A spotlight on Education in Australia - In Conversation with the Hon. Julie Bishop

In partnership with The Australian National University, Crescent Institute invites you to an evening with guest speaker the Hon. Julie Bishop, former Minister and Deputy leader of the Liberal party and Chancellor of The Australian National University, in conversation with SBS Political Reporter, Sara Tomevska for our inaugural ACT networking event on Wednesday, 31 May 2023.

Join us for an engaging evening where we'll discuss how Australia can reduce inequities in its education system. We'll delve into tackling system-level policies that hinder equity in education, including school choice and funding. Additionally, we'll explore how continued support for professional development of teachers and education leaders can have long-lasting impacts that benefit the entire education system.

As Chancellor of The Australian National University, the Hon. Julie Bishop will engage the audience on topics of national importance including Australian politics, leadership, education and the role of women in public life. The event is sure to attract a diverse audience and spark meaningful conversations.

About Hon. Julie Bishop

The Hon Julie Bishop is Chancellor of The Australian National University, appointed in 2020.

Ms Bishop served as Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2013 until 2018. She was the first female to hold the role as well as the first female Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party, serving for 11 years.

As Foreign Minister, Ms Bishop was responsible for strengthening Australia's key strategic and economic relationships with Ministerial responsibility for more than 5,000 departmental staff, 110 overseas missions, and several government agencies, including the Australian Secret Intelligence Service and the Australian Centre for International Agriculture Research.

In 2014, she led the international response to the downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine and was awarded the Commander of the Order of Merit of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Under her leadership, the 2017 Foreign Policy White Paper was developed, providing a comprehensive policy framework for the next decade. The New Colombo Plan was established, enabling Australian undergraduates to live, study and work in the Indo-Pacific region. Within five years, more than 40,000 students have participated in the Plan.

In a political career spanning over 20 years, Julie served as Minister for Education, Science and Training, Minister for Women's Issues and Minister for Ageing.

Prior to entering politics, Ms Bishop was Managing Partner of the National law firm Clayton Utz in Perth.

About Sara Tomevska

Sara Tomevska is a cross platform political reporter with SBS in Canberra. Originally from Sydney, she worked at ABC Broken Hill for 18 months, where she won a Kennedy Award for her coverage of the Menindee fish kills in 2019.