About the Event
In the wake of Hamas’ horrific attack on Israel, we have experienced a prolonged period of intensified violence and a dramatic upheaval around the world. The violence in Israel and Gaza has left many of us anxious as weeks go by with unfolding violence and in the wake of tragedy on October 7.
Moreover, our Australian community has experienced fracturing and heightened tensions in these weeks. In these tense times, it is fundamental to maintain belief in harmony and social cohesion, respect and consideration of others.
We are glad to be joined by Allegra Spender MP and Josh Burns MP for this important discussion led by Geraldine Doogue.
Josh Burns MP is Labor’s Federal Member for Macnamara in the inner south-eastern and bayside suburbs of Melbourne.
First elected in 2019, he serves in key parliamentary roles including as Chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights and Chair of the Foreign Affairs and Aid Subcommittee of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade.
These positions reflect his commitment to ensuring Australia pursues a proactive and inclusive foreign policy, acting as a leader and partner in our region and beyond, and to the development and promotion of human rights. He recognises the importance of Australia being a nation in good standing internationally.
His values are grounded in the experience of his family. As the grandson of migrants who left Europe and settled in Melbourne in search of a safe place to raise their families, he knows the importance of upholding a multicultural and multifaith Australia – and the profound role education can play in changing lives.
He has been a strong advocate for progressive change – addressing housing affordability, tackling the homelessness crisis and ensuring Australia takes meaningful action on climate change – and is deeply committed to reconciliation with our First Australians in line with the Uluru Statement from the Heart. He is acutely aware of the need for local action to reflect the best of Australia’s aspirations as a country.
Before representing his community in the Australian Parliament, he previously worked as a teacher’s aide and a factory hand, and served as an adviser in state and federal governments, including to the Premier of Victoria.
Allegra Spender MP is the independent Member for Wentworth. She is a local resident who loves the environment our community is lucky enough to share. Her passion to make sure her kids and future generations continue to enjoy that beauty motivated her to run for parliament on a platform of climate action, political integrity, gender equality and decency. She was elected as part of a wave of so called "Teal" independents who swept into the crossbench in May 2022.
Allegra went to Ascham School Edgecliff, has an Economics degree from Cambridge University, an MSc from the University of London, and has completed business courses at Harvard and Dartmouth College. Before parliament Allegra worked as a business analyst at McKinsey, a policy analyst with UK Treasury and later Managing Director at Carla Zampatti Pty Ltd, her family’s fashion label. Allegra was also the chair of the Sydney Renewable Power Company, and CEO of the Australian Business and Community Network, which addresses educational disadvantage by partnering low socio-economic schools with leading Australian businesses.
As an MP she has taken a leading role with the crossbench in passing a legislated target for reducing Australia's CO2 emissions, the establishment of the National Anti-Corruption Commission and critical examination of the government's new Industrial Relations legislation. She is on the Senate Standing Committee on Economics, The Joint Standing Committee on Migration, and is co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Entrepreneurs, Small and Medium Business, Uluru Statement from the Heart and International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). She is married with 3 kids.
Geraldine Doogue is one of Australia’s most accomplished and versatile journalists, excelling in print, radio and television. At the ABC and Channel Ten, she presented and reported for national news and current affairs television programs. On ABC radio, as host of Life Matters and then Compass for 30 years, her soothing voice and sharp mind brought relevance and meaning to the challenging subjects of faith, spirituality, religion and ethics while never adopting a preaching approach.
