Michael Kirby Lecture Series: Bioethics and human rights on the agenda

The fifth annual Michael Kirby Lecture series, presented by the Southern Cross University School of Law and Justice, will this year feature Associate Professor Thomas Faunce from the Australian National University who will be discussing the topic - 'Global Artificial Photosynthesis: An Emerging Challenge for Bioethics, Health Law and Human Rights'.

The free keynote address will be delivered in the Whitebrook Theatre at Southern Cross University's Lismore campus on Friday, May 20 at 6pm. A dinner will follow at the on-campus Zest Restaurant with The Hon Michael Kirby AC CMG, retired Justice of the High Court of Australia, attending as dinner speaker. The dinner starts at 7.30pm and tickets are $75.

Associate Professor Faunce, based in the ANU College of Law and College of Medicine, is an Australian Research Council Future Fellow (2010-2013) researching nanotechnology and global health. He is appointed jointly at the Australian National University College of Law and College of Medicine, Biology and the Environment.

His address will consider how adverse human health impacts of ecological stresses such as pollution, deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, deficiencies in basic energy and food supplies create acknowledged global issues like contemporary bioethics, domestic health law and international human rights.

This lecture will explore how intellectual monopoly privileges (IMPs) such as patents, for example, without proper bioethical and health law and human rights regulation, may inhibit the important contribution of nanotechnology-based artificial photosynthesis to global public and environmental health.

Professor Faunce served as Judges Associate to the late Justice Lionel Murphy, High Court of Australia, and practised as a barrister and solicitor in two of Australia's most successful law firms (Mallesons in Canberra and Freenhills in Sydney). He then practised intensive care medicine for 12 years in Wagga Wagga, Canberra and Melbourne.

His PhD on regulation of the Human Genome Project was awarded the prestigious JG Crawford Prize in 2001 by the ANU.

The Michael Kirby Lecture Series will be held on Friday, May 20. For more information email lawevents@scu.edu.au or telephone 02 6620 3109.
Lecture: free and open to the public.
Dinner: $75 a ticket.

Media Opportunity: Friday, May 20, 4.30pm. The Hon Michael Kirby AC CMG will be signing copies of his biography Michael Kirby: Paradoxes & Principles by A J Brown at the Co-op Bookshop, SCU Lismore campus.

Photo: Associate Professor Thomas Faunce from the Australian National University will deliver the free keynote address for the fifth annual Michael Kirby Lecture series to be held at Southern Cross University.