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Join us for an insightful lecture on Timor-Leste’s current challenges in establishing itself as an independent nation.
Timor-Leste is both the youngest and the smallest country in the south-east Asian region and lies just 650 kms north of Australia. Despite a turbulent and troubled history, including 25 years of brutal occupation by Indonesia, it has forged a strong national identity since independence in 2002. Yet the path to a sustainable and self-determined future for Timor-Leste remains a rocky one. Its economy relies overwhelmingly on finite reserves of oil and gas, and the underlying challenges of poverty, food insecurity, an under-resourced health sector and lack of employment opportunities remain.
Since 2019, Julie has worked with Maluk Timor, a Timorese NGO that partners with the Timorese government to strengthen the skills and capabilities of Timor-Leste’s primary health care network. Through the prism of this work, she will discuss Timor-Leste’s recent history, how it shapes Timor-Leste today and the challenges ahead for this young and fragile country.
Biography
Julie Hamblin has worked for more than 25 years as a lawyer and policy consultant in health law, clinical risk, disability and international development. She has served on numerous government and other advisory bodies in the health sector, including the Australian Research Integrity Committee, the NSW Health Ethics Advisory Panel, and the Attorney-General’s International Pro Bono Advisory Group. She has a particular interest in global health having worked with the United Nations Development Programme and other organisations on projects relating to public health and HIV/AIDS in more than 20 countries in Asia, the Pacific, Africa and Eastern
Julie is an experienced non-executive director across a range of organisations, including Chair of AVI and Autism Spectrum Australia, Deputy Chair of Plan International Australia, and the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman. For the last five years, she has chaired the Board of Maluk Timor Australia, an NGO dedicated to strengthening primary health care in Timor-Leste.
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