Lok Sang Ho
Prof. Lok Sang Ho, an economist with a doctorate from the University of Toronto, is a veteran policy analyst with diverse interests ranging from international finance, wellbeing studies, housing, macroeconomic policy, and life education. He is the Director of Pan Sutong Shanghai-HK Economic Policy Research Institute and Director of China Economic Research Programme as well as Director of the STEAM Education and Research Centre. His book, Public Policy and the Public Interest is the first book on public policy that includes a chapter on human nature, and it also offers a formal definition of the public interest, which should be the only focus of all governments. He writes a weekly column for the China Daily.
Thang Nguyen Quoc
Thang Nguyen-Quoc, Ph.D. leads Oxford Economics Asias Macro consulting team in Singapore. Prior to joining OE in 2022, Thang spent a decade delivering flagship economic reports on Southeast Asian and African economies at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris. He also worked in various roles at the World Bank, National Academy of Social Sciences (US), and Vietnam Commercial Bank. He got a Ph.D. in International Economics from University Paris-Dauphine, M.Sc. from Barcelona School of Economics and B.A. from Ohio Wesleyan University.
Hans Zoellner
Hans Zoellner was formerly the head and professor of Oral Pathology in the Sydney Dental School. He continues his academic work of teaching, research and service as a freelance consultant academic in his company Strongarch. He holds honorary appointments in biomedical engineering in the Universities of Sydney and NSW. He is a member of the Australian Association of University Professors, and a supporter of Public Universities Australia.
John Kampert
Retired Accountant, aged 81. I qualified in the Australia in the 1970’s and have worked as an accountant worked in private enterprise and the public service. I have become interested in the politics and economics of money and finance since my retirement and found the internet a fascinating source of information. Most of which unfortunately is NOT common knowledge. It seems the professions prefer to keep the public undereducated.
David Shoebridge
Senator David Shoebridge
- State: Member of the Legislative Council (NSW) from 2010 to 2022.
- Federal: Elected to the Senate for New South Wales, 2022.
Committee service
- Joint Select: National Anti-Corruption Commission Legislation served from 29.9.2022 to 10.11.2022
- Joint Standing: Implementation of the National Redress Scheme served from 6.3.2023 to present; Migration served from 25.3.2024 to present
- Joint Statutory: Law Enforcement served from 26.7.2022 to present; Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity served from 26.7.2022 to 1.7.2023; National Anti-Corruption Commission served from 9.2.2023 to present; Human Rights served from 4.7.2024 to present
- Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing: Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Legislation served from 26.7.2022 to present; Legal and Constitutional Affairs: References served from 26.7.2022 to present; Economics: References served as Substitute member from 28.9.2022 to 30.11.2023; Finance and Public Administration: Legislation served as Substitute member from 9.3.2023 to 31.7.2023; Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade: Legislation served as Substitute member from 22.6.2023 to present; Economics: Legislation served as Substitute member from 30.11.2023 to 28.2.2024; Finance and Public Administration: References served as Substitute member from 7.12.2023 to present
- Senate Select: Australia’s Disaster Resilience served from 1.12.2022 to present; Adopting Artificial Intelligence served as Deputy Chair from 27.3.2024 to present
Parliamentary party positions
- Australian Greens. Served: 01.07.2022 to present
- Australian Greens Spokesperson for Justice, Defence and Veterans’ Affairs and Digital Rights from 17.6.2022 to 15.5.2023.
- Australian Greens Spokesperson for Justice, Defence, Veterans’ Affairs, Digital Rights and Science from 15.5.2023 to 25.3.2024.
- Australian Greens Spokesperson for Defence and Veterans’ Affairs, Digital Rights and IT, Home Affairs, Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs and Justice (includes Attorney-General and Drug Law Reform) from 25.3.2024.
Guest author John Woods
Monsignor John Woods is a priest of the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn, Parish Priest of Transfiguration Parish, North Woden and Episcopal Vicar for Catholic schools of the archdiocese. He is also chaplain to the Canberra Raiders Rugby League Club and was recently inducted as a Life Member.
Paul Sadler
Paul Sadler. Few people have as much experience in the aged care sector as Paul. 38 years, to be exact. He’s been a national and state CEO of aged care industry associations, CEO of a major aged care provider, and influencer of ageing policy, disability and community care programs for both national and state governments. He is a co-founder of Invox with Roland Naufal.
Jeff Sparrow
Jeff Sparrow is a writer, broadcaster and Walkley award-winning journalist. He is a former 3RRR Breakfaster and a former editor of Overland literary journal. His recent books include Provocations: New and Selected Writing, Crimes Against Nature: Capitalism and Global Heating, Trigger Warnings: Political Correctness and the Rise of the Right, and No Way But This: In Search of Paul Robeson. He lectures at the Centre for Advancing Journalism at the University of Melbourne.
Miro Sandev
Miro Sandev is a high school teacher and anti-war activist. He is a member of Teachers and School Staff for Palestine NSW, Solidarity and the Sydney Anti-AUKUS Coalition. He lives on unceded Wangal land.
Roland Naufal
Roland has built (and at times threatened) his career by being outspoken about things that matter. He has over three decades of experience – from aged care CEO and Age Friendly Cities expert to the founder of DSC, Australia’s best known NDIS educators. Roland co-founded Invox with Paul Sadler.
Clive Edwards
Clive Edwards is a retired academic. An economist. Phd from ANU 1966. I mainly worked in Universities (ANU, University of Queensland). In the late 70s I spent a year as academic in residence with DFA where one of my roles was to provide advice to the then Foreign Minister, Andrew Peacock, on economic developments in Asia and the implications for Australia. This area has been my principal focus and I have had quite extensive experience in East Asia, particularly in the countries of South East Asia together with Taiwan and South Korea. I live in Brisbane.
Besjana Hajdarmataj
Besjana is a writer and editor specialising in technology, digital trends, and ethical issues. With a keen eye for emerging technologies, the author explores their impact on society, highlighting both their benefits and challenges through clear, insightful analysis.
Romana Rubeo
Romana Rubeo is an Italian writer and the managing editor of The Palestine Chronicle. Her articles appeared in many online newspapers and academic journals. She holds a Master’s Degree in foreign languages and literature and specializes in audio-visual and journalism translation.
LEE Youngah
LEE, Youngah (Activist, Center for Peace and Disarmament of People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy(PSPD))
Peter Maywald
Peter Maywald worked in senior commonwealth and state administrative positions (Ombudsman and human rights) for over 15 years and was Secretary to the Government of Norfolk Island for 7 years.
Daz Chandler
Daz Chandler is a documentary filmmaker and interdisciplinary storyteller with a background in media and human rights advocacy. Their work explores the intersections of philosophy, ethics, history, technology and parallel worlding frameworks.
Jim Anthony
Jim Anthony earned his PhD at ANU (Pacific History and Politics, 1971) He has traveled widely in the Pacific (Fiji, Vanuatu, Samoa, New Caledonia, PNG. New Zealand). He has worked as a consultant in Japan, Malaysia, the then Soviet Union, in Holland, Malta, Canada and the United States.
Guest author Gregory Foster
Gregory D. Foster is a professor at the Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security & Resource Strategy, part of the National Defense University, where he previously has served as J. Carlton Ward Distinguished Professor and Director of Research, as well as the George C. Marshall Professor; head of the Strategic Human Capital Industry Study, the Environment Industry Study, and the China Regional Security Study. He is also chair of the NDU Faculty Advisory Council. A West Point graduate, Foster was an infantry company commander in the Vietnam War. He publishes regularly on a variety of national security-related subjects.
David Sanger
David E. Sanger is an American journalist who is the chief Washington correspondent for The New York Times, writing since 1982, covering foreign policy, Globalisation, Nuclear Proliferation, and the Presidency
Ronny Tong
The author is a former chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Association, a member of the Executive Council, and convener of the Path of Democracy.
Peter Morgan
Peter Morgan In over 40 years working in education, Peter has been a school leader for more than 25 years, including as principal in four very different schools. He hasled in remote, rural, regional, metropolitan, and international schools andtaught from kindergarten to university.Peter has worked as a school innovation consultant, leadership coach and trainer. He is a life member of NSW Secondary Principals Council.
Mahir Ali
Mahir Ali has worked as a journalist in Pakistan, the UAE and Australia across four decades.
Robert Smith
Robert Smith is an international development adviser, specialising in financial sector and private sector development. He is a graduate of Oxford University, born and raised in the UK and currently living in Oxford. He lived in Suva, Fiji between 2022 and 2024. He has written two books on Fiji under the series title “Fiji; Under Assault”.
Marie McInerney
Marie McInerney is an editor at Croakey and reports for the Croakey Conference News Service. She also contributes to various projects, including #JustJustice and #CripCroakey. She is a freelance journalist for a range of publications, including Croakey, BBC Australia, Thomson Reuters, the British Medical Journal, the Saturday Paper and Text Pacific publications, including the HCF member magazine. She is a member of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance and a former Board Member of ICAN (International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons) Australia. She has previously worked as a tutor on writing and journalism at RMIT.
Pearls and Irritations guest Zeyi Yang
Zeyi Yang is a journalist and podcaster based in New York City. Currently, Zeyi works as a China-focused reporter for MIT Technology Review.
He’s always keeping an eye out for stories on technology, LGBTIQ issues, immigration, and everything related to China. In his spare time, Zeyi co-founded a Mandarin podcast JI that tells LGBTIQ stories in China. One of the episodes has been viewed over 300,000 times on Weibo.