TOWN HALLS
Disinformation Workshop: Facts + Other Lies
Voices of Wentworth is hosting a practical workshop to learn skills to counter disinformation. Ed Coper, Communication Strategist and author of “Facts and Other Lies”, will give us insights on how “we” (the global community) have landed in the Disinformation Age and will outline what works and what does not work in stopping the spread. We will then put these learnings into action through an interactive session facilitated by “edutainer” Lee Constable - science communicator, television presenter and author.
Price Spikes + Shortages : Energy
Thursday, 23 June
A timely discussion where our expert panel set the record straight on the issues affecting our energy market.
- why energy prices are spiking
- how this is impacting the people in Wentworth
- what can be done by the federal government in the short and long term
- how individuals and small businesses can address the costs or risks of blackouts
Alia Armistead, Climate + Energy Researcher,
Tim Buckley, Director at Climate Energy Finance
Allegra Spender MP, Wentworth
Wentworth Candidate Forum 2022
Saturday, 2 April at 10.30am
Watch here
Moderated by foreign correspondent and author,
Nick Bryant, Voices of Wentworth hosted candidates along with Greens MP, David Shoebridge, to speak in the lead up to the federal election about the issues you care about. And lots of questions were asked....
Candidates who attended
Tim Murray – Australian Labor Party
David Shoebridge – The Greens
Allegra Spender – Independent
Women Safety | Equality | Power + Respect
Our final Town Hall of 2021, where we delved into the important issue of women and respect. Thank you to our panel.
Belinda Smith - Associate Professor in Law, University of Sydney
Eleanor Campbell - Social worker and the coordinator of domestic and family violence counselling services at Bondi Beach Cottage
Licia Heath - CEO Women for Election Australia
Yvonne Weldon - Candidate, Lord Mayor Sydney
GREENWASHING + POLITICS: SEPARATING FACT FROM FICTION
Greenwashing: when political parties - and the media that supports them - make misleading claims about the impact of climate policy, technology and carbon accounting, you know that the winner will be votes, and the loser will be our future. It’s time to set the record straight. Thank you to:
Tim Buckley, Director of Energy + Finance at IEEFA
Alia Armistead, Climate + Energy Researcher, The Australia Institute
Jonathan Holmes, Journalist + Former Media Watch Presenter
INTEGRITY IN POLITICS:
WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL
The influence of money in politics and the reluctance of the government to establish a Federal Integrity Commission are blocking policy reform. As voters, how can we achieve real action? A wonderful discussion with thanks to our panel:
His Honour Anthony Whealy QC, Chair of the Centre for Public Integrity
Professor John Daley, Professorial Fellow at the University of Melbourne Law School
Craig Reucassel, Director Big Deal
WHAT'S THE FUTURE OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION?
Another wonderful fact-based discussion about the future state of play in Environmental Protection in relation to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and the review led by Professor Graeme Samuel AC, released on 28, January 2021.
Our panel includes:
Rachel Walmsley, Environmental Defenders Office
Basha Stasak, Australian Conservation Foundation
Gerard Early, BirdLife Australia
BEYOND COVID: WHAT'S THE BEST PLAN?
Cold, hard facts - just what we were looking for! Wonderful insights and perspectives on our current status quo with the big message: vaccination is the only way out. Solutions include: we need properly constructed Quarantine Facilities, we need Rapid Testing kits, we need a vaccine Distribution Plan and we need to let Australian's come home. Thank you to our wonderful panel of experts:
Prof. Mary Louise McLaws, Epidemiologist + WHO advisor
Ric Deverell, Economist, Macquarie Bank
Craig Gear, CEO Older Persons Advocacy Network
CLIMATE ACTION: WHAT NEXT FOR AUSTRALIA?
27 May 2021 | Paddington RSL
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We were joined by Osher Gunsberg, Dr. John Hewson, Nicki Hutley and Judy Slatyer at our biggest event to date with over 150 tickets sold! Following the recent US Summit, upcoming G7 Summit in the UK and COP 26 in Glasgow, Australia is in the spotlight on the global stage. With other nations stepping up to set more ambitious emissions reduction targets and investing in clean energy technologies, Australia risks being left behind.
MEDIA CONCENTRATION: A THREAT TO DEMOCRACY?
23 March 2021 | The Corner House, Bondi
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With TV and Radio host James Mathison, Guardian Australia Editor Lenore Taylor, AAP Newswire CEO Emma Cowdroy and Associate Professor, University of Sydney Benedetta Brevini. We hear from our expert panel on some of the power imbalances arising from high levels of media concentration in Australia and how that power is used by the biggest media players.
NATIONAL INTEGRITY COMMISSION: FACT OR FICTION?
Monday, 8 Feb ' 21 | Online
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We were joined by Independent Federal MP for Indi Helen Haines, Chair of the Centre for Public Integrity the Honourable Anthony Whealy QC and CEO of Transparency International Serena Lillywhite. We looked at the Government’s proposed Commonwealth Integrity Commission legislation as well as Helen Haines’ alternative legislation and discussed the details followed by a Q&A session.
BOOK CLUB SPECIAL
26 November 2020 | Corner House, Bondi
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Is this the most important conversation of 2020? (Strong Language Warning). Catch up on our insightful and inspiring discussion with local authors Marian Wilkinson and Sarah Wilson on their new books "The Carbon Club" and "This One Wild and Precious Life". Filmed at Bondi's Corner House and presented by Dan Ilic (Best Australian Comedy Podcast "A Rational Fear") this video asks important questions about how we can encourage our elected officials in Canberra to get moving on climate action.
DEMOCRACY IN THE TIME OF COVID
19 October 2020 | Online
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We were joined by The Honourable Anthony Whealy QC, Chair of the Centre for Public Integrity and Saffron Zomer of the Australian Democracy Network to consider the health of democracy in Australia in 2020. We looked at the key elements of democracy and how they are being eroded in Australia, with a particular focus on the need to defend our public accountability institutions, establish a federal integrity commission and address undue influence (eg corporate capture) in political processes.
Economic Recovery and Climate Change: Rebirth or Ruin?
23 September 2020 | Online
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Tune in to hear from Monica Richter and Maria Atkinson. Monica is an economist and social ecologist with extensive experience in environmental sustainability with an interest in the role of business in accelerating the uptake of low and zero carbon solutions. Maria is a Director, Activist, Entrepreneur, Angel Investor, Consultant to name a few of her roles. Maria is internationally recognised for her work in sustainability and for her work on catalyzing change on the big issues that matter in society.
LACK OF POLITICAL ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE
23 July 2020 | Online
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Our very first Town Hall meeting! We were joined by Wentworth resident and co-founder of 350.org Australia Blair Palese to look at the problem of the lack of political action on climate change in Australia.