SERIES

IQ2 Debate

DATE & TIME

 27 AUGUST 2019  

6:30 – 8pm

LOCATION

SYDNEY TOWN HALL
483 George St
Sydney NSW 2000

PRICE

STUDENT $16+BF
GENERAL $49+BF

IQ2 Debate: ‘Democracy Is Failing the People’

Knifed PMs, hung parliaments, disaffected voters.

“There’s an old political slogan you might remember … the public get the politicians they deserve. Through all the political turmoil over the past decade I can’t help but draw your attention to your own culpability.” – Alexander Downer

Is it our fault, rather than the politicians’, that six Prime Ministers have been unable to serve a full term in over a decade?

Fair enough, we want to hold our parliamentarians to high standards. We put them in the office and we can take them out if they don’t serve us.

But we’re not letting political leaders take risks or make mistakes without relentless criticism. Perhaps we are being too pessimistic too soon and that’s inhibiting good policy. Maybe we need to be smarter with how we cast our votes and more patient with our expectations of government.

On 27 August four debaters representing two teams debated the motion: ‘Democracy Is Failing the People’. 

Speakers

Andrew-Charlton

Dr Andrew Charlton

Dr Andrew Charlton is an economist, author and Oxford University Rhodes Scholar. Co-founder of AlphaBeta, he previously served as Senior Economic Adviser to the Prime Minister of Australia during the GFC and was Australia’s senior government official to the G20 Economic Summits. In 2011 he was named Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. Andrew is the author of two books, Ozonomics (2007) and Fair Trade for All (2005), co-written with Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz.

Arguing For

Amanda Vanstone

Amanda Vanstone

Amanda Vanstone is a former Australian politician and a presenter forABC Radio National’s Counterpoint program. One of Australia’s longest serving Liberal female senators, Amanda represented South Australia from 1984 to 2007, and was the only female member of Howard cabinet following the 1996 election. She has held several ministerial portfolios, and following her resignation from Senate served three years as the Australian Ambassador to Italy.

Arguing Against

Daisy-Jeffery-web

Daisy Jeffrey

Daisy Jeffrey is a National Organiser of School Strike For Climate Change (SS4C) – an organisation of school students drawn from cities and towns across Australia and New Zealand to fight for climate action. She is working with school and university students across the world who are asking politicians to take our future seriously and treat climate change for what it is – a crisis. Daisy is currently a student of the Conservatorium High School in Sydney.

Arguing For

Craig Reucassal

Craig Reucassel

Craig Reucassel is a law escapee who got distracted when he started a satirical newspaper The Chaser with Uni friends This went on to several programs on the ABC including The Chaser’s War on Everything. More recently Craig has been known for going through your bins on The War on Waste. He has also hosted radio programs on Triple J and 702, reported for Foreign Correspondent and hosted The Drum.

Arguing Against

With thanks to our media partner

Remaining debates for 2019:

23 OctoberMasculinity (motion for debate coming soon)

About Intelligence Squared:

IQ2 is the Australian arm of the international debate series, Intelligence Squared, which is also held in London, New York and Hong Kong. Speakers have eight uninterrupted minutes to share their ideas – a luxury in today’s fast paced media environment of 15 second grabs and political party spin lines. Help us shape our world with ethics and intelligence.

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Who is it for?


  • THE ACTIVIST
  • THE CHANGEMAKER
  • THE DIPLOMAT
  • THE NEWS JUNKIE
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What you'll take away


  • 01CHALLENGING AND THOUGHT-PROVOKING IDEAS
  • 02KEY FACTS AND TALKING POINTS OF THE MAJOR ISSUES
  • 03NEW PERSPECTIVES FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE DEBATE