Water: Australia's Election Issue 2007? series

All forums will be held in the Public Policy Lecture Theatre, 2nd Floor, 234 Queensberry Street, Carlton. Click here for more venue information.

Tuesday 27th March, 5:30pm

The Future of the Murray Darling Basin Under Commonwealth Direction (click on title to download)

Professor John Langford

Director, UniWater

Professor John Langford, a leader in urban and rural water management reform, joined the University of Melbourne in November 2003 as inaugural Director of the University’s Melbourne Water Research Centre. Internationally recognised for his expertise in water resource and catchment management and urban and irrigation water supply and research management, he plays a prominent role in the wider water debate, including speaking at major internationally sponsored forums. In 2004 the inaugural Engineers Australia listing of Australia’s 100 most influential engineers included Professor Langford (along with fellow Melbourne colleagues Professor David Boger, Professor Rod Tucker and Professor Jannie van Deventer). Professor Langford chaired the Boards of the highly successful Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Catchment Hydrology (in which the University was a core partner) and the CRC for Freshwater Ecology for more than a decade, and also the Advisory Board of Sydney University’s Special Research Centre on the Environmental Impact of Coastal Cities during it’s nine-year life. Currently he is chair of the Murray Darling Freshwater Research Centre.

'Water for the Environment' under a Federal Model: Australia's Election Issue 2007? (click on title to download)

Associate Professor Lee Godden

Law School, University of Melbourne

Dr Lee Godden is an Associate Professor in the Law School at The University of Melbourne where she teaches and researches in property law, indigenous land and resources law, environmental law and legal theory. She has undertaken a range of interdisciplinary projects relating to the intersection of property rights, indigenous natural and cultural heritage and environmental law. She has published extensively in the field of environmental regulation and governance, including areas related to agreement-making with indigenous peoples.

Tuesday 3rd April, 5:30pm

Current national challenges in water management in Australia

Ken Matthews AO

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, National Water Commission

On 10 March 2005, the Prime Minister announced the appointment of Mr Matthews as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Water Commission. In this role, Mr Matthews is responsible for establishing the Commission and working with the States and Territories to progress the National Water Initiative. Mr Matthews was previously the Secretary of the Department of Transport and Regional Services from November, 1999 to October, 2004, and from February, 1998 to October 1999, was the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. During 1997, Mr Matthews headed the Wik Task Force in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, providing advice to the Prime Minister on Native Title. In previous years Mr Matthews worked in the Department of Industry, Technology and Commerce where he was responsible for advice on manufacturing industry policy and technology policy. Early in his career (1975–1983) he held a series of positions within the Department of Defence and the Canadian Department of National Defence dealing with international policy and defence industry policy. Mr Matthews’ academic background is in economics, majoring in government (BEc University of Sydney, 1974). Mr Matthews is a Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration – Australia and the Australian Institute of Management. Mr Matthews received a Centenary Medal in 2001 for services to public administration and was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2005.

Water recycling and desalination – The importance of community acceptance

Dr Anna Hurlimann

Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, University of Melbourne

Anna has recently commenced with the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning after completing her PhD at the University of South Australia in Adelaide, where she was a Cooperative Research Centre for Water Quality and Treatment Scholar. Anna’s PhD investigated community attitudes to recycled water use through a case study of the Mawson Lakes community in South Australia.

Prior to her PhD, Anna worked as a local government planner in statutory, strategic and environmental planning roles. Anna originally graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the University of Melbourne, where she undertook an Honours research project investigating water consumption issues in Beijing, PRC. Anna has an interest in sustainable development and planning of cities, in particular an interest in the sustainable management of water resources.

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