UNAA NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2010

List of Speakers (in order of speaking) as of 13 May 2010

Sir Laurence Street AC, KCMG, QC was educated at Cranbrook College and Sydney University. At 47 he was appointed the youngest Chief Justice NSW. His mother Jessie Street, a tireless worker for women’s rights and aboriginal justice, was the only female Australian delegate to the founding meeting of the UN and co-founder of the UN Commission of the Status of Women. Sir Laurence’s distinguished career began as a legal practitioner, specialising in equity, commercial law and admiralty. He is now playing a leading role in introducing and practising commercial mediation/conciliation in Australia and the Region.

Professor Robert Hill is National President of the UNAA. He was recently appointed Chancellor of the University of Adelaide after a very distinguished career in politics and diplomacy. Professor Hill held several Ministerial appointments in the Howard Governments and was Australian Ambassador to the UN from 2006 to 09. He was appointed Chairman of the Australian Carbon Trust Ltd by the Prime Minister and is also adjunct Professor in Sustainability at the United States Study Centre in the University of Sydney.

Mr Christopher Woodthorpe is Director of the United Nations Information Centre, Canberra and is accredited to Australia, New Zealand and seven Pacific Island nations. Before his appointment in May 2009, he had widespread responsibilities within the UN Department of Public Information as Chief of Sales and Marketing. Before joining the UN he was Director of Marketing at McGraw Hill Inc and Vice-President VNU Business Publications.

Dr Keith Suter is an eminent scholar and commentator on social issues and world events. He is a Member of the elite Club of Rome, which is limited to 100 members including Al Gore, Michael Gorbachev and Jimmy Carter. He is a former National  President of the UNAA and President of UNAA(NSW) and UNAA(WA). Dr Suter is a prolific author and broadcaster and holds a number of significant professional and academic positions.

Dr John Pace served the UN in Human Rights, from 1966 until 1999, including 16 years as Secretary to the UN Commission on Human Rights. During 1991-1993 he was the Coordinator of the World Conference on Human Rights (Vienna 1993).  In the course of his career, he undertook several missions in various parts of the world, including Uganda (1978), Kuwait (1991), Cambodia (1995) and Nigeria (1996). From 2004 to 2006 he was Chief of the UN Human Rights Office in Iraq, where he was responsible for monitoring the human rights situation and participating in the reconstruction of Iraq.  He liaised closely with the US and Iraqi militaries and supported the establishment of a National Centre for Missing and Disappeared Persons and clinics for rehabilitation of victims of torture. He is currently a UNSW Visiting Fellow in the Faculty of Law.

Ms Martine Letts joined the Lowy Institute for International Policy as Deputy Director in January 2005 following 4 years as the Secretary General (CEO) of Australian Red Cross and a 17 year career with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Martine served as Australian Ambassador to Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, Deputy Head of Mission and Australian Deputy Permanent Representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna and was an adviser to Foreign Minister Evans from 1992 to 1994. She specialises in arms control and disarmament.

Dr Robert Fisher is a Senior Researcher with the Australian Mekong Resource Centre within the School of Geosciences, University of Sydney. He specialises in social and political ecological aspects of natural resource management, particularly involving community forestry. Bob has worked in a number of countries, including Mozambique, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. Recent publications include “Linking Conservation and Poverty Reduction: Landscapes, People and Power” (Fisher et al, 2008. Earthscan)