Episode
The case for optimism: Michael Kirby looks beyond the dire headlines
- Published
- Aug 21, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 1748
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Summary
Has the world taken a wrong turn, or are we simply losing sight of how much progress has already been made? In the second part of this conversation, former Justice of the High Court of Australia Michael Kirby reveals why, after years of working in the courts and in international aid, he is convinced that the world is moving in the right direction. Pointing to progress made in the treatment of AIDS and other world pandemics, the growing acceptance and visibility of LGBTQIA+ people, and the spread of universal education, Michael Kirby says that there are reasons to be hopeful. But, he adds, we cannot remain complacent against threats of fascism, climate change, and allowing irrationality to return to the forefront. In this expansive chat, Hamish Macdoanld and Waleed Aly ask Michael Kirby whether public trust in law and experts has been irreparably harmed, and whether political upheavals across the world are a sign of temporary unrest, or a symptom of something much deeper. Plus - what role does the media have in fostering a sense of pessimism or fatalism in the public? Guest: Michael Kirby AC, former justice of the High Court of Australia Get in touch: We'd love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected]