Newcastle Institute

We welcome you to the 2016 program of events for the Newcastle Institute.  There are some very engaging topics in the planning phase and we think you’ll find our opening presentation very topical. We look forward to seeing you at our events!

Fear is to terror as hope is to the lottery

How likely are we to experience a terrorist attack in Australia? What is the capacity of Islamist terrorists in the West? Does counter-terrorism expenditure mirror the threat posed?

Global terrorism expert and University of Newcastle Professor, Mark Stewart will address these provocative questions in the Newcastle Institute’s first public forum for 2016.

“The United States currently spends $115 billion annually on domestic homeland security measures, and Australia in the region of $1-2 billion annually. These are significant expenditures that rarely are subject to cost-benefit or risk analysis,” said Professor Stewart.

“Some counterterrorism measures may not even be needed, since, in general, the capacities of Islamist extremists seeking, aspiring, or vaguely thinking about terrorism in the West seem, whether based in Australia or abroad, to be unimpressive, and any threat they present appears to be quite limited.”

“The tragic attacks in Paris in November 2015 shows that the terrorist threat is real. However, there is a natural tendency to over-react to such events, and to massively inflate the capabilities of the perpetrators,” said Professor Stewart.

“The annual fatality risks from terrorism in Australia is one in 8 million from 1970 through 2015 (which includes the Bali attacks). For the same period in the United States they are one in 4 million per year.”

“Applying conventional risk acceptance criteria, then, under current conditions terrorism presents a threat to human life in the Western world that is, in general, acceptable. Yet despite this low risk and the extraordinary amount of resources put towards combating terrorism, the public still worry and the government still spends billions,” said Professor Stewart.

Forum Details

Date: Wednesday, 9 March

Time: 6.00pm

Location: Souths Leagues Club, 46 Llewellyn St, Merewether

Entry: $5 donation

About Professor Stewart

Professor Mark Stewart is Professor of Civil Engineering and Director of the Centre for Infrastructure Performance and Reliability at The University of Newcastle.

He is the author of Chasing Ghosts: The Policing of Terrorism (Oxford University Press, 2016), as well as two other books – Terror, Security, and Money: Balancing the Risks, Benefits, and Costs of Homeland Security (Oxford University Press, 2011) and more than 400 technical papers and reports.

He has 30 years of experience in probabilistic risk and vulnerability assessment of infrastructure and security systems. Professor Stewart’s research focuses on developing probabilistic risk-modelling techniques for infrastructure subject to military and terrorist explosive blasts, and cost-benefit assessments of aviation security, policing, and protection of airports, buildings, and bridges.

The final public forum hosted by the Newcastle Institute for this year looks at the implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme – with particular focus on the future care of the severely disabled, such as the current residents of the Stockton Centre.

The Federal Legislation to establish the NDIS was passed with bipartisan support and general public acclaim. The Stockton Centre is a large and old institution for the severely intellectually disabled. These types of institutions are now widely regarded as inappropriate. Its closure has been foreshadowed by the State Government for at least ten years. The Government is now making plans to move the Stockton Centre residents in the next two years.

The overall principles and aims of the NDIS have universal support. Nevertheless there is concern, particularly from the families of the Stockton Centre residents, that the new system may not adequately support the needs of those with severe intellectual disabilities.

Will this be a repeat of the problems that occurred after the implementation of the Richmond Scheme for mental health services in the 1980’s?

These issues will be addressed at the next Newcastle Institute forum. Speakers will include representatives of Lifestyle Solutions and the House with No Steps – two large disability service providers; Wendy Cuneo who has a son being cared for in the Stockton Centre; and Lorraine Yudaeff, a former manager of the Centre. All have different perspectives on this complex issue, and are concerned to ensure that the new system of care provides an improved service for ALL disabled people, including those with severe disabilities.

The forum will include short presentations by the speakers, and then a panel discussion involving the public. Some of the issues raised are confronting, unpleasant and rarely discussed in public:- but they are important issues that must be dealt with.

THIS FORUM IS OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC VENUE: Souths Newcastle Leagues Club, Llewellyn Street Merewether.DATE: Wednesday 11^h November 2015TIME: 6.00 till 7.30pm   ADMISSION: $5 Donation

Click here to download a pdf flyer for the event.

What could (and should) our new city look like?

Wednesday October 14^th 2015 6pm

South Newcastle Leagues Club, Merewether  

The next public forum hosted by the Newcastle Institute will be a special event welcoming Professor SueAnne Ware, the recently appointed Head of the School of Architecture at University of Newcastle. The public forum and discussion will focus on the various possibilities for the future development – and redevelopment – of our city.

She will be joined by:-

• Ben Hewitt, Director of Strategic Planning, NSW Government Architect’s Office;
• Glen Spicer: Architect, Director of EJE Architecture, member of Newcastle City Council, Newcastle Urban Design Consultative Group;
• Chris Tucker, an eminent urban design practitioner; and
• David Crofts, Principal, Strategy Hunter Consultants, and Board member of Newcastle Now

Professor Ware has a background as a landscape architect, and describes herself as a ‘design activist’. As landscapes are often in public spaces, she believes that landscape architects share a responsibility for setting the political, social and environmental agenda. After a notable career in the USA, New Zealand and Melbourne, she is excited to have come to Newcastle at a time of great change and in the built environment.

The panel bring a range of opinions about urban development, and but all are excited about the potential for innovation in both buildings themselves (such as the new Law Courts and the University city campus), but also the chance to imagine major redesign of our public spaces. Some of these ideas will be generally acclaimed, but others, inevitably, will be controversial.

The forum will include short presentations by the speakers, and then a panel discussion involving the public. It will be an exciting evening.

As always, this forum aims to explore the issues and hear from all perspectives. The Newcastle Institute does not take a position on any issue, but fosters sharing of opinions in a respectful, considered way to achieve the best outcomes for the community.

 THIS FORUM IS OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC

VENUE: Souths Newcastle Leagues Club, Llewellyn Street Merewether.

DATE: Wednesday 14^th October 2015

TIME: 6.00 till 7.30pm

ADMISSION: $5 Donation

For its September forum, The Newcastle Institute is hosting a panel of the exciting new Hunter entrepreneurs. They will discuss their experiences of building businesses, their challenges and key elements for success and will also provide their views on the future of the Hunter economy.

Shawn Sherlock, transitioned from an academic career to build Foghorn Brewhouse in Newcastle, a business based on his passion of brewing beer.

Trent Bagnall established Slingshot, a Newcastle-based business accelerator company in 2012. It has supported many start-up ventures, investing in ideas and passion.

James McDonald, co-founder of NewyStartUps, aims to connect, enable and inspire the Newcastle technology and start up communities allowing for new scaleable tech products to reach the market as quickly as possible.

Dr Andrew Mears established SwitchDin in late 2011. SwitchDin want to drive scaling-up of decentralised renewable energy so as to transform the way we think about energy.

Our economy is changing. With strong industrial roots, the Hunter’s economy has been built on manufacturing and resources. In the global economy, and rapidly changing world a strong and vibrant regional economy will look very different. Supporting new businesses and business leaders is critical to the success of our future economy.

Building on the strong foundations of the tertiary sector and research institutes, Newcastle is witnessing the burgeoning of new entrepreneurs. New businesses are being developed which are challenging the old paradigms of business in the Hunter. Entrepreneurs in IT, energy, leisure and hospitality are showing leadership in business development and investment.

Common across the entrepreneurs are strong networks of support among businesses, partnerships with the tertiary sector and global connectivity.

This forum is open to the general public. A $5 donation is suggested.

What?    September Public Forum: Newcastle’s New Entrepreneurs

When?     Wednesday September 9, 6-7.30pm

Where?   Friendship Room, Wests City Club (Formerly Panthers Newcastle or the Newcastle Workers Club)

Newcastle is Australia’s second oldest city, with a very significant number of old buildings and precincts of great heritage significance.

In all old cities around the world, there is an inevitable tension between those who wish to preserve the heritage of the past, particularly in the built environment, and those who wish to demolish it and build modern buildings unconstrained by heritage considerations. Old buildings are costly to maintain, and often in the very areas where the profits of redevelopment are enormous.

In the Hunter, there are the controversial Heritage ‘Hot-Spots’ of Old Newcastle, Central Maitland and Morpeth. Less mentioned but significant areas include Wallsend, Singleton, West Wallsend, Lambton, and Catherine Hill Bay. Individual building sites such as the Newcastle Post Office, The Store, Nobbys, Merewether’s Surf House, Fort Scratchley and Newcastle Baths are all of particular interest in this debate.

Is there a middle ground? Can we have our heritage cake and eat it too? That is the topic of the next public forum hosted by the Newcastle Institute.

Barney Collins, a prominent Newcastle architect with a track record in heritage architecture, will join local historian Ann Hardy and commercial real estate agent Chris Chapman of Colliers Property. They will each bring their own perspectives to this discussion, and then take part in a forum with the audience exploring where is the reasonable way forward that can preserve our heritage appropriately, but provide a appropriate and sustainable economic return for the property owners and investors.

As always, this forum aims to explore the issues and hear from all perspectives. The Newcastle Institute does not take a position on any issue, but fosters sharing of opinions in a respectful, considered way to achieve the best outcomes for the community.

THIS FORUM IS OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC
VENUE: Friendship Room, Panthers Club Newcastle, (Formerly the Workers Club)
DATE: Wednesday 12th August 2015
TIME: 6.00 till 7.30pm ADMISSION: $5 Donation

Please use the Email Archive link above to read the most recent news.

As part of the Hunter Innovation Festival, the Newcastle Institute is partnering with Newcastle Now to present a public forum looking at the possible future of Newcastle as a Smart/Creative City.

The forum will be held on Tuesday 14 July in the Friendship Room at Panthers Newcastle; commencing at 6pm

Speakers include:

Michael Neilson – Newcastle Now

Nathaniel Bavinton – Newcastle Council

Phillip McIntyre – Newcastle University

Justine Ulph – Social Entrepreneur

Our June event sees Ross Gittins return to speak at the Newcastle Institute.

One of Australia’s most eminent economic journalists, Ross Gittins, will be speaking at the next public forum hosted by local think-tank, the Newcastle Institute.

Ross Gittins is renowned for his clarity of vision and his ability to see through the fog and spin that leave others confused.   Few can match his ability to explain the complexities and contradictions of the modern economy that affect our daily lives.

Now he looks back on a career of over forty years and reflects on what he has seen of economics, politics, the media and the lessons of life.

He started as a cadet journalist covering the financial roller coaster ridden by the Whitlam government. Since then he has covered forty budgets and sixteen elections. He has watched eight prime ministers wrestle with boom and recession, debts and deficits. No government and no treasurer has escaped his analysis.

As an ‘old school’ journo with printers’ ink in his veins, he also dissects the newspaper game, remembers the great editors and journalists who have sharpened our minds and his, and lays down some hard facts about a hard future for the media.

The title of his new book – ‘Budgets, Bulldust and Bastardry’ is a small taste of the humour and dry wit that Ross Gittins uses to inform and entertain.

The Newcastle Institute is delighted to welcome Ross back to his home town.

 THIS FORUM IS OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC

VENUE: Banquet Room, Newcastle City Hall,

DATE: Wednesday 10^th June 2015

TIME: 6.00 till 7.30pm   ADMISSION: $5 Donation

A big thanks to all of the people who came along to City Hall tonight to be part of our May forum.  Here’s a Storify record of all the tweets from the event using the #NewcastleRail hashtag. Thanks to all of our twitter users for sharing.

Many people concerned with the future of Newcastle found the last election frustrating. The future development of transport in Newcastle – particularly the future of the rail line between Hamilton and Newcastle terminus – was supposed to be a major policy fight between the two major parties. But despite years of debate, neither side produced a policy that attracted wide support.

The Liberal Party proposed removing and selling the existing rail line, and promised the future development of a light rail down the middle of Hunter Street. Many loyal Liberal Party members found this policy difficult to support, but kept silent and did not speak against it in the interests of the party.

Similarly, the Labor Party proposed keeping the existing heavy rail, but opening extra level crossings to remove some of its adverse effects. Again, many party members did not agree with this idea, but kept silent due to party loyalties.

After the election, the Liberal Government does not have control of the Upper House, and will not be able to sell or develop the existing rail line. It is a political stalemate, with party supporters entrenched in positions that many don’t agree with. The end result is a failure to achieve any decent public transport system for Newcastle.

Is there another way? The next public forum of the Newcastle Institute will find out.

Professor Jim Jose, Newcastle Uni Political Scientist, will examine the political reality after election. He will followed by Ed Duc, Architect, and Howard Dick, Economist, from the Hunter Independent Public Transport Group. They will discuss possible alternative models for future public transport in Newcastle that could be better than either of the entrenched and unsatisfactory proposals suggested by the two major parties at the election. A forum discussion including Allan Squires, of Hunter Transport for Business Development, will then explore these ideas further.

Without community leadership, the rail issue will remain as a political stalemate preventing the development of a modern transport network for all of Newcastle. The next public Newcastle Institute Forum will be an opportunity for thinking citizens to push the political war machines out of the trenches, and look at more constructive, innovative solutions.

THIS FORUM IS OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC

VENUE: Banquet Room, Newcastle City Hall

DATE: Wednesday 13^th May 2015

TIME: 6.00 till 7.30pm

ADMISSION: $5 Donation