Michael Kirby is one of Australia’s most admired public figures. When he retired from the High Court of Australia in February 2009, Kirby was Australia’s longest serving judge. In addition to his judicial duties, he has served on many national and international bodies, including the World Health Organisation’s Global Commission on AIDS, the International Commission of Jurists, the UNESCO International Bioethics Committee, the UNAIDS Reference Group on HIV and Human Rights, and the UNDP Global Commission on HIV and the Law.
Kirby’s new book, A Private Life, is a very personal memoir in which he reflects on his early life, about being gay, about his 42-year relationship with Johan van Vloten, about his religious beliefs and even about his youthful infatuation with James Dean.
Michael Kirby will be in conversation with Peter Mares.
Featuring
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Michael Kirby is one of Australia’s most admired public figures. When he retired from the High Court of Australia in February 2009, Kirby was Australia’s longest serving judge. In addition to his judicial duties, he has served on many national and international bodies, including the World Health... Read more

Peter Mares is lead moderator with The Cranlana Programme, an independent, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to developing the ethical decision-making skills of Australia’s leaders. Peter is also contributing editor at Inside Story magazine and adjunct fellow at Swinburne University’s Centr... Read more
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