Free Island of Ideas talk: Australia and the Trump Effect

As announcements from the White House capture global attention, many Australians are left asking what a second Trump presidency might mean for them.

Tariffs on Australian goods raise important questions about the future of trade and the resilience of Australia’s economy. Simultaneously, the retreat of the United States from multilateral engagement, including funding cuts to the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the dismantling of international famine monitoring and aid programs, raises concerns for humanitarian response, scientific collaboration, and health system preparedness across our country.

And as American institutions debate the role of diversity, inclusion, and gender equity, what ripple effects are already being felt in Australian workplaces, policymaking, and public debate?

In parallel, the weakening of longstanding legal protections such as the right to a trial before imprisonment or deportation, signals a broader dismantling of the international rules-based order. These changes carry profound implications for human rights, diplomacy, and global accountability.

Hear from our experts in international relations, economics, public health, and equity and diversity to explore how recent changes in US policy and leadership are reverberating in Australia – and what this might mean for our future.

The experts

• Professor Nicole Asquith, Professor of Policing and Emergency Management, Convenor of the Australian Hate Crime Network and Co-Convenor of the Tasmanian Prejudice Related Violence Working Group, University of Tasmania 

• Dr Matt Killingsworth, Senior Lecturer in International Relations, University of Tasmania 

• Saul Eslake, independent economist, Corrina Economic Advisory and Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow at the University of Tasmania

• Professor Mark Nelson, Chair, Discipline of General Practice, and Senior Member, Menzies Research Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania

• Hosted by Dr Hannah Murphy, Senior Lecturer, Politics and Public Policy within the School of Social Sciences at the University of Tasmania

Pre-event refreshments

Head to the venue early and enjoy complimentary refreshments from 5.30pm.

Parking

Free parking is available at the venue.

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Find out more

Want to learn more about the University of Tasmania’s Island of Ideas public talks series? Catch-up on past events, register for upcoming talks or get in touch with us via our Island of Ideas webpage.