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Presentation by Dr Helen Swan

Governing for sustainability requires the harmonising and integration of social, economic and environmental imperatives. This in turn calls for greater policy coherence and creating and maintaining appropriate institutional arrangements, incorporating both horizontal and vertical joining up of governance. Helen’s PhD study examined ways of governing for coherence and sustainability using the Australian Federal Government experience from 1996 to 2007. The research also examined the extent of sustainable governance in Australian state, territory and local government spheres. The outcome of the study produced a policy and implementation framework and offers the potential for a more consistent approach to governing for sustainability across Australia.

Helen has a deep academic and practitioner base underpinning her twenty years of experience in the public and private sector. She is a Senior Consultant with Courage Partners, a Canberra based management consulting firm specialising in review, evaluation, facilitation, research, consultation and performance management. Prior to joining Courage, Helen held executive level positions for ten years in the Australian Government Departments of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government and Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. Helen has also held management positions in the NSW and ACT Governments and in the NSW local government sector at a senior management level. Her professional qualifications include Bachelor and Master Degrees in Social Planning and Policy from Charles Sturt University-Riverina and a PhD (Government) from the University of Canberra.

Register by 14 October 2010