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Media Release

May 27 2009

What matters in Australia today?

Four speakers will present their views on what matters in Australia todayFour notable Australians will present their views on what matters in Australia today at a forum at the Adelaide Town Hall on Monday night.

“What matters in Australia today: Four perspectives” is being jointly presented by UniSA’s Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre and the Australia Day Council of South Australia.

Hawke Centre Executive Director Elizabeth Ho said UniSA and the Australia Day Council are pleased to have secured for the forum:
• Lieutenant Governor of South Australia Hieu Van Le
• Aboriginal educator and public speaker on reconciliation Lillian Holt
• Adelaide Film Festival Director Katrina Sedgwick, and
• Young South Australian of the Year and Paralympic champion Matthew Cowdrey.

“We’re really excited to have secured these four notable Australians and this forum is a fantastic opportunity for the South Australian community to hear these speakers’ views about our country and to consider their own views,” she said.

Aboriginal educator Lillian Holt will engage in a “conversational corroboree” with the audience. She says she is informed by Aboriginality but not confined by it and she is interested in what she sees as the ‘human condition’. She will speak from the viewpoint of history, honesty, humanity, humour and hope, which she sees as the factors needed in building a new dreaming track for Australia.

Hieu Van Le, who came to Australia as a refugee, became Lieutenant Governor of South Australia in 2007 and is Chairman of the SA Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs Commission. He will present the case that what matters most to Australia today are its people – their knowledge, freedom to fulfil their potential and ability to be outward-looking in their orientation to the world.

Paralympic swimmer Matthew Cowdrey will speak on Australia’s spirit and “what makes us different to the rest of the world”. “Australians never give in and they will always be there for each other,” said Matt, who was Australia’s highest achieving multi medallist at the Beijing Paralympics.

Katrina Sedgwick has just returned from the Cannes Film Festival after having recently presided over a highly successful 2009 Adelaide Film Festival. Former Federal Senator and Australia Day Ambassador Chris Schacht will chair this free event.

Event details:
Monday June 1 at 6pm, Adelaide Town Hall
Go to http://www.hawkecentre.unisa.edu.au to register, or call 8302 0215 – registration is essential.
 


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