Online and Sandy Bay
Summary:What happens when governments hand decision-making over to algorithms?
Presenter(s):
- Associate Professor Yee-Fui Ng, Director, Higher Degree by Research (HDR), Monash University
2026 Sandy Duncanson Social Justice Lecture
From welfare compliance and predictive policing to visa processing and risk assessment, automated systems are reshaping how governments interact with citizens. While often promoted as faster and more efficient, they raise critical questions about accountability, transparency, fairness and human rights.
In this year’s Sandy Duncanson Social Justice Lecture, Dr Yee-Fui Ng examines the growing use of automation and artificial intelligence in public administration and what happens when these systems fail. Drawing on Australia’s Robodebt scandal and international approaches to regulating automated governance, she explores how poorly designed systems can entrench bias, reduce transparency and erode public trust.
As governments rapidly adopt AI-driven tools, how can we ensure efficiency does not come at the expense of justice, accountability and democratic oversight?
Speaker
Associate Professor Yee-Fui Ng
Director, Higher Degree by Research (HDR), Monash University
Yee-Fui Ng is an Associate Professor at Monash University who researches in the areas of public law and political integrity, and a 2021-22 Fulbright Scholar. She is the author of Combatting the Code: Regulating Automated Government Decision-Making in Comparative Context (Cambridge University Press, 2025), The Rise of Political Advisors in the Westminster System (Routledge, 2018) and Ministerial Advisers in Australia: The Modern Legal Context (Federation Press, 2016), which was a Holt Prize finalist. Her work has been cited by the High Court of Australia, State Supreme Courts, federal and state parliaments, as well as various government inquiries.
Moderated by Graham Jefferson, Senior Executive Leader for Data, Analytics and AI and Chief AI Officer, Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).
The Sandy Duncanson Legacy
Each year, the University of Tasmania presents a public lecture in honour of Alexander (Sandy) Duncanson, to raise awareness of social justice issues among students, staff, legal professionals, and the broader Tasmanian community.
Sandy Duncanson was a Tasmanian lawyer deeply respected for his work in community legal services and housing advocacy. He died in June 2010, aged 37, after living with cancer for 16 years. As a law student in 2002, Sandy visited the Woomera Detention Centre to interview people seeking asylum - an experience that shaped his unwavering commitment to social justice and guided the course of his career.
Parking:
Free parking, including accessible spaces, is available at the venue.
Pre-event refreshments:
Head to the venue early and enjoy complimentary refreshments from 5.30pm.
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