Socratic Forums

Current Forum

Thursday, 30 October,Time: 6.00 pm – 7.30 pm (Refreshments from 5.30 pm):The Finkel Lecture Theatre, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University.


"That the responsibility to protect must override national sovereignty?"

Chair:
  • Hon Dr Mike Kelly AM MP Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support (TBC)

Speaker for:
  • Professor Don Rothwell Professor of International Law, College of Law, ANU

Speaker Against:
  • Professor Howard Adelman, Research Professor, Key Centre for Ethics, Law, Justice and Governance, Griffith University

Commentators:
  • Professor Andrew Mack, Director, Human Security Report Project, Simon Fraser University
  • Professor Hilary Charlesworth AM, Professor of International Law and Human Rights Centre for International Governance and Justice, ANU
  • Major General Michael G. Smith (Rtd.) AO, Executive Director, Asia Pacific Civil-Military Centre of Excellence, University of Sydney
  • Mr Alex Mundt, International Affairs Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations
  • Professor Charles Sampford, Director, IEGL, The Institute for Ethics, Governance and Law Convenor, ARC Governance Research Network


RSVP: c.connors@griffith.edu.au or telephone: 07 3735 6980 by 28 October 2008.


Past Forums

2008, 21 August, 6:00 pm : Legislative Council Chamber, Parliament House, Brisbane (Entry via Parliamentary Annexe)

"That the responsibility to protect must override national sovereignty?"

Speaker For:
  • Professor John Langmore, Professorial Fellow, University of Melbourne
Speaker Against:
  • Dr. Marianne Hanson, Director, Rotary Centre for International Studies in Peace and Conflict Resolution
Commentators include:
  • Dr Alison Broinowski, Visiting Fellow, Centre for Asian Societies and Histories, Australian National University
  • Professor Alexander Bellamy, Lecturer in Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Queensland
  • Professor Charles Sampford, Director, IEGL, The Institute for Ethics, Governance and Law, Convenor, ARC Governance Research Network

RSVP: c.connors@griffith.edu.au or telephone: 07 3735 6980 by 19 August.

Download Flier (PDF 95 Kb)



2008, 11 March, 6.00pm: Finkel Lecture Theatre, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra

"That Canberra is taking too much power from the states"

Speakers:

  • ACT Attorney General Simon Corbell
  • Dr Clive Hamilton, The Australia Institute
  • Professor Peter Bailey, ANU College of Law
  • Paul Bongiorno, Channel Ten
  • Karen Middleton, SBS
  • Professor Charles Sampford, Institute for Ethics, Governance and Law
More information.

2008, 21 February, ACU National Melbourne Campus, Melbourne

"That Canberra is taking too much power from the states"

Speakers:

  • Professor Craven
  • Hon Rev Professor Brian Howe AO, former Deputy Prime Minister
  • Professor Brian Galligan, University of Melbourne
  • Professor Charles Sampford, Griffith University
  • Professor Judith Brett, La Trobe University
  • Senator Lyn Allison, Leader of the Australian Democrats

 
2007, 29 August: Legislative Council Chamber, Parliament House

"That Canberra is taking too much power from the states"

Speakers:

  • Senator the Hon George Brandis SC ??? Minister for the Arts and Sport
  • Senator Andrew Bartlett ??? Australian Democrat Senator for Queensland
  • Hon Justice Ian Callinan AC ??? Justice of the High Court of Australia
  • Hon Andrew Fraser MP ??? Minister for Local Government, Planning and Sport
  • Professor John Quiggin ??? Australian Research Council Federation Fellow
  • Professor Charles Sampford ??? Director, The Institute for Ethics, Governance and Law
  • Mr Jim Soorley ??? Former Lord Mayor of Brisbane

2006, 15 November: Australian Catholic University, Melbourne Campus

"That we should keep religion out of Australian politics"

Host: Australian Catholic University Vice Chancellor, Prof Peter Sheehan AO

Facilitator:
Honourable Dr Barry Jones AO, National President of the Australian Labor Party, 2005-2006, 1992-2000

Speaker for: Senator Lyn Allison, Leader of the Australian Democrats

Speaker against: Prof Frank Brennan AO, Prof of Law Australian Catholic University

Commentators:

  • Right Honourable Malcolm Fraser AC CH, Prime Minister of Australia 1975-1983
  • Prof Judith Brett, Professor of Politics Latrobe University
  • Prof Desmond Cahill, Prof of Intercultural Studies RMIT
  • Dr Brian Coman, Honorary Associate in the Department of Arts Latrobe University
  • Dr Muriel Porter OAM, Melbourne based author and journalist

2006, 14 September: Seymour Theatre Centre, University of Sydney

Speakers included:

  • Dr Arthur Chesterfield-Evans ??? Australian Democrats for New South Wales
  • Right Reverend Robert Forsyth ??? Anglican Bishop of South Sydney
  • A/Prof Suzanne Rutland ??? Chair of the Department of Hebrew, Biblical and Jewish Studies, University of Sydney
  • Dr Stephen Mutch ??? Honorary Associate, Department of Politics and International Relations, Macquarie University
  • Ms Jamila Hussain ??? Faculty of Law, University of Technology Sydney
  • Mr David Duffy ??? Humanist Society of New South Wales

Facilitator: Mr John Cleary, Host ???Sunday Nights??? ABC Local Radio

2006, 3 May: Legislative Council Chamber, Parliament House, Brisbane

"That we should keep religion out of Australian politics"

Chair: Hon Rod Welford MP, Minister for Education and Minister for the Arts

Speakers included:

  • Dr David Solomon, Adjunct Professor University of Queensland
  • Mr James Crowley QC, Leading Brisbane barrister
  • Dr Noel Preston, Adjunct Professor Griffith University
  • Mr Ray Campbell, Director Queensland Bioethics Centre
  • Dr Mohamad Abdalla, Director Griffith Islamic Research Unit
  • Prof Wayne Hudson, Griffith University

Back to top