The Case for Voluntary Assisted Dying: Progress 2017 panel discussion

Andrew Denton from Go Gentle Australia  and voluntary euthanasia law reform advocate Jenny Barnes discuss the case for proposed assisted dying legislation in Australia with journalist Tracey Spicer.

Jenny Barnes is a nurse with many years experience in aged care and related areas. She has been diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour.

Andrew Denton is a well known television producer and presenter.

Go Gentle's campaign can be viewed at Stop Victorians Suffering. The victorian parliament is set to debate a bill in August 2017. Parliamentarians will have a conscience vote.

The scope of the proposed laws is still changing. According to a recent Age report:

Victorians who suffer from motor neurone disease will have access to physician-assisted death under wider-than-expected new laws to be introduced within months.

And those who are physically unable to take a lethal pill will get alternative options – such as help to inject the drug or use of a feeding tube – in a bid ensure they are not discriminated against under the legislation.

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New Ways to Measure Our Wellbeing: Fiona Stanley at Progress 2017

Fiona Stanley, Child Health Research professor at the University of Western Australia, addressed the Progress 2017 gathering in Melbourne on 7 June. She explores the ANDI project (Australian National Development Index) a holistic measure of national progress and wellbeing.

Fiona argues that GDP (Gross Domestic Product - the usual indicator of economic growth) is a "very flawed measure" that takes no account of the impact on our wellbeing. She instances the 2009 bushfires as "a great contributor to GDP".



"It is time to end this mis-measure of human progress by economic growth alone."

The ANDI index will measure:

Children and young people’s wellbeing

Community and regional life

Culture, recreation and leisure

Governance and democracy

Economic life and prosperity

Education, knowledge and creativity ​

Environment and sustainability

Justice, fairness and human rights

Health

Indigenous wellbeing

Work and work-life balance

Subjective wellbeing and life satisfaction ​

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Media Challenges: Guardian Australia's Lenore Taylor at Progress 2017

Lenore Taylor, award-winning journalist and editor of Guardian Australia, gave a lightning talk at Progress 2017 in Melbourne on 7 June.



Lenore outlined some of the challenges facing the media, both old and new. In particular Google and Facebook are soaking up advertising revenue and have become publishers of news not just tech companies. However, they do not have the same accountability as other news organisations. Online advertising supports often false or fake news that goes viral but:

It increasingly difficult, extremely difficult, to fund the in-depth policy journalism or political journalism or investigative journalism that holds politicians to account or gives voters the information that they need in elections to make informed choices.

Lenore also discussed their new membership model for revenue raising.

The two-day event was organised by the Centre for Australian Progress.

More video from #progress2017 here.

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Disability Activist Carly Findlay at Progress 2017

Carly Findlay, appearance activist and writer, speaks at the Progress 2017 gathering in Melbourne on 7 June:



Carly outlined the challenges facing disability feminists.

We are excluded from employment, from buildings. We are placed in group homes, separated schools. Some disabled people are paid a measly $2.79 an hour.

We are excluded from female relationships because our disability, politics and pride are too confronting. We are excluded from feminism.

She has recently been on ABC's You Can't Ask That and Cyber Hate with Tara Moss.

The event was organised by the Centre for Australian Progress.

More: Red Bluff Media redbluffr.com

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GetUp's Shen Narayanasamy: lessons from the campaign for those seeking asylum in Australia

GetUp's Shen Narayanasamy shares lessons from Asylum Seeker Campaigning at the Progress 2017 gathering in Melbourne on 7 June:

GetUp is an Australian progressive campaigning community.

Shen outlines three of their strategies: to change public opinion; to break the bi-partisan political consensus; and to end corporate involvement in detention centres.

One of the current campaigns is called No Business in Abuse

The two-day event was organised by the Centre for Australian Progress.

More 

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Fight Inequality: Sally McManus' Rally Cry at Progress 2017

Sally McManus, Secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, addresses the Progress 2017 gathering in Melbourne on 7 June:

If you want to fight inequality, join us! If you think all workers, no matter who they are, deserve the right to paid sick days or paid annual leave, when they're sick or at the end of the year, join us! If you believe there should be limits on corporate greed, then join us!

The two-day event was organised by the Centre for Australian Progress. Digital Storytellers shared some highlights:



More video coming.

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