• Science and Technology

    Building trust into technology


    Jason Van der Schyff |  November 18, 2025


    Sovereignty in the digital age is not defined by where a company is registered; it’s defined by who controls operations, who accesses data, and which laws apply when pressure is applied.


  • Human Interest

    The end of the affair


    Open Forum |  November 18, 2025


    As Australians mark Movember and shine a light on men’s mental health, Relationships Australia NSW is calling for greater awareness of the emotional toll of relationship breakdown on men – and the need for better access to support services.


  • China

    Chinese sea power


    Basil Germond |  November 18, 2025


    China’s announcement of a new aircraft carrier is part of a rapid naval modernisation and expansion programme aimed to establish dominance in the oceans of the Asia-Pacific.


Latest Story

  • Our Medicare Vice

    Jeremy Sammut     |      March 22, 2011

    The recent report How! Not How Much: Medicare Spending and Health Resource Allocation in Australia argues that Medicare violates sound principles of insurance.

  • The economics of refugee policy

    patrickcallioni     |      March 20, 2011

    Let’s see if you can guess whose refugee policy this is:

    • Multiculturalism is a myth.
    • We are at risk of being swamped by undocumented immigrants.
    • Government is impotent to stop these people.
    • The only solution is to turn the boats back.

    Is it Tony Abbott or Scott Morrison or Julia Gillard? No, it is Marine Le Pen, doyenne of the French Right and leading light of the National Front, the daughter of a man who counts Adolf Hitler as one of his heroes. Marine Le Pen, the woman who is riding a wave of bigotry and racism in France to try to capture the presidency for herself and for her radical views.

  • Uncategorised

    Want to join our team?

    editor     |      March 18, 2011

    GAP logoGlobal Access Partners is currently recruiting in full-time and flexible roles, working across Open Forum and its sister publication First 5000. To discuss please contact hr@globalaccesspartners.org

  • Uncategorised

    Happy 100 IWD!

    editor     |      March 18, 2011
    SuffragetteOpen Forum celebrated the centenary of International Women’s Day with these blogs:  
     
    The Girl Effect – by Ulrike Schuerman
     
    Women of Sand – by Pilar Angon
     
    1000 Feministas – by Rosarela Meza
     
    Together We Can Change Our World – by Ulrike Schuermann
  • Women of Sand

    Pilar Angon     |      March 15, 2011

    On 8 March 2011, the centenary of International Women's Day, I was very honoured to be invited to address the Sydney Latin American Social Forum. This blog is a record of the speech I gave on the day.

    My name is Pilar Angon. I’m 33 years old and I’m Mexican. I came here today to talk about something very sensitive happening in Mexico: Femicide in Juarez City.

    I’ll talk about this issue while I’m sharing my story.

    When I was 17 I got pregnant, and that changed my life. Unlike other pregnant girls in my school, my parents didn’t hide me or kick me out of the house, they didn’t obligate me to marry my daughter’s father; and they always asked me what I wanted to do.

  • Moderate Population Growth the Best Path to Prosperity

    Graham Bradley AM     |      March 14, 2011

    On 28 February 2011, the Business Council of Australia (BCA) released its submission to government on a sustainable population strategy.

    Our view is that the main purpose of developing a national population strategy is to help chart a course towards Australia’s future that reflects the shared goals and aspirations of the Australian people.

    Having considered the current and future context for Australia, and considered the benefits and risks of different population choices, our submission argues that improving the quality of life of all Australians within prosperous, secure and liveable communities is more likely to be achieved through well-managed population growth over the first half of this century.

  • 1000 Feministas

    Rosarela Meza     |      March 11, 2011

  • Towards a Global Privacy Framework: Arriving at Base Camp

    Malcolm Crompton     |      March 10, 2011

  • Together we can change our world

    Ulrike Schuermann     |      March 8, 2011

    When most people think Girl Guides they probably don’t think of progressive girls and young women who play a significant advocacy role in local and global issues?

    Well,  think again everybody!

    This is precisely what the 10 million members of the world’s largest  volunteer organisation for girls and young women do, with memberships across 145 countries including Australia.

  • Web 2.0 democratising health

    Michael Gill     |      March 7, 2011

  • Of heroes and monsters

    patrickcallioni     |      March 6, 2011

  • The girl effect

    Ulrike Schuermann     |      March 3, 2011

    The girl effect: girl + school + cow > cows > buisness > $ > clean H20 > social change > stronger economy = better world!

    On the 8 March 2011 we will be celebrating the centennary of International Women’s Day – a good occasion to remind us of the plight of girls around the world.

    Did you realise that currently:

    • Women work two-thirds of the world’s working hours, produce half the world’s food, and yet earn only 10 % of the world’s income and own less than 1% of the world’s property?
    • Women make up 70% of the worlds 1.3 billion people who live in poverty?
    • Women over the age of 15 in the least developed countries are twice as likely to be illiterate than men.

    The solution? Social investment in girls.