Thanks to Inside Story for publishing an extract of my essay, ‘Beyond the nadir of political leadership’ from the latest edition of Griffith Review, Fixing the System. Find the full essay here.
The week in politics: 24 October 2015
Celebrating the Centenary of Women’s Right to Stand for the Queensland Parliament
2015 marks years since the Elections Act 1915 was passed in the Queensland Parliament. Amongst other things, the Act established the rights of white women to run for elected office and for the first time, to have female perspectives influence and make the decisions that would shape the lives and opportunities of their fellow Queenslanders.
The Australasian Studies of Parliament Group (Queensland Chapter) hosted a luncheon to celebrate the occasion in the Premiers’ Hall of Queensland’s Parliament on Monday 27 July. Moderated by Deputy Speaker Grace Grace, MP (the first woman to hold this post), the lunch heard from current and former female leaders including: Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Fiona Simpson, MP, The Hon Yvonne Chapman (first female Cabinet Minister; and former Mayor of Pine Rivers), and Mrs Liz Cunningham (former Independent Member for Gladstone, who retired at the 2015 election).
I was pleased to be invited to deliver the keynote address. My themes were ‘imagination and courage’ and the need to broaden and diversify the pool of talent sitting as representatives in the Queensland and Federal Parliaments and indeed, in all aspects of public life in Australia. It’s available here: http://ow.ly/Q6Lqr
A recording and a transcript of all of the presentations are being prepared by Hansard and should be available soon.
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The week in politics: 612 ABC Brisbane
Since January 2015, I’ve had the pleasure of being a regular guest on Tim Cox‘s show on 612 ABC local radio Brisbane.
Tim and I teamed up during the Queensland election campaign. The talented ABC broadcaster who previously hosted the Drive program left Brisbane in August 2014 to return to his native Hobart. Happily for Tim’s legion of Queensland fans, he returned in January, where he presents Saturday Breakfast (6-7.45am) and Weekends (8.30am-12pm) on ABC local radio Brisbane and ABC Queensland.
Tim and I do a weekly wrap of politics on Saturdays after 10.30am. We aim to provide analysis, not just commentary, about the week in politics – in Queensland and nationally. We try to offer informed, interesting and accessible insights into what’s going on in parliament, in government and in policy-making more generally.
Catch up with the week that was and what lies ahead via 612 ABC Brisbane SoundCloud
Queensland’s Commission of Audit
Here is a piece that was published in The Conversation, Thursday 7 March 2013.
https://theconversation.edu.au/pain-or-promise-looms-under-costellos-queensland-plan-12600