Talking Point (audio)

Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr delivers a wide-ranging speech on the future of Australia-China relations for the Confucius Institute at UNSW Australia.

UNSW's Dr Tim Lambert debates climate change sceptic Lord Monckton. The debate was moderated by Alan Jones. See the SMH online video: http://media.smh.com.au/monckton-the-climate-debate-1133822.html

Professor Bill Randolph, Director of UNSW’s City Futures Research Centre, on the challenges of housing policy, urban development and metropolitan planning. Third in the 2010 Utzon Lecture Series of of presentations, lectures and debates on topics that address local and global Built Environment concerns, issues and perspectives.

George Negus hosts this debate on the use of stem cells in medicine, featuring speakers Dr Bernadette Tobin and Professor Alan Trounson.    •    Cure vs expensive waste of time?    •    Strict control vs ethical free for all?    •    Available to all vs the privileged few? We face a stunning moment in time with extraordinary advances in translating stem cell discoveries – in particular changing one cell type to another. The promise is tangible for effective new approaches to incurable diseases. However, there is controversy about the risks and benefits in the future. This research involves expensive technology and only some parts of the population will have it available to them. Can we make it available to everyone? What is the community’s responsibility in this? Where are the boundaries and opportunities in how to access this reasonably across the world?Host:George Negus, former presenter/interviewer and reporter for ABCs Foreign Correspondent, Australia Talks, George Negus Tonight and Channel Nine's 60 Minutes and Today Show; Channel Seven's coverage of both Gulf Wars; SBS TV’s Dateline and TEN Network's news analysis program.Speakers:Professor Alan Trounson, President of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine in San Francisco, California.Dr Bernadette Tobin PhD, Director of the Plunkett Centre for Ethics at St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney. Reader in Philosophy at ACU.

Dr Chris Luebkeman, Director for Global Foresight and Innovation, Arup Group and Visiting Professor at UNSW, on life in 2070. Dr Luebkeman is joined by an expert panel representing engineering, the built environment, climate change and sustainability. Panelists are Professor Alec Tzannes, Dean, Faculty of Built Environment; Professor Matthew England, Co-Director Climate Change Research Centre; and Dr Adrian Paterson, Chief Executive Officer ANSTO.

Jan Utzon, leading architect and son of world-renowned Sydney Opera House designer Jorn Utzon, speaks about his father and his vision for Sydney's most famous building.

ABC presenter Jonathan Holmes interviews Associate Professor David McKnight from UNSW's Journalism and Media Research Centre on new his book, 'Rupert Murdoch: An Investigation Of Political Power'. The book looks at Rupert Murdoch's pursuit of political goals using News Corporation as his vehicle.

Dr Kath Albury, from UNSW’s Journalism and Media Research Centre, discusses the rise of sexting – the sending of sexually explicit text messages – and the lasting legal repercussions for under-18 year olds.

Booker prize-winning author Tom Keneally delivers the 2014 Gandhi Oration at UNSW.In giving the Oration, Keneally challenges Australia’s policy on asylum seekers and also shines a light on a little-known period of Indian history – the Bengal Famine of 1942.Keneally delivered the Oration to a capacity audience at UNSW’s Leighton Hall to mark India’s Martyr’s Day, the anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination in 1948. The public talk was preceded by a remembrance ceremony at the Gandhi bust on the UNSW Library Lawn.

UNSW has honoured the outstanding achievements of Mr Ratan Tata, Chairman of the Tata Group - India's largest corporation - with the degree of Doctor of Business honoris causa.Here Mr Tata takes part in the Wallace Wurth Dialogue with the UNSW Chancellor Mr David Gonski and Vice-Chancellor Professor Fred Hilmer, discussing business, India, and philanthropy.