Whitlam Institute Podcast

E.G. Whitlam Fellow (2021), Associate Professor Camilla Nelson, presents the findings of a multiple case study research project investigating the impact of Federal Circuit and Family Court proceedings on children. Featuring in-depth qualitative interviews with adults about their lived experience of litigation as children, and recent academic research, Associate Professor Nelson presents a compelling case for reform to minimise harm and improve the ability of children to exercise rights and agency during family law disputes. Podcast by Camilla Nelson/University of Notre Dame Australia Sound and Original Music ("The Apostolian”) by Adam Hulbert/UNSW Researcher: Georgia Coe/Western Sydney University Editing: Helen Smith

Niamatullah Ibrahimi, Lecturer in International Relations at LaTrobe University discusses the brutality of the Taleban, threats to women and ethnic minorities, what the role of neighbouring countries like Pakistan should be, and why temporary protection visa's for Afghans in Australia must be extended. In light of the recent military withdrawal of US, Australian and other international forces from Afghanistan, and as the Taleban has gained control of territory and attacked communities across the country, now having taken control of Kabul, the Whitlam Institute seeks to raise awareness - in Australia and beyond - of the situation in Afghanistan today. Through our policy research on Australia in the World, we produced this podcast with eminent experts, officials and community leaders to ensure their voices are heard here in Australia – these interviews were conducted in the days leading up to the Taleban’s capture of Kabul. We have been able to reach those in Afghanistan and they have asked us to continue to release these perspectives. We are incredibly humbled and grateful that they have shared them. There is an important conversation to be had about Australia’s moral responsibility to continue to support the Afghan people as they face this terrible new reality. What are Afghans across the country and particularly vulnerable ethnic groups facing today? How are women’s rights being affected? What do Afghans seek from the international community to support them? How can Australia be part of that international effort?

Farkondeh Akbari, PhD candidate ANU, discusses her personal refugee journey from Afghanistan to Australia and the challenges of conducting peace processes with non-state actors like the Taleban. In light of the recent military withdrawal of US, Australian and other international forces from Afghanistan, and as the Taleban has gained control of territory and attacked communities across the country, now having taken control of Kabul, the Whitlam Institute seeks to raise awareness - in Australia and beyond - of the situation in Afghanistan today. Through our policy research on Australia in the World, we produced this podcast with eminent experts, officials and community leaders to ensure their voices are heard here in Australia – these interviews were conducted in the days leading up to the Taleban’s capture of Kabul. We have been able to reach those in Afghanistan and they have asked us to continue to release these perspectives. We are incredibly humbled and grateful that they have shared them. There is an important conversation to be had about Australia’s moral responsibility to continue to support the Afghan people as they face this terrible new reality. What are Afghans across the country and particularly vulnerable ethnic groups facing today? How are women’s rights being affected? What do Afghans seek from the international community to support them? How can Australia be part of that international effort?

Nematullah Bizhan, Lecturer Development Policy Centre, Crawford School of Public Policy ANU, speaks about why the Taleban has not changed for the better and why the UN needs to be a key player with a stronger role. In light of the recent military withdrawal of US, Australian and other international forces from Afghanistan, and as the Taleban has gained control of territory and attacked communities across the country, now having taken control of Kabul, the Whitlam Institute seeks to raise awareness - in Australia and beyond - of the situation in Afghanistan today. Through our policy research on Australia in the World, we produced this podcast with eminent experts, officials and community leaders to ensure their voices are heard here in Australia – these interviews were conducted in the days leading up to the Taleban’s capture of Kabul. We have been able to reach those in Afghanistan and they have asked us to continue to release these perspectives. We are incredibly humbled and grateful that they have shared them. There is an important conversation to be had about Australia’s moral responsibility to continue to support the Afghan people as they face this terrible new reality. What are Afghans across the country and particularly vulnerable ethnic groups facing today? How are women’s rights being affected? What do Afghans seek from the international community to support them? How can Australia be part of that international effort?

Fawzia Koofi, Afghan politician and former Head of the Afghan National Assembly, discusses the role of Afghan women, Afghans’ expectations of the international community, and the impact of international media reporting on the situation on the ground. In light of the recent military withdrawal of US, Australian and other international forces from Afghanistan, and as the Taleban has gained control of territory and attacked communities across the country, now having taken control of Kabul, the Whitlam Institute seeks to raise awareness - in Australia and beyond - of the situation in Afghanistan today. Through our policy research on Australia in the World, we produced this podcast with eminent experts, officials and community leaders to ensure their voices are heard here in Australia – these interviews were conducted in the days leading up to the Taleban’s capture of Kabul. We have been able to reach those in Afghanistan and they have asked us to continue to release these perspectives. We are incredibly humbled and grateful that they have shared them. There is an important conversation to be had about Australia’s moral responsibility to continue to support the Afghan people as they face this terrible new reality. What are Afghans across the country and particularly vulnerable ethnic groups facing today? How are women’s rights being affected? What do Afghans seek from the international community to support them? How can Australia be part of that international effort?

Shaharzad Akbar, Chairperson of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission, describes the impact of human rights violations, targeted attacks, threats to women and girls and the implications for the hard-won women’s rights, which are set to fall as Afghanistan crumbles. 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. Through our policy research on Australia in the World, we produced this seven-part podcast series with eminent experts, officials and community leaders to ensure their voices are heard here in Australia as we explore what Australia’s foreign policy toward Afghanistan should look like post-military withdrawal. In this second episode, Whitlam Institute Director Leanne Smith speaks to Shaharzad Akbar, Chairperson of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission. Their conversation touches on human rights violations, targeted attacks and threats to women and girls.

Ahmad Shuja Jamal, Director of International Affairs and Regional Cooperation, Office of National Security Council, Afghanistan, discusses Pakistan’s role in what he describes as the proxy war going on in Afghanistan, what Australia can do to support Afghanistan, and his upcoming visit to Australia. 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. Through our policy research on Australia in the World, we produced this seven-part podcast series with eminent experts, officials and community leaders to ensure their voices are heard here in Australia as we explore what Australia’s foreign policy toward Afghanistan should look like post-military withdrawal. In this first episode, Whitlam Institute Director Leanne Smith speaks to Ahmad Shuja Jamal, Director of International Affairs and Regional Cooperation in the Office of National Security Council, Afghanistan. He touches on Pakistan’s proxy war in Afghanistan, what Australia can do to support Afghanistan at this time.

Each year the Whitlam Institute within Western Sydney University awards the E.G. Whitlam Research Fellowship to an experienced academic to carry out research that continues the legacy of Gough Whitlam and the issues his government championed. Dr Alexandra Coleman, our 2020 Fellow, focused her research on class, place, and higher education. Her research is focused on Gough Whitlam’s “quality of life” agenda and in her essay ‘Whitlam, Western Sydney and the promise of University’ she explores advancing Whitlam’s belief that everybody should have equal access to a good quality education, regardless of where they grow up, what school they attend, and what connections they have. In this podcast, Dr Coleman talks about undertaking this research, and how her own story ties into it. Lakshmi Logathassan and Professor James Arvanitakis provide their perspectives and insights on the research as well, highlighting why this is a timely conversation, particularly in Western Sydney.

On Thursday 30th January 2020 we held a panel discussion on The Golden Country: Australia's Changing Identity - a new book from Tim Watts MP. Tim wsa joined in discussion by Dr Stephen FitzGerald AO - Whitlam Institute Distinguished Fellow, Australia’s first ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, and one of Australia’s foremost China specialists, Sally Sitou, International Media and Communications specialist and former media and policy advisor for Federal MP Jason Clare and Jason Yat-sen Li - with professional background in law, Jason runs corporate advisory firm - Yatsen Associates, chairs investment firm Vantage Asia Holdings, and is a fellow of the University of Sydney.

Q&A at The Scribe Sydney, 26 Nov 2018 by Conversations and more from the Whitlam Institute

In this episode, listen to insightful and often candid reflections of Gough Whitlam's impact on the Arts in Australia, delivered by a number of speakers on the opening night of Dedicated to the Dedicated: Whitlam, the Arts and Democracy. The exhibition features the first public display of a collection of artworks that was gifted to Gough and Margaret Whitlam in 1979 in recognition of their landmark support for the Arts in Australia. The ‘Whitlams’ Folio’ includes works by John Olsen, Brett Whiteley, Lloyd Rees, John Coburn, Arthur Boyd and more, and is inscribed with a message of thanks to Gough and Margaret Whitlam for ‘the marks they have made on the Australian canvas’. Opened on 6 June 2019, at the Margaret Whitlam Galleries, Whitlam Institute within Western Sydney University.

This episode was recorded at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, Federation Square Melbourne on Wednesday 17 April 2019, following a screening of the film The Scribe. It features a panel discussion on speech-writing, with director and producer Ruth Cullen, long-serving politician the Hon. Barry Jones AO, speechwriter to Kevin Rudd James Button, Whitlam historian Professor Jenny Hocking and Whitlam Institute Director Leanne Smith.

Who do you trust to make decisions about your rights, a human or a machine? On Wednesday 20 March 2019, the Whitlam Institute hosted a Community Consultation on Human Rights and Technology, as part of a major review by the Australian Human Rights Commission. Human Rights Commissioner Edward Santow and Whitlam Institute Director Leanne Smith discussed the implications of emerging technologies and Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Human Rights, and the large audience was also invited to share their thoughts and questions.

On Friday 8th March we opened the exhibition Spy: Espionage in Australia to a sold-out audience. Hear the remarkable eminent speakers who joined us on the night: Stephen FitzGerald AO, Whitlam Institute Distinguished Fellow, former diplomat and Prime Ministerial Advisor to Gough Whitlam Sara Dowse, acclaimed author and artist, inaugural head of the first women's unit in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet under Whitlam and Fraser, and biographer for Amirah Inglis, one of the individuals profiled in the exhibition David Fricker, Director General of the National Archives of Australia, former CIO and Deputy Director-General of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO)

This episode of the Whitlam Institute's podcast features our event Women, Peace & Security: In conversation with NATO’s special representative. This episode was recorded at The Museum of Australian Democracy in Old Parliament house on the 13th of February, 2019.