The referendum on the Voice to Parliament could be the most important decision many Australians will make this year.
To get it right we need a sober and informed public debate drawing on expertise and accurate reporting. This is where The Conversation has a vital role to play: we publish explanatory journalism written by experts that cuts through the hyperbole to provide clarity.
We are committed to playing a role that is non-partisan and educational and we don’t want to merely amplify the agendas set by others. That’s why this week we are sending readers a short survey with a simple question: "What do you need to know about the Voice to Parliament referendum?" Your feedback will inform our coverage so please click on the link and let us know your thoughts.
I’d like to tell you more about one key aspect of our Voice to Parliament coverage. Reports such as the 2022 Reuters Digital News Report tell us that social media platforms that feature video and animated content play a key role in engaging younger news consumers and those from diverse communities.
These platforms are also fertile ground for misinformation and assumption. Recently, our multi-media team received a seed grant that will support the rollout of a civic education campaign across social media platforms, but we need more funding to build our digital resourcing and implementation. If you can help with this work, please consider making a donation today.
We’ve got a lot to do and I’d better get on with it. If you want to know more about our plans, read on to find out when you can join a Conversation news conference. Questions and ideas following the conference are always welcome!
Best wishes
Misha Ketchell
P.S. Professor Mark Scott AO was last week appointed the new chair of The Conversation board. Mark is the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sydney and was previously Managing Director of the ABC and Secretary of the NSW Department of Education. It’s hard to think of anyone better equipped to lead The Conversation’s next phase. We’re pleased to welcome him and also thank Professor Julianne Schultz AM FAHA for her three years of distinguished service as Chair.
CUTTING | Through the noise: Voice to Parliament
Support our digital education campaign. Our multimedia team are working hard to develop our digital storytelling to support our Voice to Parliament coverage.
If you would like to help us seed the digital space with accurate and independent information that combats misinformation and encourages respectful discourse, please make a donation to The Conversation today.
WEBINAR | Join us for Conversation news conference | Monday 20 March 2023 | 9–11.30am AEDT
News conference is at the heart of how The Conversation works. It is where our editors pitch ideas, discuss the news agenda and latest research.
We invite our supporters to join us online for a peek at how The Conversation is made and hear more about our plans for 2023. Please note you will only be allowed to observe the news conference but please stay online after the conference has finished to hear directly from our editor Misha Kitchell. This will also be your opportunity to put your questions to our editor and share your thoughts on our work.
- Where: online
- Cost: Free
- Bookings: online through Humanitix
ASKING | Would you like to see more of us?
Supporters of The Conversation show us that what we do is valued. Contributions help us develop new approaches to digital storytelling, grow our editorial capacity and keep our content free of paywalls and ads.
We're not ones for glitzy gala dinners (we spend our funds on coverage, not canapés) but we would like to offer our valued donors an opportunity to meet our team and gain a deeper understanding of our work. Please let us know what kind of events you would value by answering two questions (click the button below to let us know your thoughts).
APPOINTING | Mark Scott Chair of The Conversation Media Group
"My observation as Vice-Chancellor is that The Conversation has afforded our scholars unique opportunities to engage in and lead public debate on key issues of vital importance to Australian society - from pandemic preparedness to gender equity in the workforce.I also see the important role The Conversation plays in providing quality research to journalists and broadens access to deep disciplinary experts, particularly given the significant decline in subject matter experts in our nation's newsrooms."
Professor Mark Scott AO, recently appointed Chair of The Conversation Media Group
ENGAGING | Conversation events in Brisbane | 25 March 2023
Join The Conversation's Lee Constable at the World Science Festival in Brisbane for 'Ask me anything (about the human body)'.
Our panel of experts will tackle such gnarly questions as: Is there a right position to sleep in? Are sugar rushes real? And are manicures bad for your health?
Speakers:
- Dr Mike Todorovic (Griffith University)
- Lauren Ball (The University of Queensland)
- Christian Moro (Bond University)
All our Friends of the Conversation receive a 20% discount.
- Where: World Science Festival in Brisbane
- Cost: Get 20% discount by visiting the WSFB website, adding tickets to your basket and using ‘WSFBGUEST23’ in the Promotion Code box and clicking 'apply'.
- Bookings: Secure your tickets for this interactive evening that will illuminate the body from head to toe.