Seminars and Lectures 2005-06


The Vital Issues Program is a series of seminars organised by the Parliamentary Library for the benefit of Senators and Members. The aim of the seminar program, which has been running since 1986, is to bring notable speakers to the Parliament to give Senators and Members and their staff the opportunity to hear, first hand, expert opinion on a range of currently relevant topics. Seminar recordings are available to Senators and Members only.  

Seminars held during 2005–06

Title/Speakers/Chair /Number/Date
MP3 File/Duration
Keeping up with the flow: recent water policy developments and new tools for policy makers
Speakers: Dr Alistair Watson and Dr Stuart Minchin
Chair: The Hon. John Anderson MP
Number/Date: 7 2005–06, 21 June 2006
MP3 52.5MB
Duration: 1:00:00
The human genome
Speakers: Dr John DeLamarter and Dr Tom Faunce
Chair: Senator the Hon. Kay Patterson
Number/Date: 6 2005–06, 14 June 2006
MP3 35.8MB
Duration: 42.05
The global role of regional powers: China, India, Brazil and South Africa
Speaker: Stein Tonnesson - Director, PRIO (International Peace research Institute, Oslo)
Chair: Senator Kerry Nettle, Australian Greens, NSW
Date: 24 May 2006
MP3 51.3MB
Renewable energy
Speakers: Dr Hermann Scheer and Mr Les Hosking
Chair: Mr Martin Ferguson, MP
Number/Date: 5 2005–06, 27 February 2006
MP3 59.7MB
Duration: 1:10:45
Priorities for health reform
Speakers: Professor Don Hindle and Paul Gross
Chair: The Hon. Dr Carmen Lawrence MP
Number/Date: 4 2005–06, 30 November 2005
MP3 56.7MB
Duration: 1:07:46
The threat of a flu pandemic: Australian and regional perspectives
Speakers: Professor John Horvath AO and Professor John MacKenzie
Chair: The Hon. Christopher Pyne MP
Number/Date: 3 2005–06, 12 October 2005
MP3 58.0MB
Duration: 1:09:09
Water recycling in Australia: Watertight approach or pipe dream?
Speakers: Anna Hurlimann and Ted Gardner
Chair: Barry Wakelin MP
Number/Date: 2 2005–06, 17 August 2005
MP3 56.0MB
Duration: 1:07:18
The demise of the 'official future': Is material progress delivering a better world?
Speaker: Richard Eckersley, BSc(Hon) (ANU), MScSoc (NSW)
Chair: Dr Craig Emerson MP
Number/Date: 1, 2005–06, 10 August 2005
MP3 59.7MB
Duration: 1:10:00