Constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians is a fraught topic, presenting legal as well as moral challenges, and involves a large set of issues beyond my scope here. I want to explore in this chapter the problem of how to recognise Indigenous Australians in the Constitution, a matter given much thought by the members of the Expert Panel appointed by Prime Minister Gillard in December 2010
In this chapter I will be discussing the role of the media in a liberal democracy, and the tension between the essential free flow of information in a free society and the accountability which all power, including media power, must be subjected to for a society to be truly free
This chapter describes the roles that new media might play in rebuilding links between Australia’s diverse publics and the formal political system. We will show that democratic engagement has been hollowed out. This is partly an unintended consequence of the significant (broadly bipartisan) policy reorientation that has occurred since 1983; and partly a consequence of the new diversity in Australian society
Artificial intelligence offers a daunting challenge for government: a potent mix of high expectations, big budgets, a competitive international “AI arms race”, and elevated public fears. Some governments, such as China, France and Canada, are determined that their countries be leaders in AI; others have been slower to make public policy statements but may be watching to see where their country might best fit in a field that is moving quickly
Future justice has an economic dimension because economic decisions made today will have an impact on the level of wellbeing achievable by people in the future. For example, decisions today to use less of our non-renewable natural resources, such as coal and oil, will influence how much of these resources will be available for people to use in the future
...NCDs are closely related to human behaviour. We are what we eat. We are also what we drink, smoke and exercise. And these behaviours are very much part of the prevailing culture of a nation, or a community or a family. They are also highly changeable, for better or worse
The vast majority of Indigenous people will never come into contact with the criminal justice system in Australia. However, Indigenous people remain over-represented in detention across all Australian jurisdictions.
For Australians, our sense of space and place are central to our identity and culture. From the first inhabitants of Australia to the diverse range of migrants who have made their way here, this country represents a freedom and way of life that is envied the world over. Yet Australians cannot afford to be complacent. The summer of 2012–2013 has seen temperatures skyrocket and very large, destructive bushfires
Since the 1970s multiculturalism has served as a category that has widened the conceptual framework of public policy, cultural philosophy and aesthetic practice. After 2001 it has slid into the twilight zone of a zombie concept. The current bout of simplistic slogans and jingoistic dismissals of multiculturalism are not new in content
Australia, along with much of the rest of the world, faces the challenging task of balancing the need to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, while at the same time nurturing a vibrant and sensibly competitive society and economy — this to and fro debate continues to dominate Australian federal politics even in 2018