Social Policy Connections Podcasts

Welcome to the Social Policy Connections audio podcast. The following podcast features a lecture delivered by Dr Bruce Duncan C.Ss.R on Faith, values, & social policy. The talk was presented to Social Policy Connections on Wednesday November 31 at the Study Centre of Yarra Theological Union. According to leading economists, the Global Financial Crisis stems from a crisis in values, undermining sound economics and public policies, with disastrous consequences for many millions of people. Moreover, climate change is bearing down on us as the world struggles to provide decent living stands for people in poorer countries, and global population is expected to grow by another two billion. In this talk Bruce address the role of values in shaping public policy, and the extra dimension that faith can bring to our sense of meaning and motivation in the struggle to enhance human dignity at this critical time. Bruce is one of the founders of Social Policy Connections, and is Director of the Yarra Institute for Religion & Social Policy. He has taught social justice studies at Yarra Theological Union at Box Hill since 1986, and has written widely on social issues. His most recent book is titled Social Justice: Fuller life in a fairer world. If you would like attend one of our events please refer to our website www.social policyconnections.org.au. Please feel free to subscribe to our podcast via itunes or via an RSS feed located on our website’s home page, as we will be publishing podcasts regularly, free of charge. And now Dr Bruce Duncan…

Those who can work should, and those who cannot should be properly supported to achieve a full life. How does Australia fare in relation to this? Philip Mendes from Monash University promotes a better way, advocating for a participation income which incorporates activities to enhance wellbeing and connection.

In a lucid talk, Kevin Peoples spoke on his 2012 book about working as a fund-raiser for the National Catholic Rural Movement and his disillusionment with Bob Santamaria's use of its people and money. Strongly committed to the YCW emphasis on personal formation and independent social responsibility,  Kevin tells of the events that led up to the breach with Santamaria over his authoritarian control of the NCRM. The book captures the atmosphere of Catholic and rural life at the time, with delightful pen-pictures of characters he met along the way. For Bruce Duncan's address at the  launch of Kevin Peoples Santamaria’s Salesman: Working for the National Catholic Rural Movement 1959-1961 click HERE. Click HERE to listen to an audio podcast of the event.

Welcome to the Social Policy Connections audio podcast. The following podcast features a lecture delivered by Gabriela Byrne – founder of the Free Yourself Program, a resource for problem gamblers. The talk was presented to Social Policy Connections on May 1st 2012 at the Study Centre of Yarra Theological Union. Mrs Byrne has used her study of psychology, nutrition, exercise and meditation to create the Free Yourself Program. A program which has now successfully counselled 100’s of problem gamblers. Gabriela’s story from being “totally hooked” to “completely free”", has been published and talked about on National TV, Radio, “Women’s Weekly”, “New Idea” and “Good Medicine”. If you would like attend one of our events please refer to our website www.socialpolicyconnections.org.au. Please feel free to subscribe to our podcast via itunes or via our RSS feed.

Talk given at Social Policy Connections’ Annual General Meeting24 November 2011By Geoff Lacey In October, Cardinal George Pell gave a lecture in Westminster Cathedral Hall, entitled, One Christian Perspective on Climate Change. Geoff Lacey addresses the question of how to develop an ethical response to the issue of climate change, in particular examining the science, the politics, the foundations of an ethical position, and what consistutes an adequate response, looking at where Cardinal Pell stands on each of these matters. CLICK HERE for the complete article.

Welcome to the Social Policy Connections audio podcast. The following podcast features a lecture delivered by Marc Purcell at Social Policy Connections ‘Australia, Aid, Global Development’ public forum held at the study centre of the Yarra Theological Union on August 17th 2011. Mark is the current Executive Director of the Australian Council for International Development. The Australian Council for International Development represents 70 Australian not-for-profit aid and development organisations. Marc has been Advocacy Manager with Oxfam Australia 2004-2009, and previously Executive Officer with Melbourne’s Catholic Commission for Justice Development and Peace. He has been Country Program Manager for Africa for Australian Volunteers International covering 13 countries in Southern and Eastern Africa. And now Marc Purcell …

The following podcast features a lecture delivered Robert Fitzgerald AM at Social Policy Connections ‘Churches & Public Policy Conference, held at the Abbotsford Convent on July 19th 2011. Robert Fitzgerald is a full-time Commissioner with the Australian Government’s Productivity Commission, where he leads the current inquiry into Caring for Older Australians and the commissioned study examining the workforce of the Early Childhood Development Sector. He is the convenor of the Indigenous Disadvantage Working Group of the Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision which produces the Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage: Key Indicators report.

This short audio podcast of this even was presented byMichaela Guthridge's at SPC's forum on Slavery.

Professor Tilman Ruff – Chair of the Australian Board of ICAN and Rev Harry Kerr – Chair of Pax Christi (Vic), addressed Social Policy Connections on March 29th 2011 on one of the world’s most pressing issues, nuclear disarmament. Professor Ruff outlined the catastrophic outcome for the planet if even a small amount of nuclear arms were detonated. He also focused on how NGO’s such as Social Policy Connections could contribute in creating a world free of nuclear arms. The Rev Harry Kerr ‘s address to the forum brought a Christian perspective on this issue of nuclear disarmament. Please click HERE to Listen to Professor Tilman Ruff’s talk.

The following podcast features a lecture delivered by The Honourable Alastair Nicholson, titled “Human Rights & the NT Intervention”. The talk was presented to Social Policy Connections on Wednesday December 1st at the Study Centre of Yarra Theological Union. If you would like attend one of our events please refer to our website www.social policyconnections.org.au. Please feel free to subscribe to our podcast via itunes or via an RSS feed located on our website’s home page, as we will be publishing podcasts regularly, free of charge. Northern Territory Intervention, introduced in 2007, causes great anger, frustration and despondency amongst the majority of Aboriginal people in the NT. The intervention required the suspension of the Racial Discrimination Act (RDA). Alastair Nicholson has been at the forefront of fighting to change the legislation to ensure full restoration of the RDA. In his talk, he provided more details about this issue, and how all concerned with Aboriginal wellbeing might respond. The Honourable Alastair Nicholson AO, RFD, QC is the Former Chief Justice of the Family Court of Australia. He is an Honorary Professorial Fellow at the Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne.

Welcome to the Social Policy Connections audio podcast. The following podcast features a lecture delivered by Phill Glendining. The talk was presented to Social Policy Connections on Thursday November 4th at the Study Centre of Yarra Theological Union. If you would like attend one of our events please refer to our website www.social policyconnections.com.au. Please feel free to subscribe to our podcast via itunes or via an RSS feed located on our website’s home page, as we will be publishing podcasts regularly, free of charge. Phil is the director of the Edmund Rice Centre. He was one of the co-founders of Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTaR) and for ten years was National President. He has served on the Boards of the Australian Council for Social Service (ACOSS), various committees of the Australian Council for Overseas Aid, and the Centre for an Ethical Society. He is a current Board Member of the Refugee Council of Australia, and ANTaR. In 1998 Phil was recognised by the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) with the Sir Ronald Wilson Award for Human Rights, and in 2007 was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the Australian Catholic University. In recent years Phil led the Edmund Rice Centre's research team for the Deported To Danger series which monitored the safety of rejected asylum seekers in 22 countries, and resulted in an internationally screened documentary, A Well Founded Fear. With a background in education and political science, today he is primarily involved in human rights education, peace and reconciliation work and advocacy on climate change in Australia and internationally.

The following podcast features a lecture delivered by Caz Coleman. Caz drew from the findings of her recently published research project “Australia’s Hidden Homeess”, to discuss alternatives to current ways of receiving asylum seekers. The talk was presented to Social Policy Connections on Wednesday August 12 at the Study Centre of Yarra Theological Union.Caz Coleman is Director of the Hotham Mission Asylum Seeker Project, a Melbourne based agency working with asylum seekers living in the community. Caz has worked in the asylum and refugee sector for ten years and has an academic background in Theology. In 2009, Caz was appointed to the Council for Immigration Services and Status Resolution (CISSR) advising the Federal Minister for Immigration, Senator Chris Evans, on asylum issues in Australia.If you would like attend one of our events please refer to our website www.social policyconnections.com.au. Please feel free to subscribe to our podcast via itunes or via an RSS feed located on our website’s home page, as we will be publishing podcasts regularly, free of charge.

The following podcast features a lecture delivered by Professor John Warhurst, titled “Politics, Religion & Election”. The talk was presented to Social Policy Connections on Wednesday 4 August at the Study Centre of Yarra Theological Union.John Warhurst was born in Adelaide and educated in politics and economics at the Flinders University of South Australia. He has taught political science in various universities for more than 30 years and is now Professor of Political Science at the Australian National University. He is a former president of the Australasian Political Studies Association and now writes a weekly column for The Canberra Times. He is active in public affairs as chair of the Australian Republican Movement.If you would like attend one of our events please refer to our website www.social policyconnections.com.au. Please feel free to subscribe to our podcast via itunes or via an RSS feed located on our website’s home page, as we will be publishing podcasts regularly, free of charge.

Welcome to the Social Policy Connections audio podcast on the topic of moral implications of Australia’s close economic ties with China. The following podcast features a discussion between Dr Thomas Bartlett and Dr Paul Rule on Wednesday May 23rd 2010 in the Study Centre of Yarra Theological Union. Thomas Bartlett and Paul Rule have been teaching and researching about China in universities in Australia and the United States as well as visiting and living in China through the changes from the Cultural Revolution to the present economic dominance. Both have recently retired from teaching Chinese history at La Trobe University but remain active in research and publications on China. Thomas mainly writes about Qing dynasty history but also has a strong interest in current events in China. Paul specializes in the study of Chinese religion past and present. If you would like attend one of our events please refer to our website www.social policyconnections.com.au. Please feel free to subscribe to our podcast via itunes or via an RSS feed located on our website’s home page, as we will be publishing podcasts regularly, free of charge.

Welcome to the Social Policy Connections audio podcast, The following Social Policy Connections event was held in association with Act for Peace, the international aid agency of the National Council of Churches in Australia, on Saturday April 19 2010, at Study Centre of Yarra Theological Union. Our guest speaker was the Reverend Dr Andre Karamaga, a Rwandan Presbyterian Minister , who lost family during the Rwandan Genocide is General Secretary of, the All African Conference of Churches, which represents 173 churches and Christian organisations from 40 African countries, with 140 million adherents. Dr Karamaga’s talk was entitled “New Hope for Africa: the churches’ role in peacemaking, development’ If you would like attend one of our events please refer to our website www.social policyconnections.com.au. Please feel free to subscribe to our podcast via itunes or via an RSS feed located on our website’s home page, as we will be publishing podcast regularly, free of charge.

A civil engineer, Geoff Lacey is also well known as a pioneering environmentalist and naturalist. He is the author of a landmark work on the ecology of the Yarra: 'Still glides the Stream': the Natural History of the Yarra from Heidelberg to Yarra Bend (2004). He is an honorary Senior Fellow at the University of Melbourne. Geoff Lacey discussed how society has failed to adequately respond to the global warming crisis and proposes a prophetic model as an impetus for change. Professor Lacey explained how the prophetic model will empower humanity to solve this global catastrophe. Stephen Ames drew out some theological reflections on the implications for how we might adjust to environmental threats. Stephen is an Anglican priest, a Canon at St Paul's Cathedral and lectures in the History and Philosophy of Science programme at the University of Melbourne. He is one of the founders of Social Policy Connections, and first president of the Yarra Institute for Religion and Social Policy.Please click HERE to download a transcript of Professor Lacey’s lecturePlease click HERE to listen to listen to the lecture. My Podcast Alley feed! {pca-d9114c74331fb08886a7985feabd9890}

If you would like attend one of our events please refer to our website www.social policyconnections.com.au. Please feel free to subscribe to our podcast via itunes or via an RSS feed located on our website’s home page, as we will be publishing podcast regularly, free of charge. The following lecture was presented on the 16 of October 2008, at Social Policy Connections first event in the new Study Centre of Yarra Theological Union. Our guest speaker was the Rev Joel Edwards, incoming Director of Micah Challenge International. The Micah Challenge International is an international campaign by churches to mobilise public support to lift millions out of hunger and acute poverty.Rev Edwards, who is also a member of the UK Equality and Human Rights Commission and Tony Blair's Faith Foundation, was born in Jamaica and has lived in England from the age of eight. From 1997 till recently he headed the World Evangelical Alliance. Reverend Edwards had earlier talked with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd about how Australia could use its influence to expand support for the Millennium Development Goals. And now, Rev Joel Edwards who chose as his topic “The Micah Challenge & the UN Millennium Development Goals: what has been achieved and what more can we do?” My Podcast Alley feed! {pca-d9114c74331fb08886a7985feabd9890}

The following lecture entitled “The Global Financial Crisis: Opportunity for Transformation” was presented by Professor John Langmore on Thursday September 10th 2009 in the new Study Centre of Yarra Theological Union. In this podcast Professor John Langmore gives a succinct, comprehensible overview of the causes of the current economic crisis. He goes on to suggest political and financial reforms which would not only prevent a similar crisis in the future, but also bring about a more just and equitable society.For those of you who are not familiar with our institution, Social Policy Connections is an independent, ecumenical organisation, motivated and informed by Christian social thinking. Our purpose is to expand awareness of social justice issues in Australia and overseas, and to influence public policy for the benefit of all people, especially the most disadvantaged. Social Policy Connections is not aligned with any political party.For more information on upcoming Social Policy Connections events please visit our website located at www.socialpolicyconnections.org.au