Young Writers Competition - Judging Panel

Senator John Faulkner

John Faulkner is the National President of the ALP and has been a senator for NSW since 1989.

After the election in March 1993, Senator Faulkner became a member of the second Keating Ministry as Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Minister for Defence Science & Personnel, and Manager of Government Business in the Senate (March 1993-March 1996). On 28 February 1994, he was also appointed Minister for Sport and Territories.

On 25 March 1994, Senator Faulkner moved into Cabinet as Minister for Environment, Sport and Territories.

After the 1996 Federal election, he became Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, and Shadow Minister for Social Security (March 1996-March 1997). He was then appointed Shadow Minister for Public Administration and Government Services (March 1997 to present). Senator Faulkner was also given shadow responsibility for Territories (October 1997-October 1998).

After the 1998 Federal election, Senator Faulkner remained Leader of the Opposition in the Senate with portfolio responsibilities of Shadow Minister for Public Administration and Government Services; and Shadow Minister for Olympic Coordination and the Centenary of Federation.

He remained as Leader of the Opposition in the Senate after the 2001 Federal Election. In the 2001-2004 Parliamentary Term he held at different times the portfolio responsibilities of Shadow Special Minister of State, Shadow Minister for Public Administration and Accountability, and Shadow Minister for Home Affairs.

After the 2004 election Senator Faulkner did not nominate for another term as Leader of the Opposition in the Senate. He now serves on the backbench.

Barbara Norman is the National President of the Australian Fabians.

Barbara is the Business and Partnerships Manager of the Global Cities Institute, RMIT University. She is a member of the Central Coastal Board in Victoria. Her research and teaching interests are in triple bottom line, strategic planning, coastal planning and management and urban governance.

Barbara was previously Director of Metropolitan Planning and Land Supply in the ACT and head of ACT Housing (public housing agency). She is the past National President of the Planning Institute of Australia.

Barbara has worked at a senior level in the Victorian, NSW and ACT public sector and run her own consultancy. Her interests span environment, housing and planning, particularly the linkages between these. She has a strong interest in national policy in these areas and their relevance at the local level.

Barbara was made a Life Fellow of the Planning Institute of Australia 2004 and was the recipient of a Centenary Medal during 2003 for her contribution to the community through urban and regional planning.

Barbara is the Labor candidate for the seat of Higgins in the upcoming Federal election.

Professor Hilary Charlesworth

Professory Hilary Charlesworth is Director of the Centre for International Governance and Justice at the Australian National University. She also holds an appointment as Professor of International Law and Human Rights in the Faculty of Law, ANU.

Professor Charlesworth's interests are in international law and human rights law. She has worked on issues such as the relevance of feminist theory to understanding international law, the structure of the international human rights system, and the protection of human rights in Australia. Current research projects include the legitimacy of UN Security Council decisions, the impact of international law on Australian law and the role of women in international dispute resolution.

Professor Charlesworth was the inuagural President of the Australian and New Zealand Society of International Law. She has been Co-Editor of the Australian Yearbook of International Law since 1996 and a member of the Board of Editors of the American Journal of International Law since 1999. She has worked with various non-governmental human rights organisations on ways to implement international human rights standards and was chair of the ACT Government's inquiry into an ACT bill of rights, which culminated in the adoption of the ACT Human Rights Act 2004. She is Patron of the ACT Women's Legal Service. In 2005, she was awarded a Federation Fellowship by the Australian Research Council.

Tom Switzer

Tom Switzer is opinion page editor of The Australian in Sydney. He is a former editorial writer at The Australian Financial Review (1998-2001) and assistant editor at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington (1995-98). He studied history and economics at Sydney University (1990-94). Tom has written articles on Australian politics and US foreign policy for the Wall Street Journal, International Herald Tribune and Quadrant magazine.