Wide-ranging topics such as tax evasion and corruption, to whistle-blowing and secret surveillance, came under the microscope at the inaugural Global Integrity Summit at Griffith University this week.
With more than 25 international and Australian speakers representing every country at the G20, the summit examined the vital role integrity plays in each of this year’s G20 agenda areas.
They included integrity issues related to building, infrastructure, finance, tax and development. The summit also heard speakers discuss global values for global problems, transparency and privacy and the role of professionalism in promoting integrity.
Renowned human rights barrister Geoffrey Robertson QC, who also presented the 2014 Griffith Lecture entitled ‘What Global Integrity?’, gave the opening address.
In his speech, Mr Robertson discussed a range of issues including corruption, immigration and the Australian judiciary system.
Mr Robertson has appeared as counsel in many leading cases in constitutional, criminal and international law and served as first President of the UN War Crimes Court in Sierra Leone. He has also represented WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
The Honourable Professor Robert Hill AC presented the opening address on day two of the summit.
Mr Hill was a member of the Australian Senate from 1981 to 2006, representing South Australia. He was the ambassador to the United Nations from 2006 to 2009.
Pro Vice Chancellor, Arts, Education & Law Professor Paul Mazerolle said the Global Integrity Summit represented a unique opportunity to consider and confront the role of integrity across the entirety of the G20 agenda.
“The Global Integrity Summit represents an important step forward and provides a necessary platform for ensuring matters of integrity are considered in tandem with the wider G20 agenda.”