RESHAPING AUSTRALIA: COMMUNITIES IN ACTION
Dates: Thursday 3 November 2022, 9.30 am–5.30 pm AEDT
Venue: Live-streamed and now on YouTube
Brochure: A program brochure, comprising the program, abstracts and speaker biographies, is available from this website.
On this page:
Summary
The tumultuous last decade has witnessed a decline in political consensus and a growing perception that our formal institutions of government have failed to tackle fundamental challenges in areas such as climate change and social inequality.
As the 2022 Federal election demonstrated, many Australian communities, corporations, and interest groups have become increasingly active as voices for political change. The ‘Uluru Statement from the Heart’ is one striking example of a community demanding that they be shapers of policy, not just the recipients of what others think should be done.
Such activism builds on a long tradition of community participation in Australia, which has developed a vibrant and extensive not-for-profit sector. There are now more than 50,000 organisations, a million employees, and five million volunteers, providing services and support in many areas of our civil life.
These community and volunteer efforts are essential in managing the immediate and long-term impacts of social and environmental crises including catastrophic fires, droughts, and floods. Successful initiatives have involved local communities collaborating with corporations, businesses, research, and government agencies to find innovative solutions.
This year, the Royal Society of NSW in partnership with Australia’s Learned Academies and under the gracious patronage of Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC, Governor of New South Wales, will explore this dynamic of communities in action. It will canvass some of the latest research on the factors shaping disparities in social, economic and well-being outcomes for Australians and address four key areas - health, education, infrastructure, and the environment.
The Forum will highlight examples of community collaboration with business, not-for-profit, research, and government organisations to drive meaningful change. It will conclude with a consideration of how greater community participation might impact long-term policy development for the benefit of all Australians.
The Royal Society of NSW acknowledges the generous support of Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC, Governor of New South Wales, and the Office of the New South Wales Government Chief Scientist and Engineer.
Program and Presentations
The full video recording of each session is accessed by clicking on the YouTube video images, while direct access to each of the speakers' presentations and segments in the sessions is available through the links shown in the program text.
| Welcome and Official Opening |
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Introduction to the Governor and Acknowledgement of Country |
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| Session I: Setting the Scene |
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| Emeritus Professor Julianne Schultz AM FAHA Moderator and Rapporteur Professor Richard Holden FASSA Professor of Economics, UNSW Sydney President, Academy of Social Sciences in Australia Alison Frame Deputy Secretary, Social Policy Group, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet Australian Government Dr Kalinda Griffiths Scientia Lecturer, Centre for Big Data Research in Health UNSW Sydney Dr James O'Donnell Lecturer, School of Demography and ANU Social Cohesion Grand Challenge Australian National University Panel Discussion and Audience Q&A Moderated by Emeritus Julianne Schultz |
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| Session II: Health and Communities |
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| Emeritus Professor Julianne Schultz AM FAHA Moderator and Rapporteur Bernie Shakeshaft (link to talk summary) Founder and Director BackTrack Youth Works Sally Redman AO Chief Executive Officer Sax Institute Sydney Distinguished Professor Elizabeth Elliott AM FRSN FAHMS Distinguished Professor of Paediatrics and Child Health University of Sydney Professor Maree Teeson AC FAHMS FASSA Professor and Director, The Matilda Centre for Research In Mental Health and Substance Use University of Sydney Panel Discussion and Audience Q&A Moderated by Emeritus Professor Julianne Schultz |
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| Session III: Natural and Built Environment |
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Emeritus Professor Julianne Schultz AM FAHA |
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| Session IV: Education |
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| Emeritus Professor Julianne Schultz AM FAHA Moderator and Rapporteur Professor Peter Shergold AC FRSN FASSA Chancellor Western Sydney University Professor Pasi Sahlberg Professor of Education Southern Cross University Professor Kim Beswick Professor of Mathematics Education and Director, Gonski Institute for Education UNSW (Sydney) Professor Lisa Jackson Pulver AM FRSN Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Strategy and Services) University of Sydney Panel Discussion and Audience Q&A Moderated by Emeritus Professor Julianne Schultz |
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| Session V: Summary and Solutions |
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Panel Discussion: Dr Susan Pond AM FRSN FTSE FAHMS |
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Royal Society of NSW and the Learned Academies Forums
This page provides access to the abstracts, content, and reports from the annual Forum that is conducted jointly by the Royal Society of NSW and the Learned Academies at Government House, Sydney.
Please follow the links below to the content that is available.
- 2021 Forum: Power and Peril of the Digital Age
- 2020 Forum: After COVID-19: Creating the Best of Times from the Worst of Times
- 2019 Forum: Making SPACE for Australia
- 2018 Forum: Towards a prosperous and sustainable Australia: what now for the lucky country?
- 2017 Forum: The Future of Reason in a Post-Truth World
- 2016 Forum: Society as a complex system—implications for science, practice, and policy
- 2015 Forum: The future of work
RESHAPING AUSTRALIA: COMMUNITIES IN ACTION
Dates: Thursday 3 November 2022, 9.30 am–5.30 pm AEDT
Venue: YouTube live streaming (link to follow) and face-to-face at Government House Sydney (by invitation)
Cost: No charge.
Brochure: to follow
The Royal Society of New South Wales and the Learned Academies acknowledge the generous support of Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC, Governor of New South Wales and the Office of the NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer.
Summary
The tumultuous last decade has witnessed a decline in political consensus and a growing perception that our formal institutions of government have failed to tackle fundamental challenges in areas such as climate change and social inequality.
As the 2022 Federal election demonstrated, many Australian communities, corporations and interest groups have become increasingly active as voices for political change. The ‘Uluru Statement from the Heart’ is one striking example of a community demanding that they be shapers of policy, not just the recipients of what others think should be done.
Such activism builds on a long tradition of community participation in Australia, which has developed a vibrant and extensive not-for-profit sector. There are now more than 50,000 organisations, a million employees and five million volunteers, providing services and support in many areas of our civil life.
These community and volunteer efforts are essential in managing the immediate and long-term impacts of social and environmental crises including catastrophic fires, droughts, and floods. Successful initiatives have involved local communities collaborating with corporations, businesses, research, and government agencies to find innovative solutions.
This year, the Royal Society of NSW in partnership with Australia’s Learned Academies and under the gracious patronage of Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC, Governor of New South Wales, will explore this dynamic of communities in action. It will canvass some of the latest research on the factors shaping disparities in social, economic and well-being outcomes for Australians and address four key areas - health, education, infrastructure, and the environment.
The Forum will highlight examples of community collaboration with business, not-for-profit, research, and government organisations to drive meaningful change. It will conclude with a consideration of how greater community participation might impact long-term policy development for the benefit of all Australians.
PROGRAM: THURSDAY 3 NOVEMBER 2022
| Time | |
| 09:00–09:25 | Registration |
| 09:25–09:30 | Guests seated |
| 09:30–09:45 | Governor is announced into the Ballroom Commencement of Proceedings |
| Official Opening Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC Governor of New South Wales |
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| Welcome and Acknowledgement of Country Susan Pond AM FRSN FTSE FAHMS President, Royal Society of New South Wales |
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| Introduction to Program and Moderator/Rapporteur Stephen Garton AM FRSN FAHA FASSA Chair, Forum Program Committee Principal Advisor, Office of the Vice-Chancellor and President University of Sydney |
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| Moderator and Rapporteur Julianne Schultz AM FAHA Emeritus Professor, Media and Culture, Griffith University Chair, The Conversation Media Group |
SESSION I: SETTING THE SCENE
Despite a national myth of egalitarianism, contemporary social commentary, and research point to a growing divide between the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ in Australian society. This session will examine some of the broad economic and demographic patterns across Australia and explore in particular some of the indices of Indigenous disadvantage. It will set the scene for considering how communities are working to address social disenfranchisement and overcome health, economic and environmental challenges.
| 09:45–11:15 | Richard Holden FES FASSA Professor of Economics at UNSW Business School President, Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia |
| Alison Frame Deputy Secretary, Social Policy Group Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Australian Government |
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| Kalinda Griffiths Scientia Lecturer, Centre for Big Data Research in Health, UNSW Sydney Research and Education Lead for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre |
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| James O’Donnell Lecturer, School of Demography and ANU Social Cohesion Grand Challenge, College of Arts and Social Sciences Australian National University |
SESSION II: HEALTH AND COMMUNITIES
Although Australia has one of the best and most equitable health systems in the world, there are distinct challenges and inequities which need to be recognised and addressed. This session will consider these issues in urban, regional and remote, and culturally diverse settings, and in the under-resourced sectors of mental and Indigenous health and show how community initiatives can help provide innovative solutions.
| 11:15–12:30 | Bernie Shakeshaft Founder and Director BackTrack Youth Works |
| Sally Redman AO Chief Executive Officer Sax Institute Sydney |
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| Elizabeth Elliott AM FRSN FAHMS Distinguished Professor of Paediatrics and Child Health University of Sydney |
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| Maree Teesson AC FAHMS FASSA Professor and Director, Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, and NHMRC Leadership Fellow University of Sydney |
LUNCH ON THE VERANDAH (12:30–13:30)
SESSION III: NATURAL AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT (INCLUDING CLIMATE CHANGE & INFRASTRUCTURE)
Our natural and built environments are increasingly threatened by issues including climate change and the accumulation of waste. Local communities, businesses, researchers, and coalitions of activists have been working creatively on climate mitigation interventions, technological solutions for net zero emissions, and waste management and recycling. This session will look at how governments, communities and other stakeholders are coming together to create more harmonious and resilient futures for our natural and built environments.
| 13:30–14:45 | Louise Adams FTSE Chief Operating Officer Aurecon |
| David Schlosberg FASSA Professor of Environmental Politics and Director, Sydney Environment Institute University of Sydney |
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| Tone Wheeler Principal and Director Environa Studio |
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| Angelica Kross Community Activist |
SESSION IV: EDUCATION
Research continues to underline the transformative potential of education that is accessible to all – regardless of disability, race, language, religion, gender, and income – to enrich technological innovation, economic growth, political stability, and social cohesion. This session will take stock of Australia’s investment in education and offer examples and strategies for an education-led path to a more equal, more inclusive, and more successful Australia.
| 14:45–16:00 | Pasi Sahlberg Professor of Education Southern Cross University |
| Peter Shergold AC FRSN FASSA Chancellor Western Sydney University |
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| Marcia Langton AO FASSA Associate Provost, Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor, and Foundation Chair of Australian Indigenous Studies University of Melbourne |
SESSION IV: SUMMARY AND SOLUTIONS
| 16:00–17:00 | Ariadne Vromen FASSA Sir John Bunting Chair of Public Administration, Crawford School of Public Policy Australian National University |
| Julianne Schultz AM FAHA Emeritus Professor, Media and Culture, Griffith University Chair, The Conversation Media Group |
REFRESHMENTS SERVED ON THE VERANDAH (17:00–18:00)
Contents of JProcRSNSW, Vol. 155, Part 1, June 2022
The complete Volume 155, Part 1, June 2022.
Robert E. Marks
Editorial: Snakes, quantum computers, and Global Risks.
Journal & Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales 155: 1-4
Refereed Papers:
Simon J. Devitt.
Blueprinting quantum computing systems.
Journal & Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales 155: 5-39
Christine N. Zdenek.
Australia is the lucky country when it comes to snakes.
Journal & Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales 155: 40-47
Reprinted Paper:
Len Fisher and Anders Sandberg.
A safe governance space for humanity: necessary conditions for the governance of Global Catastrophic Risks.
Journal & Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales 155: 48-71
The Royal Society of NSW and Five Academies Forum: Power and Peril in the Digital Age
The Governor, Margaret Beazley.
Opening Address.
Journal & Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales 155: 72-73
The Organisers.
Preamble.
Journal & Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales 155: 74-75
Cathy Foley, Hugh Durrant-White.
Science and Technology underpinning the Digital Age: Past, Present and Future.
Journal & Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales 155: 76-84
Frances Foster-Thorpe, Sue Bennett.
Digital Lifetime of a Child Born Today.
Journal & Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales 155: 85-90
Shawn Ross, Teresa K.D. Anderson.
Avoiding a Digital Dark Age.
Journal & Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales 155: 91-97
Zoran Bolevich, Louisa Jorm.
Health of Our Digital Child.
Journal & Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales 155: 98-103
Dale Lambert, Rory Medcalf.
Safety and Security of Our Digital Child.
Journal & Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales 155: 104-112
PhD Theses:
Meghan Castelli.
Sex and stress: is stress both a mediator and a consequence of sex reversal in the Central Bearded Dragon (Pogona vitticeps)?
Journal & Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales 155: 113
Elena Castilla.
Robust statistical inference for one-shot devices based on divergences.
Journal & Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales 155: 114-115
Ella Kurz.
Parturescence: a post qualitative inquiry into women's opportunities for transcendence and transformation through birth.
Journal & Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales 155: 116
Benjamin Kwan.
The development and implementation of youth mental health outcome measures within measurement feedback systems.
Journal & Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales 155: 117-118
Obituary:
Peter Kriesler, Tim Harcourt, and Robert Marks.
Geoffrey Harcourt AC FRSN (1931-2021)
Journal & Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales 155: 119-121
The Royal Society of New South Wales Awards for 2022:
James Cook Medal, Clarke Medal, Edgeworth David Medal, History and Philosophy of Science Medal, Warren Prize, Archibald Ollé Prize, Liversidge Lecture, Jak Kelly Award, RSNSW Scholarships, Poggendorff Lectureship, RSNSW Medal, RSNSW Citation
Journal & Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales 155: 122-128
ISSN (online): 2653-1305
Speeches delivered at Society Events
Collected on this page are speeches delivered at major Society events, commencing with the addresses delivered at the 200th Anniversary Dinner of the Royal Society of NSW.
RSNSW 200th Anniversary Dinner — 24 June 2022
The Society’s bicentennial year culminated in a black-tie gala dinner on 24 June 2022 to celebrate its achievements over 200 years. The dinner was held in the Great Hall of The University of Sydney.
Nearly three hundred attendees heard from:
- Dr Susan Pond AM FRSN, President, Royal Society of NSW, who delivered the President’s Address
- Dr Alan Finkel AC—neuroscientist, inventor, researcher, entrepreneur, educator, policy advisor, and philanthropist—who delivered the after-dinner address titled “Choose your Flight to the Future”.
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