Australia’s social inclusion heritage – past, present, future

Australia’s social inclusion heritage – past, present, future

27th Sep 2011 speaking Tanya Plibersek

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The Sydney Institute is in the forefront of public discussions and public debate.

- Julia Gillard
It’s not every day that I’m invited by such a prestigious organisation as The Sydney Institute to talk about Australians and their behaviour. So I sincerely thank the Institute for this irresistible opportunity.

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The Sydney Institute provides a forum for ideas, a place where theories can be tested and questions asked of those who profess to have answers. It is friendly rather than stuffy but deadly serious in its commitment to open debate. We need it."

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In an era of infinite platforms and forums to express opinions, the Sydney Institute remains one of the country's premier venues.

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The Sydney Institute is an important gatherer of people and ideas; an agent for discussion about the things we care about; a forum for thinking aloud; and a chance to catch up with friends and colleagues at the end of long working days.

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The Sydney Institute fulfils a necessary function in Australian public life. The city - and the nation - would be intellectually poorer without it. Thank God for such a provocative and stimulating forum.

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Thank you Sydney Institute for giving me a platform on topics from Tiananmen Square to advocating a humanitarian approach to asylum seekers.

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The Sydney Institute has been an influential participant in the Australian debate about bills of rights.

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I congratulate Gerard and Anne Henderson on the 20th anniversary of the Institute. In this time it has made a genuine contribution to our intellectual life and the diversity of speakers appearing at the Institute has been striking.

- Paul Kelly
The Sydney Institute does get large audiences … it's The Institute that has attracted the crowd rather than the speaker this evening.

- Tony Abbott
The Sydney Institute provides such an important current affairs forum for ideas and debate.

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The Institute is a civilised and pluralist island of ideas and conversation in a sea of spin and obfuscation. It's one of the few attributes that gives this Melburnian genuine Sydney envy.

- Sam Lipski
The Sydney Institute - a no-nonsense, downtown venue for all credible points of view on Australian politics, history and culture. It leaves ideology at the door, and its podcasts guarantee a hearing the length and breadth of the country.

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I love my Sydney Institute. It informs, irritates, upsets and stimulates me. Remarkably enough, often at precisely the same time.

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The Sydney Institute is, perhaps, the most exciting and challenging place to launch a book, or open a public debate on an important issue. One really has to be on top of one's game to address the Institute.

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The Sydney Institute is Australia's finest and most consistent platform for debate and the discussion of ideas that matter.

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The Sydney Institute is - and has long been - an unwavering oasis for civil debate and disagreement from every point-of-view. Congratulations.

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The Sydney Institute is an important forum for the serious discussion and debate of public policy and policy reform.

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The Sydney Institute - a no-nonsense, downtown venue for all credible points of view on Australian politics, history and culture. It leaves ideology at the door, and its podcasts guarantee a hearing the length and breadth of the country.

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With so many communication channels on offer these days, there's nothing quite like getting a group of people together in a room for a focused discussion - what the Sydney Institute provides.

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The Sydney Institute - an essential go to place with all sides of the debate from real experts and real players.

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The Sydney Institute provides both a depth and diversity of knowledge through its wide ranging presentations and debates - an efficient and much needed buz for Sydney and indirectly the nation - long may it continue.

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The Sydney Institute is one of this city's shining lights, providing a never-ending, valued thought fest to keep the brain cells ticking over.

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Thank you very much for the invitation and, above all, for being here; because if you weren't it would be very lonely here up at the front this evening. I'm very pleased to have the opportunity of addressing the Institute.

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The Sydney Institute plays a very valuable role in stimulating and contributing to the public debate about which policy settings best serve Australia's national interest.

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When in Australia, The Sydney Institute is an essential port of call. When not, I follow online - an essential, clear headed guidance to everything that is happening. Invaluable!

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I always go prepared to the Sydney Institute; the audience keeps you on your toes.

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The Sydney Institute makes a wonderful contribution to the public debate in Australia on a broad array of relevant and interesting issues.

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The thinking person's front bar, the nation's cerebrum, the theatre of ideas, look who's talking, the only focus group that matters.

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The Sydney Institute is never afraid to take a risk, explore new ideas, stand alone and dare to be right.

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The Sydney Institute is a "must go to" place to launch ideas and books. I attend frequently, both as a speaker and a listener.

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I pay tribute to The Sydney Institute for the role it plays in promoting intellectualism in this country and the contest of ideas which is vital for our future world being.

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I do not know anyone in Australia who would refuse an invitation to speak at the Sydney Institute.

- Frank Moorhouse
Since 1989, The Sydney Institute has been a platform for public policy debate on Australia's future. The nation should always embrace such debate - with genuine intellectual passion and with genuine intellectual rigour.

- Kevin Rudd
In an era of infinite platforms and forums to express opinions, the Sydney Institute remains one of the country's premier venues.

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The Sydney Institute has been an important forum for ideas and for debate in Australia.

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In the marketplace for ideas "there's no other store like the Sydney Institute!

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The Sydney Institute brings top Australian talent in all fields to stimulate thinking and encourage vigorous debate.

- Kathryn Greiner
One of the joys of life in Sydney is the lively exchange that is promoted by the efforts of Anne and Gerard. The intellectual life of a city matters and the Institute plays a vital role in sustaining that.

- Maxine McKew
The Institute is so important - it is one of the few objective and policy driven outlets for debate in the country.

- Christopher Pyne
The Sydney Institute - an important dialogue taking place in Sydney.

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The best place in town to exercise your conscience as well as your mind!

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