Writer
Bob Douglas
Emeritus Professor Bob Douglas AO is a medical graduate who spent the early part of his career as an epidemiologist working on the treatment and prevention of early childhood pneumonia. In 1989 he became the founding director of the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health at the ANU. Since his retirement in 2001, he has been involved in the development and operation of Australia 21, SEE-Change ACT, The Canberra Alliance for Participatory Democracy and The Council for The Human Future.
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This should be a climate change election
Anthony Albanese and his colleagues could surely storm to victory if they enthusiastically acted on the arguments presented by climate experts.They would certainly attract the support of the millions of Australians who understandably fear the consequences of our current, disastrously inadequate approach to this topic. Continue reading »
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Repairing our fractured democracy starts with citizens’ assemblies
The notion of government by and for the people is being increasingly eroded in Australia — the widespread use of citizens’ assemblies could be the solution. Continue reading »
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Fixation on climate change has blinded us to a deadly chemical tsunami
Humanity’s chemical emissions are poisoning the earth and killing 25,000 people a day — and pose as much of an existential threat as global warming. Continue reading »
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The case for an Australian heroin trial: strong then, even stronger now
Australia once declined the opportunity to take a fresh, effective tack against heroin addiction. We should not lose a second chance. Continue reading »
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Governments everywhere are ignoring the fact that climate change is just one of 10 human-made threats to our survival
Human extinction in coming decades looks increasingly certain, unless we can somehow, quickly engineer, radical transformative change in the way humans everywhere, live and relate to the planet. Continue reading »
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Some Good News at Last?
The recent announcement that the World Economic Forum will be holding a unique twin summit in January 2021 on what is termed “The Great Reset “is the best news I have read for some time. Continue reading »
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Thriving in a Mega-threatened World
The threats from climate change and pandemics to human well-being and even human survival, have recently become apparent to us all. There is growing recognition, that we must change our expectations and the way we live, in order to ensure that our progeny will both survive and thrive into the future Continue reading »
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Surviving the mega-threats to our world
We humans are a threatened species, and it is mostly of our own making. To survive the ten mega-threats we must act fast, and we must collaborate. Continue reading »
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PETER TAIT, BETH SLATYER, SUE INGRAM and BOB DOUGLAS. Awakening Democracy.
How can we elect political representatives who are committed to the interests of the whole community, and are not influenced by vested interests? Continue reading »
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BOB DOUGLAS:. A Prime Ministerial “Summit” on Australia’s Future?
We are at an historic moment of apocalyptic threat to the survival of the human species. Continue reading »
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BOB DOUGLAS: Is our current economic model fit for the purpose of human survival?
If we humans are to survive the catastrophic threats that now confront us, we must urgently rethink the way we live and care for our planetary home. In turn, that demands that we examine the role that economic theory and practice play in the way modern societies operate. There is a case for moving outside Continue reading »
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BOB DOUGLAS. Responding to Greta’s Challenge
“How dare you pretend that this can be solved with just ‘business as usual’ and some technical solutions? …You are failing us. But the young people are starting to understand your betrayal. The eyes of all future generations are upon you. And if you choose to fail us, I say: We will never forgive you.We Continue reading »
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BOB DOUGLAS. Changing Australian Refugee Policy: What is realistically and politically feasible?
Is there a new spirit of bipartisanship developing between Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese? As well as discussing a bipartisan approach to the legislation of religious freedom and an indigenous “voice”, might they also consider a new bipartisan approach to refugee policy? Continue reading »
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BOB DOUGLAS, Australia Should be Leading The Extinction Rebellion
Prime Minister Morrison is now in a very strong position to lead the way on radical policy reform. I am arguing here that we should help him to develop and promote a strategy for human survival in the face of the ten interacting, mega-threats that seriously threaten the extinction of humanity in the lifetime of Continue reading »
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BOB DOUGLAS : Towards a proper policy on asylum seekers
Last month, the Victorian prize for literature and the Victorian Premier’s prize for non-fiction work were awarded to an Iranian refugee, Behrouz Boochani, for his book, “No friend but the mountains: Writing from Manus prison.” Continue reading »
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BOB DOUGLAS. Would Australian politicians contemplate a strategy for human survival?
Why are governments around the world avoiding the constellation of threats to survival of humans on the planet? Continue reading »
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BOB DOUGLAS. My Unsolicited Advice to Australia’s political leaders.
This week I cheekily wrote to the leader of the Federal Opposition seeking an urgent appointment before he embarks on his party’s convention this weekend. Because I doubt that I will get to meet with him, here is what I would like to say to him and to the leaders of each of the other Continue reading »
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BOB DOUGLAS. Homelessness, a sign of increasing Australian Inequality that we must now address.
The growing number of people sleeping rough on the streets of our cities has alerted many Australians to the fact that Australia is no longer the egalitarian society we once were, and that, as in other western democracies, inequality is on the rise. Continue reading »
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BOB DOUGLAS. What will it take to restore governance to its rightful owners?
Around the world, and also here in Australia, voters are turning away from the political process, alarmed at the capture of political parties by vested interests, and alienated by the fact that the issues which concern and affect ordinary people, are being ignored. Our social and economic system is moving both funds and influence away Continue reading »
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BOB DOUGLAS. Changing drug law and practice to help rather than harm.
Last week Australia21, (www.australia21.org.au ), hosted a summit of experts on drug treatment, drug law and the social impact of drug use in Australia. The signatories included a former Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police, a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Melbourne, people who have been actively engaged in research into alcohol and drug Continue reading »
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BOB DOUGLAS. Time for Australia to lead in building a safer future
A combination of hazards threatens the continued survival of human civilization on Planet Earth. They are all man-made – and most are being systematically ignored or under-rated by political decision makers everywhere and especially, here in Australia. Continue reading »
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BOB DOUGLAS. Towards social and political transformation.
British writer and columnist, George Monbiot, has recently published an important book about national and global politics and the need for radical, cultural and political transformation. Entitled “Out of the wreckage: a new politics for an age of crisis”, the book boldly tackles economics, environmental threats, widespread voter alienation and the political corruption that pervades Continue reading »
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BOB DOUGLAS. Changing the Economic Narrative. How Feasible and How Soon?
What will it take to develop a new economy in Australia that seriously addresses the problems of human inequality and environmental degradation? What is required to place radical economic reform properly on the Australian political agenda? Continue reading »
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BOB DOUGLAS. How will we change the human story?
What do we need to do to make it likely that our children and theirs will inherit a flourishing, rather than a collapsing human world? Our politicians must surely be starting to realise that large numbers of Australians are thoroughly fed up with the fact that the wellbeing of all (not just some) humans, and Continue reading »
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BOB DOUGLAS An algal industry ready to bloom
A high level Roundtable held in Canberra in November 2017 concluded that algal technology can help to protect the Great Barrier Reef and create new jobs and growth for regional areas. Continue reading »
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BOB DOUGLAS. Are humans headed for early extinction?
Observing the national and international political scene, one could be forgiven for believing that all we need to do is promote economic growth and jobs and everything will be okay. We have become besotted with the idea that money and markets will solve all of our problems. Nothing could be further from the truth. Indeed, Continue reading »
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Bob Douglas and Claire Higgins. Beyond Operation Sovereign Borders.
Recently in The Saturday Paper Max Opray reported on the harrowing story of two 16 year-old Vietnamese asylum seekers, who have been removed from their Adelaide school without warning, and placed in closed detention in Darwin. The boys are among around 30,000 asylum seekers who are currently in Australia awaiting resolution of their protection claims. Many Continue reading »
