This year has seen the unprecedented bleaching of our Great Barrier Reef as a consequence of climate change.  At one level the biological reality of what is happening on the Reef represents the consequence of the maladjustment of Australian politics and political economy.

These times of leaching and bleaching represent both immense crisis and great opportunity. Reflecting on current events and trends in popular analysis, this session will present a participant’s analysis of what is actually happening in Australia now, political priorities going forward and scope for deeper strategic alliances.

Image credit: U.S. Geological Survey, 2009

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

David Ritter

David Ritter is the Chief Executive Officer of Greenpeace Australia Pacific. David returned to Australia to take up this role in 2012 after five years working in a senior campaigns position with Greenpeace in London. There he worked on the global issues of destructive fishing, deforestation and climate change. Prior to joining Greenpeace, David worked as an academic and a lawyer in both commercial and native title practices. David is a widely published commentator on politics, law, history and current affairs. He is an Honorary Fellow of the Faculty of Law of the University of Western Australia and an Associate of the Sydney Democracy Network at the University of Sydney.