“Australia may well be the world’s most secretive democracy” — Damien Cave, New York Times
A lack of transparency and integrity lies near the heart of every political issue facing Australia.
In our climate policies, our defence procurement and even in how we develop our public policy – flimsy excuses obscure even flimsier decision-making.
So how can we reverse a culture of secrecy?
The 2024 Transparency Summit connected those who have been stonewalled – and keep the pressure on all levels of government to ensure the interests of all Australians are represented in our policy-making process.
Keynote Addresses & Speeches
Senator David Shoebridge
Australian Greens Spokesperson for Justice and Senator for New South Wales
“Addicted to secrecy: Why the NACC was created as a watchdog that can’t bark”
Watch the speech
Senator David Pocock
Independent Senator for the Australian Capital Territory
“The need for a whistleblower protection authority”
Watch the speech
Bill Browne
Democracy & Accountability Director, The Australia Institute
“The need for a whistleblower protection authority”
Watch the speech
Jake Blight
Independent National Security Legislation Monitor
“Secrecy offences: Finding the right balance”
Watch the speech
Mary Inman
Partner, Whistleblower Partners
“Whistleblowing”
Watch the speech
Speech Series – “Accountability at the heart of other issues”
Rawan Arraf
Executive Director and Principal Lawyer, Australian Centre for International Justice
Polly Hemming
Climate & Energy Director, The Australia Institute
Dr Emma Shortis
Senior Researcher, The Australia Institute
Panel Discussions and In-conversations
Whistleblowing Panel
Professor Allan Fels AO – Professor of Law and Business & Economics, University of Melbourne and Monash University
Professor A J Brown AM – Chair, Transparency International Australia and Professor of Public Policy & Law, Griffith University
Kieran Pender – Associate Legal Director, Human Rights Law Centre
Frank O’Toole – National Whistleblowing Advisory Group, Transparency International Australia
Chaired by Regina Featherstone – Senior Lawyer, Human Rights Law Centre
Freedom of Information Panel
Isabelle Reinecke – Executive Director and Founder, Grata Fund
Rex Patrick – Former Senator for South Australia
Professor John McMillan AO – Former Commonwealth Ombudsman, Australian Information Commissioner, and New South Wales Ombudsman
Chaired by Clancy Moore – Chief Executive Officer, Transparency International Australia
Public Interest Journalism Panel
Professor Peter Greste – Journalist and Professor of Journalism, Macquarie University
Professor Chris Wallace – Professor of Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra
Delia Obst – Head of Strategy & Public Affairs, Australian Associated Press
Chaired by Jim Middleton, Former Journalist
Yoorrook Justice Commission In-Conversation
Professor Eleanor Bourke AM – Chair, Yoorrook Justice Commission
Cindy Penrose – Chief Executive Officer, Yoorrook Justice Commission
Watch the video
Presented by the Australia Institute, in collaboration with the Human Rights Law Centre, Whistleblower Justice Fund, Alliance for Journalists’ Freedom and Transparency International Australia.
Questions Contact: events@australiainstitute.org.au
The Australia Institute: Celebrating 30 years of Big Ideas
The Australia Institute is bringing some of the world’s brightest thinkers to Australia in 2024 to celebrate our 30th anniversary as the nation’s leading independent think tank. For 30 years the Australia Institute’s independent, non-partisan research has led the national policy debate with big ideas. The Australia Institute plays a critical role in shaping the national economic debate for a fairer society and economy—from our groundbreaking 1997 paper on better measuring wellbeing in Australia, The Genuine Progress Indicator, to the influential 2005 book Affluenza (and later Curing Affluenza), to our cutting-edge research exposing the role of corporate profits in driving Australia’s post-pandemic inflation, to our influential work that helped reshape better fairer Stage 3 tax cuts—we have a track record of delivering research that shifts policy from the politically impossible into the inevitable.
When
(ended on )