Australia is in bad shape. Since 9/11, the federal government has passed more than 90 national security laws - more than any other country on earth. Much of it criminalises otherwise legitimate journalistic investigations, exposes journalists' data and intimidated whistle-blowers. 

The situation is so serious that from 2019 to 2022, Australia slipped almost 20 places in the World Press Freedom Index. 

At the same time, public confidence in journalism - never very high in the first place - is now at an all-time low as standards have continued to slide in the face of collapsing news revenues. All this, at a time when we need reliable, high-quality news and information more than ever before. 

So, how do we fix these problems? Macquarie University's Professor Peter Greste has some big ideas that could radically transform the relationship between media and government in a way that works for us all. 

Policy Taboos: Media and Academic Freedom

2nd November 2023

Panellists: Chancellor Robert French AM (Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia), Professor Peter Greste (former foreign correspondent, Macquarie University) and Pnina Levine (Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and PhD candidate at Curtin University) 

A thought-provoking and enlightening discussion on the crucial intersection of Media and Academic Freedom. This event features distinguished speakers who have dedicated their careers to championing these fundamental pillars of democracy and knowledge dissemination. 

Heart v Mind: What makes us human?

15th December 2023

Guest: Professor David Paterson (University of Oxford)

Moderators: Livia Hool (Wesfarmers, UWA) and Victor Chang (Chair, Cardiovascular Research Institute)

Hosted by: Lucy Furfaro (Forrest Alumnus and NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow UWA)

Professor Paterson, a renowned cardiac neurobiologist, unravels the mysteries of the human heart and its connection to the nervous system. His ground-breaking work, showcased in the 2012 BBC Four documentary, "Heart v Mind: What Makes Us Human?" has earned him acclaim in the field. 

Energy Transition in the Indo-Pacific: Geopolitics and Multilateral Cooperation

13th December 2023

Sponsored by: U.S. Consulate Perth

Partnered with: ASEAN - Australia Strategic Youth Partnership and Forrest Research Foundation

With Lucas Cary as moderator, a diverse panel of experts included Marzia Zamir (Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation), Phoebe Neighbour (The Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia), Lu Zhou (US Consulate General Perth) and our very own L. Gordon Flake (Founding Chief Executive Officer, Perth USAsia Centre and UWA PPI board member. 

An engaging and thought provoking event, the room was filled with ideas and inspiration for the future. 

In Conversation with Omar Khorshid: The future of healthcare in WA

31st March 2022

Guest: Dr Omar Khorshid, President of the Federal Australian Medical Association 

Health policy has rarely been higher on the international agenda than the last two years. The pandemic has seen Western Australia's health infrastructure go through its greatest and most unexpected stress test. With recent events in mind, looking beyond this crisis and further into the future towards 2050, how might the WA health system respond to emerging challenges facing healthcare? What new funding and service models are needed to facilitate better care? Can the recent responses to the pandemic help catalyse change in the WA health sector?

The Future of Suburbanisation, Spaces and Infrastructure in WA

28th April 2022

Panellists: Adjunct Professor David Caddy (Chairman of the Western Australian Planning Commission), Dr Kate Hislop (Dean and Head of the UWA School of Design, and registered architect), Associate Professor Paul Maginn (urban planner/geographer in the UWA Department of Geography), and Winthrop Professor Fiona Haslam McKenzie (Co-director of the UWA Centre for Regional Development). 

In this webinar held on Thursday 28th April 2022, our expert panel answered questions about infrastructure needs that will deliver social, economic and environmental outcomes for WA's future.

Infrastructure is crucial when planning for Western Australia's success in the next thirty years. In this webinar, we look at place-making in WA and the physical infrastructure - such as urban planning and transport - needed to prepare for connected, resilient, inclusive and vibrant places. 

How should WA prime its infrastructure to adapt to the climate and the needs to cultural heritage? How do we plan for sprawling suburbanisation to ensure connected spaces and people? What critical infrastructure is needed to ensure universal design for all Western Australians to flourish?

Imagining a New Policy Agenda for Australian Arts and Culture

6th April 2022

Moderator: Dr Christopher Lin (UWA Public Policy Institute)

Panellists: Oron Catts (Artist and Director, UWA SymbioticA, Centre of Excellence in Biological Arts), Shelagh Magadza (Executive Director, Culture and the Arts, Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries), Dr Catherine Noske (Senior Lecturer, UWA School of Humanities; Editor of Westerly Magazine) and Jeremy Smith (Senior Producer, Performing Lines WA). 

With a new federal government in place and a forthcoming new National Cultural Policy, the current moment provides a timely opportunity to discuss a new policy imaginary to reinvigorate the arts. How might we reframe attitudes towards the arts in ways that foreground both its social value and related workers? What types of knowledge exchange might take place between arts organisations and other sector to ensure flow of mutually-beneficial ideas and resources? 

Dissecting Australian Life After the Election

25th May 2022

Opening address: Eve Howell (Member of the UWA Public Policy Institute Board)

Panellists: The Honourable Colin Barnett (former Premier of Western Australia [2008-2017]; Adjunct Professor at the UWA Business School), The Honourable Carmen Lawrence (former Premier of Western Australia [1990-1993]; Emeritus Professor and Senior Honorary Research Fellow at the UWA School of Psychological Science), Dr Sue Boyd AM (Immediate Past President of the Australian Institute of International Affairs (WA); former head of diplomatic missions in the Australia Foreign Service), and Martina Ucnikova (co-founder of She Runs). 

Australia went to the polls on 21st May and cast their votes. The 2022 federal election was the first national political test since the onset of the COVID-19 global pandemic, the easing of international and state borders, a stuttering national economic recovery, and the fading impact of the COP26 Glasgow climate change summit. Furthermore, the Russian invasion of Ukraine presents a fresh uncertainty to the international rules-based order, to regional dynamics in the Indo-Pacific, to the national security priorities of the West, and to gas and oil markets. 

WA 2050: How do we make WA a thriving place?

11th May 2022

Opening address: Professor Peter Klinken AC (Chief Scientist of Western Australia)

Panellists: Sonia Arakkal (Policy Fellow at Perth USAsia Centre), Chris Rodwell (CEO of Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA), Sisonke Msimang (Head Storyteller at Centre for Stories) and Rebecca Tomkinson (CEO of the Royal Flying Doctors Association WA). 

Western Australia in the past 30 years has enjoyed tremendous prosperity, coupled with safety from conflict and being shielded from infectious disease. How assured is the next 30 years?

At this launch of the WA 2050: People, Place, Prosperity report on 11 May 2022, we heard from a distinguished panel of experts on policy ideas and proposals that are best placed to deliver a vibrant future for WA.

Who Run Da World: What stands in the way of gender equity?

18th June 2022

Panellists: Professor Romola Bucks (UWA Pro Vice-Chancellor Health and Medical Research); Sukhjit Kaur Khalsa (performer and filmmaker); Linda Savage (former Member of Parliament); Jessica Smith (co-founder of She Runs). 

Back in 2006, Australia stoof 15th in the World Economic Forum's Gender Gap Report, which ranks countries based on gender equality in economic participation, political empowerment and educations attainment. By 2021 we slipped all the way down to 50th. Are we going backwards, or is the rest of the world progressing at a much faster rate?

In this panel discussion and Q&A for the Disrupted Festival on Saturday 18th June 2022, we assembled key figures known for their advocacy for gender equity and for accelerating and embedding change. We spoke to them about corporate life and overcoming barriers to women achieving senior roles, on gender bias in the legal and political domains, and the cultural reasons behind low glass ceilings for women from minority groups. What will it take for us to reach parity in the next thirty years?

Breakfast by the Bay: Diversifying WA's economy through sustainable new markets

8th June 2022

Panellists: Associate Professor Talitha Santini (CRC TiME), Dr Daniel Schepis, David Pannell, Dr Caitlin Moore, Matthew Tonts, and Sally Thompson

With many of WA's thousand active mine sites moving towards closure in the next two decades, the State is overdue for economic diversification. New opportunities are arising in exciting areas such as green hydrogen and wave-energy markets, decarbonised agriculture via solar power, post-mining land use via pumped storage hydropower, and more. 

In this panel discussion, we heard from industry experts, government representative and UWA researchers on the new and sustainable economic ways of the future.

Breakfast by the Bay: If voting wasn't compulsory, would you? Democracy & Civic Participation

31st August 2022

Panellists: Kate Chaney MP (Federal Member for Curtin), Professor Ullrich Ecker (UWA School of Psychological Science), Lenda Oshalem (SEC Newgate Perth), and Dr Lachlan Umbers (University of Western Australia)

Moderator: Professor Shamit Saggar (Director, UWA Public Policy Institute)

The decline in electoral turnout has been disproportionately concentrated on young people in most democracies. Researchers have contested the idea that young people simply don't care about politics, but more that there is an age gap, generational gap and government responses to political and economic issues that have caused a sentiment of disengagement. 

This panel of knowledgeable industry experts analysed these findings and evaluated what influences the way young people view and react to politics and democracy, and their civic duty to vote. 

Sustainable Food Systems: Food production and security in a changing climate

25th August 2022

Moderators: Chris Crellin and Jemah Harrison (UWA Public Policy Institute Interns)

Panellists: Dr Ben Cole (Managing Director of Wide Open Agriculture), Ronni Kahn AO (CEO and Founder of OzHarvest), I-Lyn Loo (Director Regional Development, Wheatbelt Development Commission), and Dr Caitlin Moore (UWA School of Agriculture and Environment). 

Do you know where your food comes from and how it got to your plate? Focusing on food production, this event honed in on one key problem of the food system: food security. In the face of climate change, land degradation, current land management practices, and a doubling population by 2050, Western Australia's agriculture sector and food security will be affected. Our panel discusses the steps needed to mitigate against and adapt to these challenges.

A New Reform Agenda for Australian Schooling Policy

1st September 2022

Moderator: Associate Professor Glenn Savage (UWA Graduate School of Education)

Panellists: Laureate Professor Jenny Gore (Director of the Teachers and Teaching Research Centre at the University of Newcastle), Dr Zid Mancenido (Senior Manager (Research and Evaluation) of the Australian Education Research Organisation); Lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education), Bevan Ripp (President of the Principals Federation of Western Australia), and Dr Marnee Shay (Senior Research Fellow, School of Education, The University of Queensland). 

The new federal government has a golden opportunity to influence the decade to come in education reform. Next year, a new National School Reform Agreement will need to be established, to replace the existing agreement that ends in 2023. The development of the new agreement provides a rich opportunity to assess the impact of recent policies and set a new course for education for the decade to come. This webinar brough together schooling leaders and practitioners to consider opportunities for schooling reform. 

2022 Laki Jayasuriya Oration

13th October 2022

The Oration has been established as an annual event to reflect and expand on the work of the late Professor Jayasuriya, and in particular to highlight contemporary issues of racism, migration, social and cultural diversity and political reform.  

The Oration has a significant public debate purpose in providing a timely and visible platform to draw out key issues and ideas that are central to Australia’s record on, and reputation for, fairness, equity and inclusion. The Oration steering committee is keen to encourage you to focus your address on resetting and re-energising Australia’s approach to ethnic pluralism, fairness and social cohesion. These are essentially suggestions, and you should take whatever line you wish to get your message across. The Oration will be published by UWA PPI. 

ESG Investing: Best practices and environmental impacts

24th November 2022

Moderator: Jemah Harrison (UWA Public Policy Institute)

Panellists: Holly Cullen (Adjunct Professor at the UWA Law School), Melissa Grove (Founding Director of Consulting Alchemy), Tanya Kerkvliet (Director at KPMG, Climate Change, Sustainability and ESG), Alex Whitebrook (ESG Communications Manager, Minerva Analytics). 

The recent rise of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) considerations in business and corporations reflects the global progress on sustainability and climate action. ESG considerations are increasingly important for companies who wish to operate with a strong social license, as individual and institutional investors are lifting their expectations of companies in their ethical considerations. Join our panel as we discuss how companies must be alert to their clients' interests, while also securing their bottom line. We focus primarily on environmental considerations, with some room to discuss social and governance aspects.

From Modern Slavery Reporting to Human Rights Due Diligence: Global trends in business and human rights

10th November 2022

Moderator: Associate Professor Fiona McGaughey (UWA Law School)

Panellists: Gabrielle Holly (Senior Adviser, Human Rights and Business, Danish Institute for Human Rights), Tegan Hoddy (Director - Responsible Sourcing & Sustainability, Alcoa), Freya Dinshaw (Acting Legal Director, Human Rights Law Centre), John Southalan (Barrister, Adjunct Professor at UWA), Serena Grant (Head of Business Engagement, Walk Free). 

The Modern Slavery Act is currently undergoing review and commentators are increasingly looking to superior models for protecting human rights in businesses and their supply chains. The human rights due diligence model has been described as the 'gold standard' in business and human rights. We ask, what is 'human rights due diligence'? What is the difference between the Modern Slavery Act and the 'human rights due diligence' model? How would such a model work in Australia?

An Asian Century Retrospective: The future of Asia-oriented public policy

9th November 2022

Moderator: Professor Shamit Saggar (UWA Public Policy Institute)

Panellists: Professor Dewi Fortuna Anwar (Indonesian Institute of Sciences, Nanyang Technological University), Emeritus Professor Peter Drysdale (ANU Crawford School of Public Policy), Professor Helen Sullivan (Dean, ANU College of Asia and the Pacific), Hon. Peter Tinley AM, MLA (Former Minister for Asian Engagement, 2019-2021). 

In 2012, the Gillard government launched the 'Australia in the Asian Century' White Paper, heralding an emerging era marker by Asia's rise and influence in the world order. However, a decade later, the Asian Century lies almost forgotten as a cohesive national policy strategy. What happened to the Asian Century? What were the relative successes and missed opportunities of the White Paper in the past decade? How do we best foster Asia-literacy and centricity across our policy landscape? Why is an outlook towards Asia important for future public policy?

Breakfast by the Bay

30th November 2022

Panellists: Cassandra Windsor (CEDA), Greg McCarthy (China watch), Jie Chen (China watch), Yun Jiang (AIIA China Matters Fellow), Brendan Augustin (President, AIIA WA), Donella Caspersz (UWA Business School), and Alison Preston (UWA Business School)

The contours of the post-Covid global economy are beginning to take shape. The immediate challenges stem from managing chronic labour shortages, continuing supply chain disruption and the reappearance of high inflation not seen for decades. For Australia, the economic headwinds are multiplied through its on-going reliance on global demand for primary resources. 

Lobbying Regulation in Australia: Where we are now and options for reform

14th December 2022

Moderator: Professor Sarah Murray (UWA Law School)

Speaker: Associate Professor Yee-Fui Ng (Monash University)

Although lobbying is integral to democratic representation, there are concerns regarding the undue influence of professional lobbyists, which may ultimately lead to corrupt conduct by lobbyists and/or officials. This seminar explored the history and evolution of lobbying regulation in Australian federal and state jurisdictions. It also considered the effectiveness of lobbying regulation and makes recommendations for reform towards achieving transparency, political equality and fairness. Associate Professor Ng unpacked the history of Australian lobbying regulation and what changes are needed in this space to ensure a transparent and level-playing field. 

COVID Myth-Busting: Power, Rights and the Law

27th October 2021

Panellists: Associate Professor Meredith Blake and Dr Murray Wesson (UWA Law School). 

Moderator: Professor Sarah Murray (UWA Law School)

Public panel and Q&A event in the Law Lecture Theatre, The University of Western Australia, on Wednesday 27 October 2021. A collaboration between the UWA Public Policy Institute, UWA Law School and Australian Association of Constitutional Law. 

In an attempt to contain virus spread as well as harmful economic and social impacts, governments around the world have harnessed their powers to impose extraordinary obligations on their citizens. From lockdowns, curfews and travel bans to vaccine passports and tracking and tracing apps, we have become aware of and felt the effects of concentrated executive power every day. 

In Australia, the extended use of these exceptional measures have been challenged on constitutional grounds. They have led to heated criticism by civil rights advocates, and a recent series of 'freedom marches' across the country. Are our constitutional rights actually being subverted? What alterations to our social fabric are permissible under the law? How much faith can we have in conventional checks and balances?