One of our favourite parts of the festival is the conversations we get to have with experts in a range of fields after the film screenings.
The panel discussions help dig further into the detail, as well as giving a local perspective to the issues presented in the films. So, if you’ve got tickets to one of sessions that is followed by a panel, here’s who you can ask a question of:
Tuesday 5th – Mother: Caring for 7 Billion and Generation Green
Kelvin Thomson MP – Federal Member for Wills Kelvin Thomson is a tireless campaigner for population stabilisation, for action on climate change, and for the protection of Australia’s beautiful and fragile environment. In 1996 Kelvin was elected to the Federal Parliament as Member for Wills, one of only two seats Labor gained in an otherwise dismal election result. Since then he has regularly recorded strong primary and two-party preferred votes.In 1997 Kelvin became a Shadow Parliamentary Secretary and in 1998 he joined Labor’s frontbench as Shadow Assistant Treasurer. As Shadow Environment Minister between 2001 and 2004 he was responsible for Labor’s adoption of policies to tackle climate change including ratification of the Kyoto Protocol, introduction of an emissions trading system, and lifting the Renewable Energy Target.Following the election of a Labor Government in 2007, Kelvin served as Chairman of the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties, which produced significant reports concerning Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament, the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change, and the sale of uranium to Russia.In 2009 Kelvin kick-started a national debate concerning Australia’s population with a speech to the Parliament in August and the release of a 14 Point Plan for Population Reform in November. Kelvin was re-elected to the Federal Parliament as Member for Wills for the sixth time in August 2010. |
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Associate Professor Peter Christoff – Melbourne School of Land and Environment (University of Melbourne) Dr Peter Christoff teaches about climate policy in the  Department of Resource Management and Geography. He was formerly a member of the Premier’s Climate Change Reference Group, and of the Victorian Ministerial Reference Council on Climate Change Adaptation, under the Victorian Brumby Government. He is currently Vice President of the Australian Conservation Foundation.Peter’s research interests include Australia’s environmental politics, climate change policy and environment movement, and ecological modernisation and global ecological governance. |
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Patrick Hearps – University of Melbourne Energy Research Institute & Beyond Zero Emissions Patrick Hearps is a Chemical Engineer, with several years of experience working for ExxonMobil Australia. He is currently a Research Fellow in Energy & Transport Systems at the University of Melbourne’s Energy Research Institute. He was a lead author on the Zero Carbon Australia Stationary Energy Plan, analysing the feasibility of renewable energy to meet 100% of Australia’s energy needs. The Zero Carbon Australia Project is a collaborationbetween the University of Melbourne’s Energy Research Institute and the non-profit climate change solutions research and education thinktank Beyond Zero Emissions. It is the product of pro-bono contributions from dozens of engineers and scientists to collaboratively outline detailed, cost-effective and feasible solutions for decarbonising the Australian economy. |
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Thursday 6th – Chicken Karma, Chasing Water & LoveMEATender
Mark Doneddu – President, Vegetarian Victoria Mark has had extensive experience researching vegetarian health issues as well as the environmental impacts of a healthy vegetarian diet. He regularly develops and presents talks on behalf of Vegetarian Victoria regarding vegetarian issues, including the sustainability of a meat-free diet. As well as being President of Vegetarian Victoria Mark has been the Event Manager for World Vegan Day and is a regular guest speaker for organisations such as student groups and university clubs and has spoken several times at events such as the Sustainable Living Festival, Self Sustainability Forum, Mind Body Spirit Festival, Rainbow Serpent Festival and World Vegan Day. Mark has also been interviewed on many popular radio stations in Melbourne and Australia wide. |
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Dr Michael Crawford – Deputy Executive Director, Future Farming Systems Research Division, Department of Primary Industries Dr Michael Crawford has over 23 years experience in agricultural science, working mostly with the Victorian Government’s Department of Primary Industries (DPI) in research and extension related to farming systems and natural resource management. He is currently Deputy Executive Director of DPI’s Future Farming Systems Research division which has 280 staff with expertise in animal and plant production systems, chemistry, soil and water sciences and landscape systems. DPI uses this capability to undertake research to support the dairy, grains, horticulture and lamb industries and to inform government policy in relation to soil, water, climate change and natural resource management.Michael has an Honours Degree in Agricultural Science from the University of Melbourne, a Graduate Diploma in Rural Resource Management from La Trobe University, and a PhD in Soil Science from the University of Adelaide. His PhD looked at carbon sequestration in soil and its implications for both sustainable crop production and greenhouse gas abatement. He also has an Executive Masters Degree in Public Administration from the University of Melbourne and the Australia New Zealand School of Government. |
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Dr Gyorgy Scrinis – Melbourne School of Land and Environment, University of Melbourne Dr Gyorgy Scrinis teaches food politics at the University of Melbourne. He research examines the sociology and politics of food, agriculture and nutrition, with a focus on agricultural technologies, functional foods and nutrition science. His book on ‘nutritionism’ — a critique of nutritional reductionism in scientific research, dietary advice, and food marketing—will be published in 2013. |
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Friday 7th – Passive Passion & Biophilic Design
Kristen Whittle – Design Director, Bates Smart Kristen Whittle is a multi awarding architect and urban designer. Educated at Manchester University in England, Kristen completed postgraduate studies at SCIArc in Los Angeles. He then went on to work with Herzog & De Meuron in Basel Switzerland, playing a lead design role on the Laban Dance Centre and Tate Modern Museum of Modern Art project inLondon.He is now design director for Bates Smart’s Melbourne office where he works across a full spectrum of architectural projects, focusing on deliberate, sustainable and tailor-made solutions for each client. He has worked with the Victorian Government on their new plans for Federation Square East and has recently completed the National Centre for Synchrotron Science in Melbourne. Kristen is the design director for the new Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne which recently won the 2012 Victorian Architecture Medal as well as numerous national and international health and sustainability awards.He has led the design of 171 Collins Street which is Melbourne’s first premium office building with a six star green star energy rating in 20 years. He has recently contributed to the national ‘Healthy Parks Healthy People’ and ‘Arts and Health’ Conference’s and has also been a design advocate for the Climate Commission on architecture and sustainability. |
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Suzette Jackson – Director, Innate Ecology Suzette Jackson is the director of Innate Ecology specializing in design, research and strategic solutions for sustainable living and urban places. Her passion is in the transformation to sustainable communities of our existing cities and towns, through education, awareness and design from policy to community activation.She teaches Regenerative Design and Urban Ecologies at University of Melbourne and Deakin University.Suzette is also a Founding Director and the Executive Officer of the recently established Living Future Institute Australia, promoting restorative design in Australia. |
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Brod Street – Senior Policy Officer, Department of Sustainability and Environment Brod Street and his family are celebrities as a result of their exemplar sustainable home alteration undertaken in 2001. Brod has written many professional articles on being energy and water efficient. The media coverage of their efforts, in print, radio and TV, at one stage felt like a full time career for the Streets. As a finalist in the 2010 National Save Water Awards Brod has offered others practical lessons and awareness in achieving high levels of resource efficiency. He is particularly passionate about green roofs and spends many hours perched on his own green roof in Hawthorn. With over 20 years experience in State and Commonwealth Government – dealing with policies on solar energy, energy efficiency and environmental assessment – Brod has been fortunate to take up residential sustainability at the highest level of government. |
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Saturday 8th – Sushi: The Global Catch
| Dr Kate Brooks – Adjunct Senior Fellow – Research School of Social Sciences, ANU
Based in Melbourne, Australia, Kate Brooks is a social scientist focused on increasing understanding of social networks and circumstances to assess and inform rural industry planning options. With a focus on sustainability, in the context of management systems and policy, Kate undertakes social research, analysis and research management, across a range of industry sectors, including the fishing industry. Her work assists government and industry clients to identify and understand the social perspectives of blockages in industry or policy, and to create solutions that are economically and environmentally integrated, and sustainable. As an Adjunct Senior Fellow with the Research School of Social Sciences at the Australian National University, and a consultant, Kate has seventeen years experience working with corporate and government sectors, statutory authorities and research agencies. In addition to her experience in research analysis, strategic planning, network analysis and project management, her key field of specialisation is in social impact assessment, social capital development, community networking and capacity building. |
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| John Ford – Marine Research, Department of Zoology, Melbourne University
John is a marine scientist at Melbourne University who delves into both conservation ecology and fisheries management. He has worked with local Victorian fishermen, the Australian Conservation Foundation on their fisheries sustainability program, and regularly discusses sustainable seafood on “Radio Marinara” on 3RRR Melbourne. John is an expert on local marine life and has dived extensively in Port Phillip Bay and the Victorian coastline. |
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| Simon Branigan – Marine & Coastal Project Officer, Victorian National Parks Association
Simon is the Marine and Coastal Project Officer with the Victorian National Parks Association. Simon has worked in environmental fields for over ten years in NSW, WA, Tasmania and now Victoria, for both non-government organisations and industry. His career work has included roles in policy development, on-ground project coordination, community engagement and campaigning. Simon has a master’s degree in Environmental Management from the University of Tasmania, where he was awarded the Governors Environmental Scholarship. He is currently a member of the Victorian Project Advisory Committee for the University of Technology Sydney and Australian Conservation Foundation’s Sustainable Seafood Assessment Project. Simon is an avid surfer and passionate about the future health of our marine and coastal environment. |
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