• Global Access Partners

    GAP 2025: A Year of Reinvention


    Catherine Fritz-Kalish |  December 13, 2025


    Global Access Partners, the publisher of Open Forum, continues to adapt its activities and processes in response to changing circumstances, economic pressures and national priorities.


  • Artificial Intelligence

    AI through the ages


    Michael Falk |  December 13, 2025


    Why are investors so keen to give billions to new firms building AI systems which generate next to no revenue? The allure of replacing every human job with a machine is one answer, but another might be the fact that AI is literally a mythical technology with deep roots in Western culture tapping people’s potential power of creation.


  • Media

    80% of Australian adults support the social media ban


    Open Forum |  December 13, 2025


    With Australia’s social media ban coming into force, a new survey from Monash University has found that almost four out of five Australian adults support the Australian government’s social media ban for children under 16.


Latest Story

  • Uncategorised

    Help your heart this Diabetes Awareness Week

    editor     |      July 8, 2011

    healthy heartAustralians are reminded to protect their hearts this Diabetes Awareness Week, 8-14 July, as the Australian Diabetes Council focuses in on simple lifestyle changes to protect from our country’s biggest killer.

    Diabetes is not only Australia’s fastest growing chronic disease, but one of the leading contributing factors in  cardiovascular disease. People with diabetes are three to four times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than those who do not have diabetes.

    This Diabetes Awareness Week, July 8-14, the Australian Diabetes Council is urging all Australians to be aware of simple changes that can be made to prevent cardiovascular related complications of diabetes such as heart attack and stroke.
    Australian Diabetes Council will launch a new diabetes and heart health booklet in Diabetes Awareness Week.

  • Usability, User Control, Safety and Privacy – Help is at hand!

    Malcolm Crompton     |      July 8, 2011

    We have seen the incredible impact of the iPhone and iPad on the every day lives of so many of us.  Overnight, they completely reset our expectations of benchmark usability.

    As a result, many of us are collecting and sharing more information than ever before.  Including personal information.

    But what are the safety implications of this new ease and appeal?

    Like a new, fast car, are we being seduced into driving too fast?  Do these new devices have sufficient safety features and are we sufficiently well educated and experienced to drive at the new speeds available to us?

  • Censorship of scientists cripples Australian climate debate

    Dr Gideon Polya     |      July 8, 2011

  • Australia to announce carbon tax of $23, say media reports

    PawasArora     |      July 7, 2011

    The Australian government is set to announced a carbon tax of $23 as the government concluded political negotiations with all the parties recently. Prime Minister Julia Gillard had led the negotiations with the Greens and Independents on several issues regarding the proposed carbon tax.

    Among other decisions taken during the negotiations, use of petrol by cars, light vehicles and small businesses has been exempted from the carbon tax. However, heavy commercial vehicles such as trucks have not been exempted. It is expected that public transport might eventually been affected by the carbon tax.

  • Doing Business in Singapore & Australia: Carrot vs Stick

    Michael Coomer     |      July 7, 2011

    Nearly four years ago, I began the process of moving the base of my business from Australia to Singapore, and I haven’t looked back. I am by no means the first person to make the observation that Singapore is a great environment in which to run a company.

  • The fight against corruption: protecting brand Australia

    Matthew Tukaki     |      July 6, 2011

    Possibly, for the first time in the history of business in Australia, we may see a series of prosecutions that specifically look at corrupt misconduct by an Australian organisation and its officials outside of the country.

    Securency International, a maker of Polymer bank notes and partly owned by Australia’s Reserve Bank, is at the centre of a scandal involving tens of millions of dollars across multiple countries.

    At the heart of the allegations lies the intent of officials to use third parties to secure lucrative contracts – in some cases, it would appear third parties who already have dubious reputations when it comes to doing business. While this is not a new event, we have seen bribery and corruption allegations come from the Australian Wheat Board (AWB) and sanction busting in Iraq, what is new is the possibility that these allegations could lead to prosecutions which could lead to convictions.

  • Hints of hypocrisy

    patrickcallioni     |      July 5, 2011

    It is only human to abhor a trait in others which we fear might be alive in oneself. In my case, that is hypocrisy. It is something I watch out for in my own behaviour, generally successfully, though not always.

    Because of that, I have finely developed antennae to help me detect this trait in others. Here are a few examples.

    First, states such as Western Australia and Queensland, which, having been mendicant states for decades, dependent on the charity of others – mainly New South Wales and Victoria – suddenly forget the charity extended to them when they become rich as a result of a geological accident that has given them rich ores to mine and export. In fact, their sin is triple, because it blends ingratitude, hypocrisy and hubris, hubris because they should know that there is no certainty in this world and today’s rich state might be tomorrow’s mendicant state, again.

  • Social Networking: LinkedIn, or left out

    Elise Keeling     |      July 4, 2011

    If your business hasn’t dabbled in social networking sites then chances are you’re missing out on enormous online audiences. 

  • Privacy has made it onto the agenda of world leaders

    Malcolm Crompton     |      June 29, 2011

    It seems to have been a long time coming, but as predicted earlier in Getting closer to Base Camp: the sherpa’s are unpacking the tents, it has arrived.

    Privacy has now been placed on the agenda of the world’s leadership. It has been inching its way there for some time in forums that get very close to the leadership.

  • Chuck Dickens: a good egg

    Josh O'Meara     |      June 20, 2011

  • The myth of a failed Japan

    Warren Reed     |      June 20, 2011

  • Why Australia’s defence needs a shake up

    patrickcallioni     |      June 20, 2011