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Martin Parkinson was in conversation with Katharine Murphy on Martin's essay A Decade of Drift from Monash University Publishing's new In the National Interest series. The erosion of public trust in government has been a characteristic of liberal democracies in recent years. How much have the twists and turns in climate change policy over the past decade contributed to this in Australia? As a senior public servant during six prime ministerships, Martin Parkinson had a front-row seat from which to watch the inability of successive governments to tackle climate change.

From an emissions trading scheme through to a National Energy Guarantee, this is a story of science and expertise ignored, short-termism, wasted opportunities and international disappointment. Climate change demands both a local and a global response, just as do pandemics, mass migration and ocean pollution. The increasingly urgent question is whether governments are up to the challenge or are prepared to bear the consequences of inaction or indifference. The history of climate change policy in Australia is a sorry story which should leave Australians demanding more courage and commitment from their political leaders.

Dr Martin Parkinson AC PSM served in Commonwealth Government leadership positions on all facets of economic, social, foreign, defence and national security policies for almost forty years. As the secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet between 2016 and 2019, Martin was Australia's most senior public servant. He served as secretary to the Treasury between 2011 and 2014, and before that was secretary of Australia's inaugural Department of Climate Change from 2007. During his tenure, Martin led our key public sector organisations through a period of considerable political uncertainty, serving under five different prime ministers.

Katharine Murphy has been Guardian Australia's political editor since 2016, working in Canberra's parliamentary press gallery for 23 years. She is a regular commentator on television and radio and is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Journalism at the University of Canberra, from which she was awarded an honorary doctorate in October 2019. Katharine has won the Paul Lyneham award for excellence in press gallery journalism and has been a Walkley finalist twice. Katharine's latest publication was her 2020 Quarterly Essay, The End of Certainty: Scott Morrison and Pandemic Politics.

Professor Helen Sullivan, Director of the Crawford School of Public Policy ANU, delivered the vote of thanks.

In conversation with Martin Parkinson

Hugh Mackay was in conversation with Alex Sloan on Hugh's new book, The Kindness Revolution. How we can restore hope, rebuild trust and inspire optimism. Hugh Mackay encourages us to find the best in ourselves and in our society in both good and troubled times.

Revolutions never start at the top. If we dare to dream of a more loving country - kinder, more compassionate, more cooperative, more respectful, more inclusive, more egalitarian, more harmonious, less cynical - there's only one way to start turning that dream into a reality: each of us must live as if this is already that country.

Following the ravages of 2020's bushfires and pandemic on our mental and emotional health and on the economy, Hugh Mackay reflects on the challenges we faced during that year of upheaval and the questions many of us have asked. What really matters to me? Am I living the kind of life I want? What sort of society do I want us to become?

Urging us not to let those questions go, and pointing to our inspiring displays of kindness and consideration, our personal sacrifices for the common good and our heightened appreciation of the value of local neighbourhoods and communities, he asks in turn: 'Could we become renowned as a loving country, rather than simply a "lucky" one?'

Absorbing, wise and inspiring, The Kindness Revolution is a distillation of Hugh Mackay's life's work. Written for our times, this truly remarkable book shows how crises and catastrophes often turn out to be the making of us.

Hugh Mackay AO is a social psychologist, and the author of 22 books, including eight novels. His non-fiction writing covers social analysis, psychology, communication and ethics. He has had a 60-year career in social research, and was also a weekly newspaper columnist for twenty-five years. He is a Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society and the Royal Society of New South Wales, has been awarded honorary doctorates by five Australian universities. Hugh is an Honorary Professor at the ANU Research School of Psychology.

Alex Sloan AM, the 2017 Canberra Citizen of the Year, is a regular conversationalist for ANU Meet the Author events.

Professor Frank Bongiorno AM, Head of the ANU School of History and author of award-winning books The Sex Lives of Australians: A History and The Eighties: The Decade That Transformed Australia, will deliver the vote of thanks.

In conversation with Hugh Mackay

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In conversation with Martin Parkinson

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