2022 Whitlam Oration: Labor's Foreign Policy Informed by Whitlam's Legacy
The 2022 Whitlam Oration, Labor’s Foreign Policy Informed by Whitlam’s Legacy, was delivered by Senator the Hon Penny Wong on 13 November at Bowman Hall in Blacktown, 50 years to the day from Gough Whitlam’s campaign launch at the very same place.
In her Oration, Senator the Hon Penny Wong reflected on the lessons we can learn from Gough Whitlam and outlined her government’s plan for a future of foreign affairs informed by his legacy. “We are more than just supporting players in a grand drama of global geopolitics, on a stage dominated by great powers,” she said.
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PNG Voices: Listening to Australia’s Closest Neighbour, Papua New Guinean perspectives on Australia and the world
This new research from the Whitlam Institute captures a wide cross-section of perspectives and experiences from ordinary PNG citizens, including those living in a remote part of PNG, voices that are rarely heard in more official forums.
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50 Years of Bangladesh-Australia Relations
The Whitlam Institute, within Western Sydney University, in collaboration with Bangladesh High Commission, Canberra, and Consulate General, Sydney, commemorates the Bangladesh golden jubilee of independence and the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
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Afghan Perspectives: the future of Afghanistan – what’s at risk and what can be done?
In light of the recent military withdrawal of US, Australian and other international forces from Afghanistan, and as the Taleban continues to gain control of territory and attack communities across the country, the Whitlam Institute seeks to raise awareness - in Australia and beyond - of the situation in Afghanistan today.
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From Seeds to Roots: Trajectories towards Feminist Foreign Policy
Since 2014, Sweden, Canada, France, Luxembourg, Mexico and Spain have adopted and declared feminist foreign policies (FFPs) and/or feminist international assistance policies (FIAPs). In doing so, all six countries are embedding gender equality as the central purpose and key goals of their foreign policy commitments.
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UN & Australia Sustainable Partnerships Forum
Whitlam Institute Director Leanne Smith and Dr Claire Brolan (Research Fellow, Centre for Policy Futures, University of Queensland) together hosted a session of the UN & Australia Sustainable Partnerships Forum titled ‘Partnering for the SDGs - a national focus’.
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OPINION: Australia must walk the talk on women’s rights – globally and at home
It’s not just local politics. Australia’s credibility with a feminist foreign policy, in name or not, is on the line writes Whitlam Institute Director Leanne Smith.
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Best practice SDG policy & planning: Examples from Pacific-Rim countries
Our panel discussion for the UNESCAP Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) with the authors of the report, Leanne Smith, Director Whitlam Institute (Sydney) and Dr Claire Brolan, Centre for Policy Futures University of Queensland (Brisbane) who will be joined by Ms Laiza Garcia, Development Partner Institute for Mining (Melbourne) and Dr Amanda Katili Niode - Climate Reality Project (Indonesia) saw participants analyse ways Australia can learn from best practice around the world.
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Closed Borders, Open Minds?
COVID-19 has changed our world. Australia’s international border has been effectively closed since March and the continent seems more distant than ever from places and people that have long influenced and informed it – including Europe, with its dialogues and its diversity.
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Opinion: Why we need a Feminist Foreign Policy
OPINION: Increased female participation in the parliament reduced the likelihood of human rights abuse and conflict abuse. Increased female participation in the peace processes makes peace deals more likely to be implemented and to endure.
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Director Leanne Smith discusses the International Day of Peace with Sarah MacDonald
Director Leanne Smith joined Sarah Macdonald on ABC Sydney’s Evenings program to discuss the International Day of Peace. Listen here.
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Reimagining our Foreign Policy: in Conversation with Penny Wong
Penny Wong, Labor’s spokesperson on Foreign Affairs and Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, joined Whitlam Institute Director and former senior UN official Leanne Smith to talk about the future of Australia’s place in the world.
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The goals for Australia to do better
The fallout from the bushfire and Covid-19 catastrophes reinforce that Australia’s leaders urgently need to recalibrate the way Australia plans for our future, through comprehensive national sustainability policy, planning and investment.
And the roadmap is already there – it’s time the Australian government took its commitment to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development seriously.
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No One Left Behind: Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals in Australia
Why has the Australian Government been so slow to take up its responsibilities to implement the SDGs, despite a 2019 parliamentary inquiry that gave clear guidance on how to do so? This report builds on one of the parliamentary recommendations - that Australia look to international best practice to improve it’s own efforts to work toward a sustainable future for Australia – by analysing best practice around the world and offering tools for Australian government to take charge of SDG implementation in this country.
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Australia’s Indigenous Relations are not only a Domestic Matter
Aside from its inherent value and importance for the future of Australia, reconciliation between Australia’s Indigenous and settler populations has the potential to transform Australia’s status as part of the ‘Pacific family’. Research by the Whitlam Institute suggests that Pacific Islanders from Fiji, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu are concerned and saddened by status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their absence from Australia’s public face and want to form closer connections with them.
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‘It’s Time’ for a Culture Change
This report proposes that the current Australian government should adopt the Whitlam Government’s general policy direction to enhance its cultural engagement with PNG. It is important to note that the report does not advocate for the Whitlam Government’s exact policies to be implemented in today’s policy setting. However, the emphasis which the Whitlam Government provided to cultural links both within PNG itself and between PNG and Australia is a
direction which should be followed.
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Pacific Perspectives on the World
Listening to Australia’s island neighbours in order to build strong, respectful and sustainable relationships
Read this Whitlam Institute Research project by Peacifica.
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2019 Whitlam Oration: Australia's Role in Human Rights in a Changing World
The 2019 Whitlam Oration, Australia’s Role in Human Rights in a Change World, was delivered by UN Human Rights Commissioner Michelle Bachelet on the 9th November at the Seymour Centre in Sydney.
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UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to Deliver Whitlam Oration
The 2019 Whitlam Oration will be delivered by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet. The High Commissioner will speak on Australia’s Role in Human Rights in a Changing World.
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Whitlam as Internationalist
The Hon Michael Kirby AC CMG reviews Whitlam’s particular interest in international law and relations. His strong emphasis on international law, and treaty law in particular, was timely, and became a signature theme of his government and life.
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