Bill Shorten to present 26th Sir Richard Kirby Lecture

Oct 17, 2006

Mr Bill Shorten, the National Secretary of The Australian Workers’ Union (AWU) who rose to national prominence during the Beaconsfield Mine disaster and rescue, will present the 26th Sir Richard Kirby Public Lecture today (Tuesday 17 October) at the University of Wollongong.

Mr Shorten is a member of the Australian Labor Party National Executive and in March this year was pre-selected as the Labor candidate for the Federal Seat of Maribyrnong at the next Federal election. He also serves on the ACTU Executive and as a director of Australian Super and a director of the Victorian Funds Management Corporation.

The AWU is the country’s oldest and most diverse union, with more than 135,000 members, 200 staff and 33 offices across non-metropolitan Australia.

The Sir Richard Kirby Lecture series began in the late 1970s with the late Sir Richard presenting the first lecture. Since then the lecture series has included presentations by Fred Hilmer, John Hewson, Simon Crean, Bill Kelty, Meg Lees, Jennie George, Bob Hawke and Justice Michael Kirby. It is believed that UOW holds the record for running Australia’s longest standing public lecture series on matters pertaining to the employment relationship.

The 45-minute lecture will include a question time from members of the audience. The lecture has been organised through UOW’s School of History and Politics.

Media please note:

The public lecture begins at 6.30pm but media may meet in advance of the lecture with Mr Shorten at 4.30pm today in the Vice-Chancellor’s Unit (top floor of Administration, Bldg 36). [Copies of Mr Shorten’s address are expected to be available after 2pm today – contact Bernie Goldie, Media Unit, University of Wollongong, if you wish to receive a copy by emailling bgoldie@uow.edu.au or phone (02) 4221 5942.

Lecture venue: Room 104, McKinnon Building (Bldg 67)

For further information contact Associate Professor Di Kelly, School of History and Politics on 4221 3612.

For more information, contact:

media@uow.edu.au
University of Wollongong
Ph: (02) 4221 5942; fax (02) 4221 3128