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The Faculty of Law's new Castan Centre for Human Rights Law will reach out to the world, according to High Court judge Justice Michael Kirby.
Speaking at the centre's launch last week, Justice Kirby said it was wonderful to celebrate the establishment of the centre that would continue exploring the ideals of its namesake, Mr Ron Castan QC.
Justice Kirby said the death of the distinguished barrister last year had meant losing a champion of Aboriginal and human rights issues.
"It was his kind that executed the tectonic shift in Commonwealth law in Australia that is now known by everyone as Mabo and was one of the moving forces that led to the decision in the High Court on the Wik case," Justice Kirby said.
But he said the Castan Centre, committed to the protection and promotion of human rights through research and education, could continue adding a "real cutting edge" to human rights issues across the world.
"It will be vital - if the centre is to be true to Ron Castan's name - that it dedicate a great part of its work to the human rights of the indigenous people of Australia," he said.
Justice Kirby said the centre should also look at incorporating international human rights law into Australian law and contributing to the debate about introducing a Bill of Rights in Australia.
Other areas of interest were human rights issues around Asia and the Pacific in countries such as China and Cambodia and future questions relating to drug-addicted people, infringements in cyberspace, and the human genome.
Monash dean of Law Professor Stephen Parker said the Castan Centre would be a "flagship activity" for the school.
"We describe ourselves as a law school for a changing world. The Castan Centre for Human Rights Law, introduced to address human rights issues in a changing world, typifies how we see ourselves and our defining themes," he said.
"We see ethics and human rights as based in autonomy and respect for the individual."
Castan Centre director Professor David Kinley said the centre was already engaged in a number of projects.
These included research into the relationship between corporations and human rights and various AusAID projects on human rights training in the South-East Asian region.
Next year will also see a major international conference held on Human Rights Day and the inaugural Castan Centre Lecture in March, to be delivered by Professor Philip Alston of the European University Institute in Florence.
As well, the centre will run symposiums on bills of rights and international refugee law.
"In all of these, we at the centre are pursuing what we believe to be a cardinal lesson of pioneers such as Ron Castan - that in the interaction between the global and the local lies the key to our better understanding of, and respect for, each other," he said.
About 150 people attended the launch at law firm Phillips Fox.
Ms Lindy Castan-Blashki, Justice Michael Kirby, Ms Melissa Castan, Mrs Nellie Castan and Mr Steven Castan at the launch.
Tangible international links
The Governor of Victoria, Sir James Gobbo, officially accepted an invitation to become the new patron of Monash University in Prato at a reception at the Monash city offices last week. Sir James said he had followed the establishment of the Prato centre with great interest, as Monash had become the first Australian university to have a physical presence in Italy. "It's so important for Australian universities that aspire to achieve the very best in international standards to form valuable international linkages," he said. "There's no more tangible and effective way to make such linkages work than to be physically present and physically related to the people." Prato centre director Professor Bill Kent welcomed Sir James, saying there could be no better or distinguished patron. "He is one of the founding fathers of Australian multiculturalism and a tireless worker for the Italo-Australian community, and is also a champion of closer ties between the two countries," he said. The reception was attended by about 80 people, including Monash chancellor Mr Jerry Ellis and representatives from the Italian community. |
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AVCC leadership program facilitator Ms Katherine Lock (left) with keynote speaker Professor David Robinson and program participant Ms Lyndel Roberts. Photo courtesy of the AVCC.
The need for leaders in higher education to think broadly and long-term was the major theme of a keynote address by Monash vice-chancellor Professor David Robinson at Geelong recently.
Opening the five-day Australian Vice-Chancellors' Committee's leadership program for general staff, Professor Robinson said one of the many roles of a leader was to prepare colleagues for the world they were moving towards.
"Universities used to provide 'just-in-case' education, which did not necessarily relate to the knowledge required in the workforce," he said.
"Next came 'just-in-time' education, which had a use-by date of two to five years. Now we have 'just-for-you' education, which is about providing what people need, and when and how they need it, right throughout their careers."
Professor Robinson said knowledge today had no boundaries and could not survive without being "both online and on earth".
Looking at the implications of the changes in higher education for leadership at all levels of universities, the group of 31 staff from 19 Australian universities worked with facilitators and other presenters throughout the week.
Monash participant Ms Lyndel Roberts said she especially valued the opportunity to get to know people from other universities who had similar challenges.
"The networking was great, and the whole program gave me more confidence about developing my own leadership style," she said.
The AVCC conducts a range of leadership programs for academic and general staff each year. Further information on the 2001 programs will be available at www.avcc.edu.au/avcc/staffdev/index.html in December.
Prestigious role for Prato directorDirector of Monash University in Prato Professor Bill Kent has accepted an invitation to become general editor of the correspondence of Italian Renaissance statesman and art patron Lorenzo de' Medici. Professor Kent has agreed to take on the major international project, which will complement his existing work on a biography of de' Medici. "I am particularly pleased to be involved in this project, not only for the sake of my own research but because Monash University in Prato will become closely identified with an important scholarly undertaking," he said. "I hope it will be one of the first of many such international collaborations at Monash's centre in Tuscany." Eight volumes of de' Medici's letters have already been produced, and Professor Kent will oversee the publication of the remaining nine volumes. The project was begun 20 years ago under the editorship of English scholar Nicolai Rubinstein. It is supported by the Renaissance Society of America, the Warburg Institute of London University, the Harvard Center of Italian Renaissance Studies in Florence and the Italian National Institute for Renaissance Studies. |
Hong
Kong public figure and politician Ms Christine Loh (pictured) spoke about
the need for her country to redesign its political system at a recent breakfast
hosted by the Department of Business Law and Taxation.
Ms Loh, leader of the Hong Kong political and social group The Civic Exchange, said the country's political system was based on a 19th-century colonial system that needed to become more democratic.
Although Hong Kong was officially a democracy when it returned to Chinese rule, the existing voter base, consisting mostly of people with commercial and conservative interests, was not representative of the population.
She said it was necessary to have discussions now about how to go about the process of redesigning the political system, although there was resistance from people who were comfortable with the current system.
"In our constitution, which is called our basic law, it says that we can change the constitutional structure after 2007. Let's talk about how the redesign process can proceed, so that by 2007 we will have talked about it a lot and there will be some consensus," she said.
Ms Loh was formerly a directly elected member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council (Legco) and founder and leader of the Citizens Party.
She was invited to Australia by the Department of Business Law and Taxation for a week of media appearances and speaking engagements.
Peninsula campus manager Mr Barry Bilham is retiring after 27 years of
service to the university.
Mr Bilham joined the then State College of Victoria at Frankston in late 1973 as the Finance Officer and was Business Manager when the Campus became part of Chisholm Institute of Technology in 1982.
He was involved in facilities management at the Frankston and Caulfield campuses, and has been in his present role since the merger in 1990.
A farewell function will be held on Thursday 30 November, at 4 pm, in the Conference Room, Building C, Peninsula campus. RSVP: Ms Lay Lin Oh by 17 November on extn 44339.
Monash Malaysia is hosting a forum titled 'Modern medicine: An art or science' on Wednesday 22 November at 8 pm.
The forum will be presented by the director of the Monash Institute of Public Health, Professor Chris Silagy.
It will explore how health care professionals can access the most up-to-date and relevant medical information, in an age in which people are overloaded with information from a wide range of sources.
For further details, visit www.monash.edu.au/alumni/events/malaysia.html
Vacation care is available from 8 to 30 January at the Clayton campus for children aged between five and 12.
On-campus facilities and activities include rollerblading, cooking, Olympic Games, art and craft, pottery, science and much more.
The cost per day is $25, which reduces for parents who qualify for the government Child Care Benefit. To enrol full time or for single days, contact the Family Advisory Service on extn 53156.
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