Yesterday I was privileged to be invited to a lunch at Sydney's Centre for Independent Studies where the guest of honour was Australia's High Commissioner (=ambassador) to London, Alexander Downer. I was perhaps a little out of place among Sydney's business elite wearing their suits .. and usually ties. As usual, I managed to turn up looking a bit like a Silicon Valley nerd with open-neck check-shirt and drain-pipe pants, all bought from a surf-ware shops in which I have share-holding.
Anyway, the dinner and the company on my table were both excellent, and we had some energetic and productive discussion amongst ourselves.
The it was Alexander's turn to speak and what he had to say about the Brexit vote, its subsequent handling by the UK Government, the likely pluses and minuses for the UK itself and the remainder of the EU, potential impact on Australia and our global relationships, and whether we should sign a free trade deal with the UK and, indeed, the EU was masterly and thought-provoking. He also fielded questions ... one from me ... expertly and I gained the impression that Australia is well-served by his presence in London.
Participation in affairs of state at this level is for me an enduring joy and it reminded me that I've personally had the opportunity in many places to have my own say among our governing elite. For example, some 17 years ago I addressed an audience that had the governors of 4 Reserve Banks (Australia, NZ, PNG and Indonesia) sitting across the table from me. I've also presented at Canberra's Shine Dome, the HQ of the Academy of the Sciences, delivered keynote addresses to prestigious audiences, and been invited to national summits in such places as Canberra's Parliament House. And today, when I got home from Sydney, I found a voice message inviting me to sit on an expert panel at an inquiry into regional development being held by the Federal Government in Canberra on Monday week. And so it goes on, as I'm now part of a network funded by our Department of Foreign Affairs that brings together researchers from three countries: Australia, Chile and Argentina. Maybe a forthcoming post to this BLOG will come from one of those countries.
Enough of that! Now for a few pictures of yesterday's lunch, which was held in the CIS library. Here's the CIS's founder Greg Lindsay introducing the event ... I've known Greg for probably getting on for 40 years.
AS
Anyway, the dinner and the company on my table were both excellent, and we had some energetic and productive discussion amongst ourselves.
The it was Alexander's turn to speak and what he had to say about the Brexit vote, its subsequent handling by the UK Government, the likely pluses and minuses for the UK itself and the remainder of the EU, potential impact on Australia and our global relationships, and whether we should sign a free trade deal with the UK and, indeed, the EU was masterly and thought-provoking. He also fielded questions ... one from me ... expertly and I gained the impression that Australia is well-served by his presence in London.
Participation in affairs of state at this level is for me an enduring joy and it reminded me that I've personally had the opportunity in many places to have my own say among our governing elite. For example, some 17 years ago I addressed an audience that had the governors of 4 Reserve Banks (Australia, NZ, PNG and Indonesia) sitting across the table from me. I've also presented at Canberra's Shine Dome, the HQ of the Academy of the Sciences, delivered keynote addresses to prestigious audiences, and been invited to national summits in such places as Canberra's Parliament House. And today, when I got home from Sydney, I found a voice message inviting me to sit on an expert panel at an inquiry into regional development being held by the Federal Government in Canberra on Monday week. And so it goes on, as I'm now part of a network funded by our Department of Foreign Affairs that brings together researchers from three countries: Australia, Chile and Argentina. Maybe a forthcoming post to this BLOG will come from one of those countries.
Enough of that! Now for a few pictures of yesterday's lunch, which was held in the CIS library. Here's the CIS's founder Greg Lindsay introducing the event ... I've known Greg for probably getting on for 40 years.
And here's Alexander making his detailed analysis of events.
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