Current Issue
Message from the Director
2010 looks set to be a fascinating year.
There’s no escaping the fact that it’s an election year. One issue that is emerging in various guises, though not a matter of explicit debate as yet, is the future of the Australian federation. It is central to the argy-bargy around health and education. It will be critical to the Henry Tax Review and not far from any legislated response to the Brennan report on a bill of rights. It underpins much of the debate around effective public administration in issues as diverse as insulation and the national broadband network.
In this context, the Honourable Michael Kirby’s recent address on ‘Gough Whitlam as internationalist’ is particularly interesting. As Kirby reminded the audience that packed out Gilbert + Tobin’s auditorium, Gough believed that the Australian Constitution was outdated and needed to be changed and such change could be achieved, in part, by adopting international treaties that would then need to be reflected in the domestic law of Australia.
He reminded us that ‘A basic weakness of the Australian Constitution, as Whitlam saw it, was its failure to ensure the working of the democratic system and to guarantee the democratic rights of all Australians. For Whitlam,
reforming the Constitution to safeguard democracy was the paramount duty for social democrats in the future.’
This year will see the Whitlam Institute embark upon a three-year project with our colleagues at the University of Melbourne examining the structural impact of Federalism on Australian schooling, particularly with respect to the impact on quality and equity. It’s an exciting project and one that is likely to throw up more than a few challenges along the way. The latest essay in our Perspectives series, by Professor Jack Keating, is something of an
introduction to these issues.
We will also very soon be commencing new work on young people and democracy following a timely grant from the NSW Commission for Children and Young People.
Meanwhile, school students in NSW and the ACT are already sending their entries in for the 2010 What Matters? competition. The competition just seems to get bigger every year and is again benefiting from the generous support of Officeworks. If you want to know the news on who will be presenting this year’s awards check out the story below.
In short, there’s lots happening at the Whitlam Institute this year so do keep an eye on our website as we would love to hear from you, or better still, see you at one or another of our coming events.
In closing I would, on behalf of all here at the Whitlam Institute, like to take this opportunity to offer our thanks and appreciation to Gail Connolly and Professor Wayne McKenna. Gail and Wayne completed their terms on our Board at the February meeting.
Gail is one of our longest serving external directors having joined the Board in December 2003. She has made a particularly significant contribution in these formative years at the Institute not just in its governance but in advising on the emerging program.
Wayne joined the Board in December 2006 at a critical point in the Institute’s development. In spite of the demands of his day job as Executive Dean of the College of Arts at UWS, he devoted considerable energy to ensuring the Institute was secure and ready for a period of renewed growth.
We are very much indebted to Gail and Wayne for their support during this exciting and challenging period.
Warm wishes,
Eric Sidoti
Lecture by The Hon Michael Kirby AC CMG
The lecture International Law and Human Rights: Gough Whitlam’s transformative vision, co-hosted by the Whitlam Institute and the University of Western Sydney School of Law was held on 25 February 2010 at the offices of law firm Gilbert+Tobin, Sydney.
The lecture, presented by The Honourable Michael Kirby AC CMG, explored the theme of Whitlam as internationalist, primarily from a human rights and international law perspective. Guests attending were provided with a detailed insight into the contribution of EG Whitlam to Australia’s broadening engagement with international treaty law under the Whitlam Government, the nation’s increasing acquaintance with international law more generally and the use of international law that followed in the development of Australia’s
domestic law.
Watch Michael Kirby’s address here
Read the full text of Michael Kirby’s paper here
The Whitlam Institute acknowledges the generous support of Gilbert+Tobin.
New Perspectives essay on the future of Australian schooling
The second in the Perspectives series Secondary schooling and the education revolution: Looking for means towards the end? was authored by Professor Jack Keating from the University of Melbourne. The essay argues that a genuine education revolution cannot be achieved without structural reform of schooling in Australia.
Central to Keating’s argument is his view that a real revolution lies in
fundamental changes to the relationships across Federal and State governments, the government and non-government sectors, and the schools and tertiary
education sectors.
The paper was released to coincide with the start of a three-year research project, supported by the Australian Research Council (see below), in which these issues are to be explored more fully by Professor Keating, his colleagues at the University of Melbourne and the Whitlam Institute within the University of Western Sydney.
Secondary schooling and the education revolution is available to download here
Australian Research Council Project on Federalism in Australian schooling
We’re excited to announce that the Whitlam Institute is partnering with the University of Melbourne in a new 3 year project, supported by the Australian Research Council. The project also involves the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development & the Foundation for Young Australians.
This project seeks to investigate the impact of federalism on Australia’s
system of schooling and to investigate changes in the federal arrangements that would potentially increase the capacity of schooling to deliver better quality
and more equitable outcomes.
The specific issues being investigated include:
- How federal barriers and blockages impede sound education policy and reform strategies: e.g. whether there is wasteful overlap and duplication; overly complicated administrative arrangements; responsibility shifting; veto points.
- What opportunities federalism provides for improved policy: e.g. flexibility and innovation; greater policy scope from multiple governments; access for
stakeholders and disadvantaged groups.
- How Commonwealth and state governments have operated - through coordinated, cooperative, competition strategies - and how successful these have been.
The project aims to use these findings to construct an alternative model of governance, including funding, within the federalist framework, and to test this model within the education policy community.
We’re looking forward to bringing you more news about this project over the next 3 years.
It’s Time to Write! The 2010 What Matters? Competition is open
Our annual What Matters? competition: It's time to write! was launched on 1 February 2010 with the competition entry form and poster mailed to all schools in NSW and the ACT. We have extended the competition this year and are running it across two terms with the closing date Friday 30 April. The entries are already rolling in so don't leave it to the last minute to begin writing!
We are delighted that Therese Rein has accepted our invitation to attend
the Awards Ceremony, who along with Hugh Mackay will congratulate the
competition winners.
Officeworks have continued their support of the competition as an important part of their commitment to community engagement and school outreach. In addition to their financial support, Officeworks have kindly donated a fully loaded laptop for the overall competition winner while all participating schools go into the draw for a chance to win one of five Officeworks vouchers valued at $1000 each.
We are happy to confirm our judges this year who without them, it would be mighty hard to run this competition. This year the panel includes Eric Brace, Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation; Joel Gibson, Sydney Morning Herald; Julie Hare, APN Educational Media; Vijay Khurana, Triple J presenter and Andrew West, Sydney Morning Herald.
Download entry form
Download poster
Download judging criteria
Download 2009 Winning Entries
A great way to finish 2009
We were delighted to have the Hon. E.G Whitlam AC, QC and Mrs Margaret Whitlam AO join us for our 2009 Christmas party.
It seemed a fitting end to what was a great year for the Whitlam Institute. Both Gough and Margaret had very kind words for the Institute, and we are extremely grateful to them for their ongoing support.
