Politics put aside to celebrate uni ties
 Alumni
A federal political alumni network - believed to be the first established by an ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥n university - has been launched by the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ of Adelaide at Parliament House in Canberra. Some of the country's most senior politicians put aside party differences to celebrate their alma mater at the event in May. Deputy Prime Minister the Hon. Julia Gillard MP and her Liberal Opposition counterpart the Hon. Julie Bishop MP were among a group of ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥'s most influential people to become founding members of the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ of Adelaide's Federal Parliamentary Alumni Network. Instigated by arts graduate Senator Natasha Stott Despoja, the network will provide an opportunity for federal Members of Parliament and key parliamentary staff to re-engage with fellow ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ of Adelaide graduates on a semi-regular basis. Ms Stott Despoja, whose term as a Senator for South ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ ended last month, is a Visiting Research Fellow at the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ of Adelaide in the School of History & Politics. She is a former president of the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥'s Students' Association and was Leader of the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥n Democrats in 2001-2002. Her fellow alumni include: Senator Penny Wong, Minister for Climate Change and Water; ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥n Ambassador to the United Nations the Hon. Robert Hill; ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥n Ambassador to Italy Ms Amanda Vanstone; Senator Nick Xenophon; and more than 20 current parliamentarians representing all political parties. "We hope this alumni network will allow Members of Parliament and associated staff who are graduates of this ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ to build closer links, regardless of their political affiliations," said the Vice-Chancellor and President of the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ of Adelaide, Professor James McWha, who officially launched the network at Parliament House. "At present, many of them are unaware they share a common alma mater and their only contact with each other is a brief acknowledgement in the great corridors of Parliament House." The network will aim to meet twice a year in Canberra, with the Vice-Chancellor and senior ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ of Adelaide staff in attendance. Earlier in the day, the Vice-Chancellor hosted a lunch for more than 100 alumni at the National Museum of ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥. Distinguished alumni who attended the lunch included the Secretary of the Department of Climate Change, Mr Martin Parkinson, and celebrated scientist and smallpox pioneer Professor Frank Fenner. Story by Candy Gibson
|
