The Deakin Lectures 2010: Politics of Climate Change

Effective climate policy must affect decisions on matters as apparently disparate as energy, economics, transport, infrastructure, investment and the environment. And this must be at a local, state, national and international level. It needs to achieve continuity beyond short term electoral cycles. It is likely to involve some cost for current electorates to reduce the costs on future generations when the ties some of us feel to future generations may be weak. How can a new politics of climate change help create the democratic case and will for change? How can new political leadership forge the political space for effective policy in Australia and elsewhere? Is this perhaps the hardest challenge of all?

Presenters

Baroness Valerie Amos

Panel Member: Baroness Amos is the British High Commissioner to Australia.

Tim Flannery

Born in Melbourne in 1956, Tim Flannery is a writer, scientist and explorer. He has written many award-winning books including The Future Eaters, Throwim Way Leg and Country.

Nick McKim

Panel Member: Nick McKim became the Leader of the Tasmanian Greens in 2008, and his portfolio responsibilities include Treasury and Employment, Climate Change, Attorney-General and Justice, Education, and Economic Development.

Malcolm Turnbull

Malcolm Turnbull is the federal member for Wentworth. He is also former Minister for Environment and Water Resources and former leader of the Federal Opposition.

Mark Dreyfus

Mark Dreyfus QC, MP is the Federal Member for Isaacs and Chair of the Australian Labor Party’s National Policy Committee.