• Charles Sturt University Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture in Canberra hosts ‘People and Politics Forum’ at 5.30pm to 7.30pm on Monday 24 March

As the federal election approaches a forum in Canberra will enable people to share ideas, ask questions of the experts and contribute to the national dialogue on issues of concern.

The Charles Sturt University Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture (ACC&C) in Canberra will host a pre-election ‘People and Politics Forum’ on Monday 24 March to consider the nation’s future.

The forum will be hosted by renowned journalist Mr Paul Bongiorno and the panel of experts features Charles Sturt University’s Professor Mark Evans, Professor Stan Grant, Dr Monica Short and Professor Christian Downie from the Australian National University.

ACC&C Interim Executive Director Ms Meg Richens said the forum is an opportunity for participative democracy and a chance to contribute to national dialogues on important issues in the lead-up to the coming federal election.

“Democracy needs us to keep it strong and alive, and forums such as this help to protect and build the health of our democracy in Australia,” Ms Richens said.

She noted that Australia currently ranks 12^th out of 24 functional democracies in the world.

“It is measures of ‘social support’ that rank Australia that low; is that where we want to be?” Ms Richens said.

“How might we learn from and work with the First Nations peoples of this land to preserve and protect the world’s oldest continuing culture?”

Ms Richens said that due to climate change the world is hotter than it used to be, and we need to work out ways to live well, to protect our country and our way of life from the ravages of floods, bushfires, droughts, storms, cyclones and heatwaves.

“How do we do that in a hotter world with more natural disasters affecting more of us all the time?” she asked. 

“What sort of impact must all this be having on the mental health and wellbeing of young people in our families and our communities?

“Young people are an important part of both the present and the future and we need to protect and promote their mental health and wellbeing for the benefit of us all.

“We have to talk about these things. We have to know in what directions we want our representative leaders to take our country, so we know who to vote for.”

The free ‘People and Politics Forum’ is at 5.30pm to 7.30pm on Monday 24 March at the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture Chapel, corner of Blackall Street and Kings Avenue, Barton, ACT.

To attend in-person, or online please register with Humanitix.