Melbouru ne University Magazine AUGUST EDITION 2007 Noise: A loud and clear cinematic success story for Matthew Saville Medical tourism: First world medicine at third world prices? Climate change: Can we get it right? Analysis: David Hicks’ guilty plea, what it really means Review Noise: An Australian Medical tourism film of striking 04 06 power 08 Melbourne University Magazine 2 0 07, Editorial Board August Edition Sean Cubitt – Director Media and Melbourne University Magazine is a publication Communications Program for alumni and friends of the University of Faculty of Arts (Chair) Melbourne. All correspondence relating to Silvia Dropulich – Writer & Editor, Marketing the editorial content of the magazine should & Communications (Editor/Managing Editor) be addressed to: Campbell Bairstow – General Manager, The Editor: Silvia Dropulich Alumni Relations, Advancement Melbourne University Magazine, Marketing and Communications, Dr Elizabeth Presa – Head and Academic The University of Melbourne, Coordinator, Centre for Ideas, VCA Victoria 3010 Dr Philip Batterham – Associate Professor Phone: +61 3 8344 7999 and Reader, Bio21 Institute of Molecular Fax: +61 3 8344 4921 Science and Biotechnology Email: [email protected] Dr Douglas Parbery – Committee of Cover: From the movie Noise, image supplied Convocation courtesy of Madman Cinema Change of address: Yee Fui Ng – International Law Alumna If you would like to be added to the Views expressed by contributors are not Melbourne University Magazine mailing list, or necessarily endorsed by the University report a change of address, please direct your ISSN: 1442–1349 enquiries to: Phone: +61 3 8344 1751 Fax: +61 3 9348 0013 Email: [email protected] Web: www.unimelb.edu.au/alumni Melbourne University Magazine Climate change Analysis: David Hicks’ guilty plea, what it 10 14 really means Contents 3 From the Vice-Chancellor 4 Imagination provides insights into ethics 6 Noise: a loud and clear cinematic success story for Matthew Saville 8 Medical tourism in Asia: First world medicine at third world prices? 10 Climate change – the most signifi cant environmental and economic issue facing Australia for the remainder of this century 13 Government called on to ‘kick-start’ the nuclear industry 14 Analysis: David Hicks’ guilty plea, what it really means 17 Alumni in Print 18 Alumni News 21 Giving to the University 22 University News 28 Queen’s Birthday Honours Melbourne University Magazine 1 Australia’s Best Research Training The University of Melbourne - Leading Australia’s Research Australia’s Leading - Melbourne of University The Are you one of Australia’s brightest minds? At Melbourne you can realise your dreams. We are seeking high calibre students to become partners in our research endeavours. To facilitate this, we provide a wide range of scholarships including living allowances (stipends), fee remissions and support for research and studies undertaken overseas. e University of Melbourne is recognised internationally as a leader in graduate research studies and for the breadth and quality of its research higher degree programs. As one of our students, you will have access to an unparalleled array of opportunities to work with leading researchers in highest quality facilities, and to develop skills for your future career. In addition to providing a dynamic and extremely well regarded research environment, the University boasts a superb campus environment and extensive support services, including a dedicated centre for postgraduate students. e University is also close to the heart of cosmopolitan Melbourne. To find out more about undertaking a graduate research degree at Melbourne, visit www.gradstudies.unimelb.edu.au or email [email protected] For information about scholarships, visit www.postgradschols.unimelb.edu.au 2 Melbourne University Magazine From the Vice-Chancellor 2007 has been a watershed year for the It celebrates the alumni, staff and There is an insightful interview University of Melbourne as it gears up students of the University whose with Victorian College of the Arts for the introduction of the Melbourne contributions to scholarship, research (VCA) graduate and up-and-coming Model next year. and a wide range of professional director/writer Matthew Saville and community activities has been whose first feature filmNoise is Close attention has been given to recognised in the 2007 Queen’s Birthday impressing audiences nationally and finalising the shape and form of new Honours. internationally. Now a faculty of the professional Masters programs and the University, the VCA has brought along a six ‘new generation’ undergraduate MUM also looks at the pressing issue of rich array of arts talent. degrees which will join several climate change from two perspectives. continuing programs in 2008. University of Melbourne anthropologist University agronomist Professor Snow Andrea Whitakker sheds light on the The University is also moving to a more Barlow was one of a handful of scientists phenomenon of ‘medical tourism’ student-centred approach to student asked to comment on whether Al Gore’s which offers third-world prices for services delivery. Students need to access Inconvenient Truth was scientifically first-world medical treatments, and a range of services – administrative, sound. He discusses whether our society University humanitarian lawyer, academic and well-being – in a will ‘get it right’ on climate change and Professor Tim McCormack – an expert consistent, seamless format through explores the challenges that climate witness for the defence in the David faculty/graduate school hubs operating change is setting us. Hicks’ trial – analyses the outcome of as ‘one-stop-shops’. the David Hicks’ saga. MUM also reports on a recent While these important developments University forum where Melbourne There’s also plenty of news and views on are underway, the University’s alumnus Dr Ziggy Switkowski, Chair the University. I hope you enjoy it all. remarkable community of scholars and of the Australian Nuclear Science and students continues to teach, to learn, Technology Organisation, discussed the Glyn Davis to carry out research and to transfer issue of nuclear power as a viable option Vice-Chancellor knowledge. to combat climate change in Australia. This issue of the Melbourne University Magazine (MUM) captures some of that work and shares it with some 160 000 alumni and friends in more than 120 countries. Melbourne University Magazine 3 4 Melbourne University Magazine Image supplied courtesy of Melbourne University Publishing Imagination provides insights into ethics Review by Loane SKene, Professor of Law, University of Melbourne rofessor Margaret Somerville is Children should be accepted and loved will be more resources to help those an internationally renowned by their parents unconditionally. who acquire disabilities in later life. lawyer and bioethicist at Same sex marriages and the provision McGill University in Montreal. of reproductive technology except Fears that prospective parents will rush P for married heterosexual couples is to IVF and PGD for ‘enhancement’ The cover of her recent book shows wrong because we should respect the seem ill founded as the vast majority a bird sitting on a man’s shoulder. traditional concept of marriage and of couples will seek IVF only to avoid Professor Somerville says that for ‘keep the biological links between extreme risks. With SCNT, it is a her, the bird ‘symbolises the human parents and children’ which is criminal offence to implant embryos spirit, imagination, freedom and a ‘natural biological reality’. used in research into women so those the capacity and courage to explore embryos cannot develop into a child. physical, intellectual and spiritual We should not create human embryos Also, SCNT embryos contain DNA unknowns’. This imagination, for research by somatic cell nuclear almost entirely from one person drawing on experience, might provide transfer (SCNT, the ‘Dolly technique’) so they are different from embryos insights into the ethical issues that because that undermines the formed by the fertilisation of a human arise from modern technology dignity of human life. And creating egg by human sperm which contain and its potential applications. ‘transhumans’ (who are partly human the DNA from both parents. and partly machines) will lead to ‘a Professor Somerville argues that respect future in which humans as we know And there are many types of family. for all life, and in particular human them will become obsolete and will What matters for a child’s development life, and for the human spirit, should be replaced by redesigning Homo is being reared in a loving and make us pause before we make decisions sapiens with technoscience such supportive environment. The new that our children and grandchildren as genetics, artificial intelligence, biotechnologies have much to offer will regret and be unable to remedy. robotics and nanotechnology’. in helping us to understand cellular There should be ‘a presumption in favour of the natural’ and a reverence “There should be a ‘presumption in for the mystery of life without trying to change it. While it is ethically favour of natural’ and a reverence for permissible to use technology ‘to repair nature when it fails’, we the mystery of life…” should not use it ‘to realize what would be an impossible outcome Many of these ideas are obviously development, bodily functions and through natural processes’. contentious but they are advanced disease and the development of new