In Conversation: L.A. Larkin

Antarctica under threat?

L.A. Larkin’s new environmental thriller Thirst is set in an Antarctica under attack by a mercenary force. For National Science Week, she facilitates a hot debate by a panel of experts on the potential threats to this fascinating continent and its peaceful scientific community.

Antarctica has no native population, no national government, no defence or police force. It is managed by the co-operation and goodwill of The Antarctic Treaty signatories, which includes Australia. What if a country chose to ignore the Treaty and exploit Antarctica? Would Australia ever enforce claims to Antarctic territory? What might happen to global sea levels if Antarctica’s glaciers and ice sheets melted rapidly? There has never been a murder in Antarctica and without a judicial system, how could the perpetrator be brought to justice?

Featuring Joan Russell, one of the first female station leaders with the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD), Luke Saffigna who has been to Antarctica over 30 times and author L.A. Larkin, who travelled there to research her new novel.

Visit www.lalarkin.com for more infomation.