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                    Previous Conversations

                    Since its inception in 2001, Melbourne Conversations has presented over 300 conversations, with more than 800 guest speakers attracting over 80,000 people from diverse backgrounds and ages.

                    ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Topics covered range from the arts in Melbourne to the experience of homelessness to urban design, the nature of our democracy, science and technology, digital culture and population growth.

                    Gender, land rights, human rights, religion, sustainability, climate change, the global financial crisis, terrorism, peak oil issues and international student concerns have also featured.

                    Did you know?
                    You can watch video recordings of past Melbourne Conversations on the Knowledge Melbourne Youtube playlist.

                    Past Conversations

                    2023 Conversations

                    February​

                    Melbourne Conversations: Homes for All​​​​
                    Without intervention, we could be seeing a shortfall of 23,200 homes by 2036. Everyone in the community benefits when housing is funded and delivered. The question is, what are the plans to make sure that every community member has access to housing close to jobs and services?

                    The complexity and extent of the housing crisis needs a comprehensive, targeted response. This panel explores affordable housing options available now and in the near future, along with ways to create pathways out of homelessness – at pace and scale.

                    Our experts will discuss their roles in innovating, advocating and collaborating to invest in our housing future.

                    Presented in partnership with Homes Melbourne. 

                    March​

                    Melbourne Conversations: Friendship Speed Dating for International Students
                    At this fun and interactive Melbourne Conversations, you'll have the opportunity to meet international students from a variety of education institutions. Chat with potential friends for a few minutes at a time, and then move on to the next person. While this event is especially great for international students, please note everyone is welcome!

                    In addition to friendship speed dating hosted by Ladies of Leisure, we'll also have speakers who will get the conversations started about food, fashion and things to do in Melbourne. You'll have the opportunity to learn more about the city and its vibrant culture, and to share your own experiences.

                    ​We'll provide delicious free snacks and refreshments to keep you fuelled throughout the event. Whether you're new to Melbourne or have been here for a while, this is a great opportunity to make new connections.

                    Presented in partnership with State Library Victoria and Meld Community.

                    ​April

                    Melbourne Conversations: Art & Activism​
                    Meet the next generation who are advocating for systemic solutions to climate change. Youth activists are leading the charge for urgent policy and behaviour shifts, and asking what role art can play in helping us heed generational responsibility for the climate crisis.   

                    Our material world is rapidly destabilising under the throes of the climate crisis, transforming into something entirely unrecognisable. As we are forced to confront an increasingly intangible world - one of previously unthinkable levels of connection, facilitated by what can only be described as digital autocracies - our foundational understandings of self and community are uprooted. 

                    What is the role of art in providing a new means to understand our current circumstances, and how can it cut through or have impact in an overstimulated world? 

                    Presented in partnership with Chamber Made. 

                    Speakers include Associate Artists Theo Boltman (16 year old transgender nonbinary writer, activist, performer and high school student). Jean Hinchliffe (climate justice activist and writer), Jay Patel (currently completing a Bachelor of Communications, exploring the intersection of the arts and political sciences), Ella Simons (15-year-old activist, performer and high school student) and hosted by Alex Kelly (Producer, director)

                    ​May​

                    Melbourne Conversations: Dating Games​​
                    If you’ve ever ‘run out of potential matches in your area’ you know that in the dating game, we’re facing off against addictive swiping and the paradox of choice.  

                    What is in store for the next 10 years of dating? Tech companies have created a multi-billion dollar industry by gamifying our hearts and creating dating services - but who is really being serviced? Will AI set us up with even better matches or will it ingrain our existing prejudices? Are we ready to break up with traditional dating and change who and how we love?  

                    Our speakers will investigate these questions from the perspective of research, wellness and lived experience.  

                    Join us for a panel with spicy presenters and then kick-on to enjoy the bar afterwards. Who knows who you might meet?

                    Speakers include: Tully Walter (Futurist, Trend Forecaster, Cultural Strategist at Soon Futures), Vanessa Muradian (Sexologist, founder of the sex and wellness platform Mia Muse), Emily van der Nagel (Author Sex and Social Media, lecturer in social media at Monash University) and hosted by Santilla Chingaipe (Historian, journalist, filmmaker and host of Date my Race. RMIT graduate) 

                    June

                    Melbourne Conversations: The Future of Social Enterprise
                    Social enterprises have transformed the conception of how business can give back. Consumers now expect their providers to have a charitable aspect, workers expect to work for a company with purpose. The bravery and ambitiousness of social enterprise businesses to wrestle with doing good in a capitalist system is immense.

                    Now, however, we are faced with a new set of challenges. How do we certify purpose-driven enterprises? What are the rules needed to keep consumers and workers safe? Can we reconcile values and capitalism? In the next 10 years, how will social enterprise mature into a fully-fledged business-as-usual idea? And who will be leading these ideas?  

                    Tara Anderson (CEO Social Traders), Adam Jacoby (Co-Founder & Chief Impact Officer, Immuto), Nathaniel Diong (CEO Future Minds Network) and hosted by Elizabeth Kulas (NPR’s Planet Money, Reply All, WNYC).

                    July

                    Melbourne Conversations: Genetics Vs. Sport
                    Are super athletes born or made? Join us this month as our panel of experts takes on the nature vs nurture debate in sports and genetics. From cultural norms to scientific factors, the field of sports is a complex and fascinating arena. Whether you're an Olympic weightlifter or a basketball player, your genetics can give you an edge, but they're not the only factors at play. Family support, economic status, coaching, training and diet also make a difference.

                    Join our experts as they explore the latest scientific research, unpack the social implications of athletic excellence, and discuss how these important conversations can improve health, guide policy, and put the emphasis on evidence-based decisions.

                    Darcy Moore (Captain of Collingwood FC), Melissa Tapper (Paralympian) Prof. Kathryn North AC (Neurologist and Geneticist) hosted by Tracey Holmes (ABC Sports Journalist). 

                    Presented in Partnership with the International Congress of Genetics. 

                    Listen at Genetics and Sport: What's the Future Look Like?

                    August

                    Melbourne Conversations: Communication and Deep Time 
                    Communication and Deep Time explores the intricate relationship between language and code. Drawing inspiration from ancient and speculative realms, this discussion delves into the conveyance of cultural expression, empathy, and bias through diverse vocabularies and sentient technologies.

                    Artist Michaela Gleave, along with exhibiting artist and creative technologist Georgie Pinn, and other contributors, delve into the notions of connection, vulnerability, and storytelling in our future past.  

                    Presented in Partnership with Experimenta Social and Library at the Dock.

                    ​Melbourne Conversations: Future Nature Future City  
                    Future Nature Future City brings together commissioned artist Jon McCormack, landscape architect Jock Gilbert, and other contributors to offer interdisciplinary perspectives on urban development, landscape design, community, and connectivity.

                    Through the lenses of art, technology, and architecture, this conversation reimagines our relationship with sustainability and place. It explores the concept of a "future natural" and investigates how humans, along with organic and inorganic forms, can interact and engage in dialogue with each other. 

                    Presented in Partnership with Experimenta Social and Library at the Dock.

                    October

                    Melbourne Conversations: Food Waste is Bananas
                    A panel of celebrated food, design and hospo trailblazers will come together for a passionate discussion about food waste and packaging on an evening at The Capitol, where audience members will hear about the latest in food waste transformation, and experience first-hand delicious and innovative solutions to food and packaging conundrums.

                    Eat transformed peels, rinds, edible cups and more, and explore the possibilities of seaweed based bioplastics! Lauded food, hospo and design experts Dani Valent, Joost Bakker, Helen Addison-Smith, Laura Boulton, and Jessie French will provoke the audience to reconsider how they consume food and how they can transform waste in this fun and lively evening of conversation and eating.

                    Presented in partnership with RMIT Culture.

                    Listen at Food waste is bananas. So what are you going to do about it?

                    November

                    Melbourne Conversations: I’ve Been to a Parallel World

                    What if you could learn from a person who has been to another world? This event takes the premise at the heart of The Parallel Effect project – that an untold number of universes exist alongside each other. You’re invited to gain direct access to some of our reality’s most fascinating thinkers as they describe the histories, structures and systemic workings of the parallel worlds they have visited, in detail.

                    Join panelists Caroline Bowditch, Jinghua Qian, Zena Cumpston and Georgina Woods to hear about worlds where access and equity have been prioritised, worlds without gender, worlds centring truth telling as a means of healing for people and country, and worlds where climate change has been dramatically slowed and nearly halted towards the end of the twentieth century. This event will be hosted by The Parallel Effect's Daz Chandler.

                    Presented in partnership with The Parallel Effect.

                    2022 Conversations

                    November

                    Futures Thinking for Community Spaces

                    How do we build community spaces that are responsive to the changing needs of the people they serve? Join our experts in a brand new community space that is piloting a new way of collaborating with the community to provide a responsive environment. Microlabs is the first of its kind in reimagining what a shopfront in the city could be – a pop-up library, a meeting room, an event space – or can you think of something else entirely?

                    Our experts will lead a futures-thinking workshop to learn about the process of co-designing a welcoming space for all. In this hands-on workshop we will get creative and you will have your say in the future of data-driven community spaces.

                    In collaboration with Paper Giant and Smart City Incubator.

                    October

                    Melbourne Conversations: The Electric Vehicle Revolution 

                    That petrol car you're driving? That might well be your last. Electric Vehicle (EV) technology is speeding towards new possibilities and it's coming to our streets and homes. Coupled with the rise of renewable energy, electric vehicles can reduce air pollution and reliance on fossil fuel use. The question is, what do we want all this to look like in our cities? Our expert panel will consider how all this new EV tech can lead to more accessible and inclusive transport options. They will delve into the urban design and infrastructure upgrades needed to support EV uptake, and how to encourage diverse socio-economic access to electric transport. Watch a recording of this conversation.

                    September

                    Melbourne Conversations: Fairer Footy

                    Melbourne's reputation as a sporting city is undeniable, but how can we ensure that everyone has equal opportunities to participate? AFL is rapidly changing for women, but players, coaches, umpires, fans, journalists and leaders continue to face challenges based on gender. What's being done to make the scene accessible to all? In this panel we will examine what grassroots action is creating the fairer footy culture of the future. Watch a recording of this conversation.

                    August

                    Melbourne Conversations: Art vs The Economy

                    In a time of cultural recalibration, what new economic possibilities can be imagined for artists? Our experts go back to the drawing board on how we approach the economics of the arts. By looking to economic experiments from around the world and in our own backyard, this panel will explore ways of encouraging cultural entrepreneurship and supporting the arts sector's contribution to the wider economy. Importantly, how can we learn from the experiences of the last few years to inform a healthier, fairer creative community? Watch a recording of this conversation

                    July


                    Melbourne Conversations: Deconstructing human voices

                    What happens when your voice is uploaded to the internet? From Siri to experimental art, the way we use our voices with technology is rapidly changing. In constructing and deconstructing voice we create digital archives of our lives, stretching beyond our IRL bodies to create digital replicas which could be beyond our control. What are we leaving for future generations to find? How will they experience these human-computer hybrid remnants of our lives?

                    Digital replicas created through chatbots, deepfakes and AI may blur our sense of trust and what listening means to us - but we can also encounter new possibilities for empathy, ethics and creativity. Voice-controlled interfaces also offer playful and imaginative experiences that create new layers of meaning and social interaction.

                    Watch a recording of this conversation.

                    Melbourne Conversations: Barely Gettin' By - Radical Hope

                    A significant shift in climate policy and politics has imbued many voters with a renewed sense of hope, but how and when will this be translated into meaningful action?

                    Join a live recording of the podcast Barely Gettin’ By as host Emma Shortis and special guests Jeff Sparrow and Mittul Vahanvati discuss the necessity of imagining different futures, local activism, action-based research, governments’ roles.

                    Forming part of Barely Gettin’ By’s fourth season “Up in Flames”, this panel will examine climate policy as an urgent global modern imperative and how radical hope might help us envisage and enact the path out of a climate change ravaged future.

                    Co-presented by RMIT Culture and Melbourne Conversations.

                    Listen to a recording of this conversation.


                    May 

                    Melbourne Conversations: Nourishing Community, Melbourne’s Food Connectors

                    Food is a unifying language. A home-cooked meal can not only be a nourishing expression of love and care but an opportunity to come together for a shared experience.

                    In this lunchtime event, hosted by Sonia Nair, a panel of culinary experts and enthusiasts, including Aseel Tayah and Hana Assafiri, will reflect on the power of storytelling through cooking. They’ll discuss the important role that food plays in the exchange of cultural and community knowledge and share their memories of connecting to home through food.

                    Attendees are encouraged to bring along their own lunch to the session, and sample some sweet treats for dessert, provided by culinary social enterprise Free to Feed.

                    Presented in partnership with The Wheeler Centre, Melbourne Knowledge Week and Melbourne Conversations.

                    April 

                    Melbourne Conversations: The Ethics of Investing 

                    Do you know what your money is doing when it’s not in your wallet? Our experts talk about the ethics of investing. Can you put your money to work in an ethical, sustainable and fair way while returning a profit? It starts by looking at your own ethics and making decisions about the power you hold - no matter how big or small.

                    Watch a recording of this conversation.

                    March 

                    Melbourne Conversations: Digital Doubles

                    Did you know Melbourne has a digital double? As the digital era unfolds, virtual versions of our city are multiplying. They are used for everything from social fun in gaming to scientific research. Digital twins can be useful for many things, but are they all good? Come along to this free event to find out who's behind these second cities, and their diverse uses.

                    Watch a recording of this conversation.

                    February 

                    Melbourne Conversations: The Urban Heat Island Effect

                    It's been a hot summer. But if you spent any time over the new year in the city, you may have felt even hotter. This is due to what's called the Urban Heat Island effect. Cities have layered heat-trapping materials like concrete and glass over creeks, plants and valleys that once provided a reprieve from the heat. How can we reverse the Urban Heat Island effect, or do we have to learn to live with it? Our panel will look at solutions from around the world, and initiatives already underway right here in Melbourne.

                    Watch a recording of this conversation.

                    2021 Conversations

                    November

                    Melbourne Conversations: our inclusive recovery.
                    COVID-19 has laid bare some of the systemic disadvantages many people have faced for a long time.

                    We now have an opportunity to address inequality as we rebuild the city and our economy. How do we create expanded opportunity for prosperity for those facing the greatest barriers to advancing their well-being? How might we enable all groups of people to have a sense of belonging and to be able to participate fully in community life?

                    Our experts will ask how we can use human creativity, enterprise, and ingenuity to create a more inclusive community, for now and for future generations.

                    Watch a video recording of this conversation.

                    October

                    Melbourne Conversations: The rise of ultra-processed foods
                    Global food production is the single largest driver of environmental degradation and climate instability. In this Melbourne Conversations event, we will ask our experts to help us rethink unsustainable, modern agricultural systems.

                    What does a food system look like that serves both people and planet? How do we achieve this, and in particular how do we address the dominance of ultra-processed foods produced by Big Food corporations that come at a growing cost to both human health, and our planet’s future?

                    Join us to explore the big things to come out of the UN Food Systems Summit in September 2021, the key challenges ahead for our health and the environment globally – and what it means for us here in Australia.

                    Watch a video recording of this conversation.

                    September

                    Melbourne Conversations: The digital literacy gap
                    In the past year, many of us have become more digitally active than ever - but not all of us. How wide is the digital literacy gap in Australia, and in Melbourne?

                    Telecommunications companies, universities and governments are now measuring and taking action on Australia’s digital divides. And City of Melbourne has identified this as a priority in their five-year Council Plan.

                    Our speakers will tell us what Melbourne can do to get everyone on the same (web)page.

                    Watch a video recording of this conversation.

                    August

                    Melbourne Conversations: Aboriginal food systems
                    The impact of climate change on food supplies is being felt the world over. Growing food insecurity is leading food growers and communities to rethink unsustainable agricultural systems.

                    This conversation will explore how past and present Aboriginal food and agriculture practices might enable access to healthy and culturally appropriate food. Underpinned by principles of self-determination, our panel will ask how we can enable Aboriginal ideas and Aboriginal people to influence food system transformation.

                    Presented with the Sandro Demaio Foundation.

                    Watch a video recording of this event. 

                    July

                    Melbourne Conversations: Visions for the CBD
                    What should inform the design of our city? Well, it depends who you ask. Join a range of urban planners, architects, city dwellers, artists and designers to design the city of the future. We will talk about the new normal in placemaking - fusing sustainability practises, First Nations knowledge and community cohesion for a better city.

                    Watch a video recording of this event.

                    June

                    Melbourne Conversations: the Startup Bubble
                    A successful startup is often the exception to the rule. There’s a huge gap between the “unicorns” that employ thousands, and the mountain of failed ventures beneath them.

                    In a post-pandemic world, many business leaders predict that startups will drive Melbourne’s economic recovery. What does it mean for us to pin our hopes to such a hit-and-miss business model? Is the volatility of startups a recipe for disaster, or the perfect fit for a volatile world?

                    Watch a video recording of this event.

                    May

                    Truth-telling, Cooks’ Cottage, and Cook’s legacy
                    Captain Cook is a well-known figure in Australian history. Cook and his crew were forerunners of the British colonisation of Australia, and centuries of British influence in the Pacific more broadly. 

                    For this reason, many First Nations people hold different views on Cook’s legacy, including Cooks’ Cottage in the Fitzroy Gardens, which was home to Captain Cook’s parents and relocated from England to the gardens in 1934.

                    In 2020, a number of institutions invited First Nations perspectives on Cook to mark the 250th anniversary of his first Pacific voyage. In the spirit of truth-telling, City of Melbourne commissioned Dr Paola Balla, Dr Clare Land and Kate Golding to develop a publication that considers First Nations perspectives on Cook’s legacy and Cooks’ Cottage. 

                    In this Melbourne Conversations event, Paola and Clare will discuss the themes of the publication, and will look to the future of how we might continue to tell truths about our country's history.

                    Guests: Dr Paola Balla, Dr Clare Land

                    Watch the video recording of this conversation.

                    April

                    What comes after cash?
                    With the rise of cryptocurrencies and NFTs, and the avoidance of using cash during the COVID-19 pandemic, has the shift to a cashless economy moved one step closer?

                    If cash was a thing of the past, how would our lives and economies be impacted and would this be a change for the better? Join us for a discussion on the merits and downsides of a society where coins and notes are no longer in use and how this might change the way we work and live.

                    Guests: Dr Prash P, Laura Summers, David Tennant

                    Watch the video recording of this conversation.

                    March

                    Looking up after lockdown
                    We heard a lot about a recession in 2020, but as we enter 2021, some areas of the economy are doing better than ever. So how exactly has lockdown shaped our economy? Are there unexpected growth areas that can be exploited? 

                    Come and listen to a range of economists and local business personalities discussing the best way forward for our city’s economy.

                    Guests: Janine Dixon, Paul Guerra, Sharon Hamilton, CEO, Andrew Wear

                    Watch the video recording of this conversation.

                    February

                    Growing up disabled in Australia
                    One in five Australians has a disability, and yet the voices of people navigating disability in their life are drastically underrepresented in media and news.

                    Compiled by writer and appearance activist Carly Findlay OAM, Growing Up Disabled in Australia is an anthology sharing diverse stories from over 40 writers with a disability or chronic illness. 

                    Three of the book’s contributors will lead a conversation about the representation of disability and share some of their stories negotiating disability in their lives.

                    Growing Up Disabled in Australia is the fifth book in Black Inc’s highly acclaimed Growing Up series, showcasing Own Voices and exploring what it is to grow up in Australia. 

                    Guests: Astrid Edwards, Jessica Knight, Jacinta Parsons, Jane Rosengrave

                    Watch the video recording of this conversation.



                    2020 Conversations

                    December

                    Postwar architecture
                    This Melbourne Conversations assembled a panel of architects and historians to discuss some of the most distinctive postwar buildings identified for protection under the Hoddle Grid Heritage Review and how the process of heritage protection contributes to the ever-evolving face of our city.

                    Guests: design critic and practitioner Andy Fergus, architectural design and history expert Hannah Lewi, National Trust of Australia (Victoria)'s Felicity Watson and The Australian Institute of Architects Fellow Tim Leslie

                    Watch the video recording of this conversation. 

                    November

                    Truth telling and reconciliation
                    Truth and reconciliation commissions are designed to resolve injustices in countries which have begun the long transition from colonial rule. This conversation brought together Aboriginal Victorians and people with lived experiences of South Africa and Canada’s truth and reconciliation journeys.

                    Guests: hosted by Hans Bokelund, Director of City of Melbourne’s Aboriginal Melbourne branch and Darumbal/Turrbal man from Queensland with panelists Marcus Stewart (Australia), Phyllis Webstad (Canada) and Dr. Mochekoe Stephen Rametse (South Africa)

                    October

                    Humanity and technology walk into a pandemic
                    Tan Le is an innovator, inventor and entrepreneur. Throughout Le’s career she has been motivated by how cutting-edge technologies can inspire us to believe in a better tomorrow. In this conversation with Jane McCredie, Tan Le shared her insights into the unique challenges and opportunities facing Melbourne and how emerging technologies might play a part in their developments.

                    Guests: Tan Le and Jane McCredie

                    September

                    Imagining other realities
                    For writers from diverse backgrounds, imagining other realities can be a form of survival. In this Melbourne Conversations, Michael Mohammed Ahmad, editor of the recently published “After Australia”, hosted three writers from this groundbreaking collection to discuss the ways in which they use speculative futures grounded in a sense of place to imagine the future of Australia, and after.

                    Guests: Michael Mohammed Ahmad, Khalid Warsame, Hannah Donnelly and Michelle Law

                    Watch the video recording of this conversation. 

                    August

                    Predicting the unpredictable
                    This conversation sought to grapple with what it means to prepare for an uncertain future. From policy and government to individual mental health, our speakers shared what we can do to prepare for uncertainty and play our part in shaping the new normal.

                    Guests: Kumi Taguchi as host, Cheryl Durrant, previous Director of Preparedness at the Australian Defense Force and former state cabinet minister John Thwaites

                    Watch the video recording of this conversation. 

                    June

                    Earth x Empathy
                    Why is the economy treated more like a living thing than the planet is? Why do we understand “consumers” much better than communities? In a series of interactive workshops called Earth x Empathy, PITCH STUDIOS x Pitch Portal looked to explore how we understand and respond to a warming planet in a flooded media landscape.

                    Guests: Christie Morgan and Taylor Mitchell

                    July

                    Democratise the internet
                    We’ve all had a crash course in living our lives online. Many have been pleasantly surprised by the benefits of a more digital lifestyle, so some of our digital adaptation may be here to stay. And yet, the pitfalls of an internet built for consumption remain. This conversation explored how we might turn our experiences in 2020 into a digital awakening, learning and asserting our collective digital rights, and reshaping the internet into a space built on human connection, rather than corporate greed.

                    Guests: Lizzie O’Shea, Chair of the Board for Digital Rights Watch, author of Future Histories, Rashina Hoda, Associate Dean at Monash University and Vanessa Toholka, Triple R Tech broadcaster

                    Watch the video recording of this conversation.

                    May

                    Social credit is here
                    We rate our Uber drivers, we review our AirBnB hosts, and we accept opaque financial credit ratings systems. These could be the building blocks of a social credit system, similar to the state-operated system in China that is, by now, common knowledge. In this conversation, Niels Wouters, one of Melbourne's leading AI ethicists, shared insights into the state of AI state surveillance today.

                    Guest: Niels Wouters

                    Watch the video recording of this conversation. 

                    April

                    COVID-19 live Q&A
                    In our second virtual Melbourne Conversations of 2020 we hosted a live Q&A with a panel of COVID-19 experts. Our panelists answered timely questions about how the virus spreads, changing restrictions, vaccination research and more in an effort to debunk myths and clear public confusion. 

                    Speakers: Professor Sharon Lewin, Director of the Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Professor Brett Sutton, the Chief Health Officer of Victoria, and ABC Ask the Doctor’s Dr Shalin Naik

                    Watch the video recording of this conversation. 

                    March

                    The new news
                    Our first virtual Melbourne Conversations asked ‘is the art of journalism dead, and is that a bad thing?’ Australians consume less news than the global average, and 57% of us get our news online. This panel discussion reflected on how news media has transformed over the past 40 years and discussed opportunities as we look ahead.

                    Guests: Elizabeth Kulas, freelance audio host, reporter and consultant, Dr Ben Eltham, lecturer in Media and Communications at Monash University’s School of Media, Film and Journalism and Prue Clarke, journalist and media development specialist and Senior Executive Officer role at The Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas

                    Watch the video recording of this conversation. 

                    February

                    Affordable housing
                    With more than 1 in 3 Australians spending more than 40 per cent of their income on housing costs, this conversation sought to explore the rise of income inequality and costs of living. A panel of architects, policy-makers and people with lived experience of housing stress joined us to discuss what it would take for everyone in our community to keep a roof over their heads in the future, especially our most vulnerable. 

                    Guests: Innocent Karabagega, father of two, husband, brother, friend, employee and law student, Sara Savage, writer, editor, broadcaster and former editor of Assemble Papers, Timmah Ball, policy advisor in land use planning and urban research and writer of Ballardong Noongar descent, and Dr Heather Holst, Commissioner for Residential Tenancies for Victoria.

                    2019 Conversations

                    November

                    Raising the Bar
                    20 talks, 10 bars, 1 night.  With a deep dive into everything from dark matter, sentient artificial intelligence and esports to the history of Aboriginal football, heavy metal band culture and the plight of the Bogong moth and mountain pygmy possum, this evening gave Melburnians a chance to learn from leading local academics in an informal bar setting. 

                    Listen to the 2019 Raising the Bar podcasts or check out the event photo gallery.

                    October

                    5G: zero latency
                    This Melbourne Conversations brought together tech experts, researchers, writers, artists and musicians to explore what 5G will mean for society. 

                    Guests: Mark Gregory, Associate Professor in Network Engineering at RMIT University, Artist Carissa Lee, Tom Williamson, robotics expert at RMIT University, Writer Vidya Rajan, Chris Althaus, CEO of the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association, Musician Allara Briggs Pattison and Vanessa Toholka as MC. 

                    Check out the event gallery.

                    September

                    Addendum
                    Local artists Leisa Shelton and Hannah Bertram joined Jo Ritale, Director of Collections at the State Library Victoria, to discuss the ephemerality of performance art, various approaches for archiving these and Victoria's incredible public collection.

                    Check out the event gallery.

                    August

                    Australian cities on film
                    Co-presented with Melbourne International Film Festival, this panel featured filmmakers, critics and academics as they explore the few examples of how Australian cities are represented on film, and imagine what Australian cities on film might look like as our urban populations boom. 

                    Guests: Lesley Chow, Australian writer of film and music, Pia Emery, location manager for film and television and Paul Ireland director, producer and writer, with Esther Anatolitis as moderator.

                    July

                    Design a future street

                    30 Melburnians took part in an interactive workshop exploring how Melbourne’s streets have been shaped, how they are currently used, and a range of different visions for how this could change into the future.

                    Facilitated by Sarah McArthur and Ollie Cotsaftis of Melbourne Speculative Futures, with writer-in-residence Briohny Doyle. 

                    Check out the event gallery.

                    June

                    Cybersecurity
                    For this Melbourne Conversations panel event, experts from across government, startups and futurism joined to discuss the opportunities and threats to Australian cybersecurity over the next five years, and how we can be proactive in meeting these challenges. 

                    Guests: Bruce Matthews, Director of Melbourne Joint Cyber Security Centre, Skeeve Stevens, futurist and the co-founder of the Future Crime Agency, and Tamara Baker, 14-year-old coder developing an app for vision-impaired people and MKW19 ambassador. The panel was led by Kirstin McIntosh, Head of Partnerships, CyRise, Australia’s cybersecurity venture accelerator.

                    March

                    OIC Launch: Safety in the city
                    We were joined by over 150 guests to hear more about safety in the city from an expert panel. 

                    Guests: Victoria Police Commander Tim Hansen, Shebah female ride-share CEO George McEncroe and Dark Mofo's Associate Creative Director Hannah Fox. 

                    Check out the event gallery.

                    One Beat One Love: Mama I made it
                    At this Melbourne Conversations panel, as part of One Beat One Love festival, guests heard from a panel of African Australian innovators, artists and thinkers as they shared their inspirations and aspirations for the future. 

                    Guests: Atong Atem, Kelvin Mureithi, Kholisile Dhilwayo and Akec Chuot, MKW19 ambassador with Rav Mukushi as MC.

                    Check out the event gallery.

                    2018 Conversations

                    September 

                    Seasons out of sync: vital signs of a warming city
                    Speakers: Marcel Visser (Head of Department, Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology), Nadiah Roslan (Climate Watch Manager, Earthwatch Institute), Paul Beggs (Associate Professor, Department of Environmental Sciences, Macquarie University), Rebecca Darbyshire (Research Scientist, NSW Department of Primary Industries)

                    August

                    Urban design and film: Building the cities of tomorrow
                    Speakers: Alex Proyas (Australian film director/writer/producer), Professor Angela Ndalianis (Research Professor at the Swinburne University of Technology), Vanessa Toholka (technology commentator and broadcaster), Stephen Rowley (researcher and urban planner)

                    July 

                    War on Waste (YouTube)
                    Speakers: Erin Rhoads (blogger and activist The Rogue Ginger), Trevor Thornton (Lecturer in Hazardous Waste Materials, Deakin University), Matt Genever (Director, Resource Recovery, Sustainability Victoria), Cr Cathy Oke (Chair, Environment Portfolio, City of Melbourne), MC – Hilary Harper

                    June 

                    Memories from the Grid
                    Speakers: Gabrielle Wang (Children's author), Jesse Cain (Development Producer at Marriner Group), Jacob Grech (Caretaker at Trades Hall & Literary Institute)

                    May

                    MKW18: Mini Make Day
                    Alicja Ćwierz (Coder Dojo), Sarah Seahorse and Luna Aquatica (Wearable Art), Robert Jordan, Donnachie, Simionato & sons, Lucille Nolan

                    March

                    Mama I Made It: celebrating excellence in Melbourne's African communities
                    Moderator: Rav Mukushi (Presenter, Production Manager Oz African TV; Marriage Celebrant, Events Manager, and Industry and Alumni Coordinator at Navitas)

                    Speakers: Dr Mimmie Claudine Ngum Chi Watts (Commissioner at the Victorian Multicultural Commission; Deputy Chair at Women’s Health West, and board member of AMES Australia), Ikenna (Ike) Nwokolo (Senior Litigation Lawyer and Practice Group Leader in the Public Liability department at Slate & Gordon), Nasilele Mubyana (Forensic Senior Consultant at KPMG Australia), Tineyi Matanda (Investment Manager with the SB&G Group)

                    Next stop, 2040: Where is our transport system heading
                    Moderator: Vanessa Toholka (National Knowledge Management Lead, PwC Australia)

                    Speakers: Steven Burgess (Principal Urban Strategy in Melbourne, MRCagney), Emilie van de Graaff (Director, Passenger and Network Innovation, Yarra Trams), Prof Aniruddha Desai (Director, Centre for Technology Infusion, La Trobe University), Dr John Stone (Senior Lecturer, Transport Planning, University of Melbourne), Rebecca Clements (PhD Candidate at the University of Melbourne)

                    2017 Conversations

                    September

                    Innovation districts in a nutshell
                    Moderator: Jacyl Shaw (Director, Corporate Liaison, University of Melbourne)

                    Presentation: Julie Wagner (Nonresident Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution, USA).

                    Panel: Tom Bentley (Principal Adviser to the Vice Chancellor, RMIT University), Margie McKay (Manager, City Design Studio, City of Melbourne)

                    August

                    AI Lounge: Q&AI? (YouTube)
                    Tuomas Sandholm (Carnegie Mellon University) and Devi Parikh (Facebook AI Research)

                    AI Lounge: The end of work? (YouTube)
                    Stefan Hajkowicz (CSIRO) and Kevin Leighton-Brown (University of British Columbia)

                    AI Lounge: Killer robots - the future of war? (YouTube)
                    Ugo Pagallo (University of Turin), Stuart Russell (University of California) and Margaret Beavis (Medical Association for the Prevention of War) 

                    AI Lounge: It's Alive! (YouTube)
                    Mel Campbell (host) and author Toby Walsh

                    AI Lounge: Is the singularity near? (YouTube)
                    Jan Feyereisl (AI Roadmap Institute) and Kevin Korb (Monash University)

                    July

                    Imagining EcoMelbourne (YouTube)
                    Speakers: Shannon Dosemagen (Executive Director, PublicLab, USA), Prof Katherine Gibson (Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University), Luke Taylor (Director, Sustainable Living Festival), Rueben Berg (Director, Indigenous Architecture and Design Victoria), Host Dr Kate Auty (ACT Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment, and Honorary Professor, Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, University of Melbourne)

                    June

                    London recipe, Melbourne ingredients: how to make a great city (YouTube)
                    Host: Professor Helen Sullivan (Director, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University).

                    Presenter: Charles Leadbeater (Author, ‘We-think’ and ‘The Frugal Innovator’)

                    May

                    Will the real sharing economy please stand up? (YouTube)
                    MC Darren Sharp (Director, Social Surplus and Australian editor, Shareable), Kate Trumbull (Communications Manager, Car Next Door), Julie Miller Markoff (Governance guru, bHive Bendigo), Erz Imam (Director, Depo8 Coworking Space)

                    Presentation: Trebor Scholz (Associate Professor for Culture and Media at the New School in New York City)

                    April

                    The Light and Dark Sides of Adolescence: Boosting Wellbeing and Reducing Risk (YouTube) 
                    Presentation: Professor George Patton (psychiatrist and epidemiologist at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute)

                    Panel: Carmel Guerra OAM (Founder and CEO of the Centre for Multicultural Youth), Professor Alex Ezeh (Executive Director of The African Population and Health Research Center in Kenya), Teresa Hall (Research Fellow and PhD student, Centre for Mental Health and The Nossal Institute, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health), Professor George Patton (Psychiatrist and epidemiologist at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute), Emma Kellaway (YLab, Foundation for Young Australians), MC Peter Mares - contributing editor to Inside Story magazine

                    March

                    Celebrating International Women's Day: Stories of bold change (YouTube)
                    MC Dr Leslie Cannold (ethicist, researcher, educator, author), Ms Angela Pippos – (journalist, author and broadcaster), Ms Halima Mohamed (Chairperson of Skilling Employment and Aid Enterprises Australia Inc.), Ms Jirra Lulla Harvey (Yorta Yorta/Wiradjuri artist, Director Kalinya Communications)

                    What does it mean to belong in Australia?

                    February 

                    Jan Gehl: People Places and stories (YouTube)
                    Professor Rob Adams AM (City of Melbourne), Professor Jan Gehl (Architect and Urbanist), MC Professor Carolyn Whitzman (Urban Planning, the University of Melbourne)

                    2016 Conversations

                    November

                    Melbourne global Univer-city: Educating our future (YouTube)
                    Panel: The Hon John Brumby (Professorial Fellow at the University of Melbourne and Monash University, and former Premier of Victoria), Ms Sally Capp (Victoria Executive Director, Property Council of Australia), Ms Wesa Chau (Director, Cultural Intelligence), Professor Peter Dawkins (Vice Chancellor and President, Victoria University), Ms Jane Favaloro (Manager, Study Melbourne) Dr Aung Ko Win (Senior Research Fellow, University of Melbourne). Chaired by: Professor Hamish Coates (Melbourne Centre for the study of Higher Education, the University of Melbourne)

                    Creative cities: Art Culture and commerce 

                    Adapt, survive and thrive: creating liveable, resilient cities (YouTube)
                    Michael Berkowitz (New York based President of 100 Resilient Cities), Professor Lars Coenen (Inaugural Chair in Resilient Cities, City of Melbourne and University of Melbourne), Ms Jan Owen AM (CEO Foundation for Young Australians), Ms Lara Poloni (Chief Executive AECOM Australia New Zealand). Moderator: Toby Kent (Chief Resilient Officer, City of Melbourne)

                    October

                    ITS Conference - End of mass car ownership: How will we get around?

                    ITS Conference - Smart Transport: Making streets better places for people

                    ITS Conference - Driverless cars and road safety: what will this mean for you? (YouTube) 

                    September

                    The future for fashion designers and the next generation (YouTube)
                    Lisa Barron (Fashion Designer and Director Lisa Barron), Mark Daynes (CEO Jeanswest Corporation Pty Ltd Professor), Robyn Healy (Head of Fashion and Textiles School, RMIT University), Cassandra Wheat (Fashion Designer and Co-Director Chorus MC), Robert Buckingham (Creative Director MPavilion)

                    June

                    Should Melbourne bid on for another Olympic Games?
                    Nick Green OAM (Dual rowing gold medallist, President Victorian Olympic Committee), Brendan McClements (CEO Victorian Major Events Company), Kate Palmer (Chief Executive Officer, Netball Australia and Chair, Victorian Institute of Sport), Jared Tallent (Australian race walker, Olympic gold medallist London 2012), Prof Hans Westerbeek (Dean, College of Sport and Exercise Science, Victoria University and Club Melbourne Ambassador), MC: Margot Foster AM (Mediator, Lawyer, Consultant, Chairman Vicsport, Director VicHealth and Olympic and Commonwealth Games medallist)

                    Recognition, Treaty, Sovereignty and Self-determination – Facts and Ambitions (YouTube)
                    Dr Gary Foley (Professor in History, Moondani Balluk, Victoria University), Aunty Margaret Gardiner (Wurundjeri Wamba Wamba Barapa Barapa Dja Dja Wurrung Waywurru Ngurai Illum Wurrung), Shireen Morris (Lawyer and Senior Policy Advisor and constitutional reform research fellow at Cape York Institute), Uncle Gary Murray (Victorian Traditional Owner Land Justice Group and Dhudhuroa Barapa Barapa Djupagalk Yorta Yorta Wamba Wamba Dja Dja Wurrung),  Uncle Larry Walsh (Taungurung Elder), MC: Professor Emeritus Cheryl Saunders AO (constitutional law expert, the University of Melbourne)

                    April

                    Re-creating Communities: Amsterdam, Tel Aviv, San Francisco and Melbourne (YouTube)
                    Ms Krista Canellakis (Deputy Innovation Officer, Deputy Innovation Officer, Mayor's Office of Civic Innovation, City and County of San Francisco), Ms Michelle Fitzgerald (Chief Digital Officer and Manager Smart City Office, City Of Melbourne ), Ms Hila Oren (CEO The Tel Aviv Foundation and former CEO and Founder, Tel Aviv Global), Mr Frans-Anton Vermast (Senior Strategy Advisor, Amsterdam Smart City), Michael Dixon (VP Watson-IoT Asia-Pacific, IBM Australia), Moderator: Ms Catherine Caruana-McManus (Director, Giant Ideas, Sydney)

                    March

                    Climate Action: Cities and citizens - the new leaders (YouTube)
                    Mark Watts (Executive Director, C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group), Professor Kate Auty (Ambassador Future Melbourne, Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, University of Melbourne), Professor John Thwaites (Professorial Fellow, Monash University, Chair of ClimateWorks Australia and the Monash Sustainability Institute). Host: Kate Vinot (Group Director City Strategy and Place, City of Melbourne)

                    February 

                    Nature in our livable city: past, present and future (YouTube)
                    Associate Prof. Sarah Bekessy (Future Fellow, Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University), Prof. Tim Entwisle (Director and Chief Executive, Royal Botanic Gardens), Dr Mark Norman (Head of Sciences, Museum Victoria), Associate Prof. Kirsten Parris (Urban Ecology, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne), Dr Gary Presland (Writer and historian). Host: Rob Gell AM (Consultant, environmentalist and media personality)

                    Making democracy work better for you (YouTube)
                    Maria Katsonis (Future Melbourne 2026 Ambassador; Director Equality, Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet), Ms Samah Hadid (Human rights and humanitarian campaigner), Mr Nicholas Reece (Principal Fellow, University of Melbourne), Dr Travers McLeod (CEO Centre for Policy Development, Melbourne). Host: Dr Leslie Cannold (Ethicist and public educator)

                    2015 Conversations

                    November 

                    Climate Change Impact: Paris Ambitions – Melbourne Actions (YouTube)
                    Rowan Dowland (General Manager, Corporate Development, Bank Australia Professor), Don Henry (Public Policy Fellow for Environmentalism, Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, the University of Melbourne), Stephanie Niall (Community Member, City of Yarra Environment Advisory Committee), Cr Cathy Oke (Melbourne City Councillor and Chair, ICLEI Oceania Regional Executive Committee), MC: Cr Arron Wood (Melbourne City Councillor, Chair of the Environment Portfolio)

                    Melbourne - A City with a Healthy Heart? A talk about growth and density (YouTube)
                    Professor Jago Dodson (Professor of Urban Policy and Director of the Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University), Ivan Motley (Founding Director of .id Consulting (informed decisions)), Kate Roffey (CEO Committee for Melbourne), Dr Andrea Sharam (Research Fellow, Swinburne Institute for Social Research, Swinburne University), MC: Peter Mares (Contributing editor Inside Story, Adjunct fellow Swinburne Institute for Social Research, Writer, Journalist, Radio Presenter)

                    October 

                    Jobs in the Knowledge Economy: Threat or opportunity (YouTube)
                    Sherri Bruinhout (Director of Homelessness and Justice, Melbourne City Mission), Dr Janine Dixon (Economic Modeller, Senior Research Fellow, Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria University), Bernard Salt (Writer, speaker and media commentator, columnist, KPMG Partner), Marcus Westbury (Broadcaster, writer, media maker and festival director). Host: Peter Mares (Contributing editor Inside Story, Adjunct fellow Swinburne Institute for Social Research, Writer, Journalist, Radio Presenter)

                    Smart City Leadership (YouTube)
                    Marita Cheng (CEO 2MarRobotics, Robogals Founder 2008, Young Australian of the Year 2012), Dr Nicholas Gruen (CEO Lateral Economics), Prof Sharon Lewin (Director, Doherty Institute, 2015 Melburnian of the Year and Club Melbourne Ambassador), Darren Sharp (Sharing Economy Strategist, Director of Social Surplus). Host: Peter Mares (Contributing editor Inside Story, Adjunct Fellow Swinburne Institute for Social Research, Writer and Journalist)

                    September

                    Domain Parklands History: heritage, horticulture and society (YouTube)
                    Stuart Harrison (Architect, Broadcaster, Writer and Academic), John Hawker (Heritage Officer, Heritage Victoria), Dr Matthew Klugman (Deputy Director of the Sport in Society Research Program, Victoria University), Georgina Whitehead (Landscape Historian and Consultant), MC Professor Andrew J May (Historian and writer, University of Melbourne)

                    UN World Peace Day:  Building a safer and more peaceful city (YouTube) 
                    Speakers: Prof Megan Davis (Director UNSW Indigenous Law Centre, Chair United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues), Ms Laura John (2014 UN Australian Youth Ambassador), Dr Dina McMillan (Social Psychologist and Consultant, Acting Assistant Commissioner), Glenn Weir (Victorian Police). Host: Michael Short (Journalist and Editor of The Zone Fairfax Media)

                    June 2015

                    Democracy Fractures: can citizens' juries rebuild trust & solve hard problems? (YouTube)
                    Speakers: Cr Stephen Mayne, Linda Macleod, Kirsty Carter, Nicholas Reece, Hon Anna Burke MP, Rob Gell AM (MC)

                    Service Before Self: Stories that bind our communities (YouTube)
                    Speakers: Danielle Thomas, Tara Piazza, Terry Moran AC, Barrie Cassidy, Daniel Hadley, Hon. Robert Doyle (MC)

                    Making Babies in Melbourne - The IVF Story (YouTube)
                    Speakers: Prof. Loane Skene, Emeritus Prof. Alan Trounson, Kylie Trounson, Dr Leslie Cannold (MC)

                    May 2015

                    Indigenous Knowledge: Law, Country, Cultural Heritage (YouTube)
                    Speakers: Rueben Berg, Professor Kerry Arabena, Gary Murray, Prof. Kate Auty (MC)

                    A decent place to live? The housing talk (YouTube)
                    Speakers: Marc Jahr, Michael Shapcott, Dr Carolyn Whitzman, Peter Mares (MC)

                    April 2015

                    What is the Future of Anzac Day? (YouTube)
                    Speakers: Michael Brissenden, James Brown, Dr Carolyn Holbrook, Celeste Liddle, Dr Clare Wright (MC)

                    March 2015

                    Moving and Shaping Melbourne: Communities, Roads, Public Transport and Development (YouTube)
                    Speakers: David Shelton, Jennifer Cunich, Paul Donegan, Prof John Stone, William McDougall, Mr Peter Mares (MC)

                    New Learning: spaces, tech & pedagogies
                    Speakers: Professor Stephen Heppell, Leone Lorrimer, Dr Gary Stager, Shirley Tan, Michael Short (MC)

                    February 2015

                    Personalised Medicine: Me and My Genome (YouTube)
                    Speakers: Prof. Michael Snyder, Prof. Andrew Sinclair, Prof. Loane Skene, Natasha Mitchell (MC)

                    2014 Conversations

                    November 2014

                    Libraries and Learning: Borrowing from digital
                    Speakers: Prof. Stephen Heppell, Brad Hammond, Paula Kelly, Peter Mares (MC)

                    Design Commissions for creative cities: Ben Evans
                    Speakers: Ben Evans, Dr Ann Stephen

                    October 2014

                    Smart Cities with Digital Skins: What will this mean for you? (YouTube)
                    Speakers: Mr William Confalonieri, Prof. Marimuthu (Palani) Palaniswami, Mr Martin Janse van Rensburg, Ms Vanessa Toholka, Antony Funnell (MC)

                    Is Out the new In: What’s Up with Outsider Art (YouTube)
                    Speakers: James Brett, Professor Lynne Cooke, Professor Colin Rhodes, Dr Christopher McAuliffe (MC)

                    Does Poverty Exist in our Community? (YouTube)
                    Speakers: Lucy Adams, Mr Chris Berg, John Daley, Grattan Institute, Ms Emma King, Michael Short (MC)

                    September 2014

                    Urban Heritage/New Architecture: Where to now? (YouTube)
                    Speakers: Rob Moore, Mr David Rolls, Dr Kate Shaw, Professor Kate Darian-Smith (MC)

                    20 August 2014

                    Science makes Melbourne cool: Astonishing Facts and Stories (YouTube)
                    Speakers: Dr Krystal Evans, Assoc. Prof. Christopher Fluke, Dr Cathy Foley, Ms Bridie Smith, Emeritus Prof. Alan Trounson AO. Niall Byrne (MC).

                    28 July 2014

                    World Rangers Day: A celebration of passion, courage and care
                    Speakers: Mr Sean Willmore, Dr Bill Jackson, Danielle Thomas, Brian Nankervis (MC).

                    24 July 2014

                    AIDS2014: Stories on the road to a cure (YouTube)
                    Speakers: Nobel Laureate for Medicine Françoise Barré-Sinoussi, Professor Salim S Abdool Karim, Professor Sharon Lewin , Mr Matt Sharp, Dr Leslie Cannold (MC).

                    23 July 2014

                    When science meets the bedroom – 50 Shades of Pleasure and Prevention – AIDS2014 Event (YouTube)
                    Speakers: Associate Professor Garrett Prestage, Sydney Dr. Udi Davidovich, Dazon Dixon Diallo, Cyd Nova, Sean Strub (MC).

                    20 July 2014

                    Kosky In Conversation
                    Speaker: Barry Kosky

                    25 June 2014

                    Smaller government, bigger economy? Untangling the issues of public sector deficits and private sector growth (YouTube)
                    Speakers: Hon. John Brumby, Dr Cassandra Goldie, Professor Judith Sloan, Dr Tim Thornton, Peter Mares (MC)

                    2 June 2014

                    Remembering in Melbourne: Memorials Monuments and Shrines (YouTube)
                    Speakers:Rueben Berg, Victoria Prof Raelene Frances, Associate Prof Andrew May, Tom Nicholson, Dr Chris McAuliffe (MC).

                    23 April 2014

                    An Evening with David Malouf (YouTube)
                    Speakers:David Malouf, Lisa Gorton

                    31 March 2014

                    Not so hypothetical – A heated Conversation (YouTube)
                    Speakers: Ariel Liebman, Claire Johnston, Dean Griggs, Gary Tickland, Tony Murphy, Terry Jones, Andrew Wisdom (facilitator).

                    24 March 2014

                    What is the future of music and sound? (YouTube)
                    Speakers:Phil Brophy, Dr Hamish Innes-Browne, Gail Priest, Danni Zuvela, Robin Fox (MC).

                    19 March 2014

                    Green Cities – Building a Sustainable Melbourne (YouTube)
                    Speakers: Rit Aggarwala, Rob Bennett, Pascal Mittermaier, Jane Henley, Cr Arron Wood (moderator).

                    12 March 2014

                    Tunnerminnerwait and Maulboyheenner – Stories, Connections and Memorials (YouTube)
                    Speakers: Aunty Patsy Cameron, Dr Clare Land, Simon Maidment, Dr James Boyce, Genevieve Grieves (MC).

                    15 February 2014

                    Art Climate Ethics: what role for the arts (YouTube)

                    8 February 2014

                    Blak Literature: Stories about Writing Blak Australia (YouTube)
                    Speakers: Dr Tony Birch, Adrian Hyland, Ellen van Neerven, Dr Jared Thomas

                    Blak Theatre: Stories about Diversity, Change and Survival (YouTube)
                    Speakers: Andrea James, Margaret Harvey, Marion Potts, Aaron Pedersen

                    30 January 2014

                    Melbourne Now = New Melbourne? Talking about art and change (YouTube)
                    Speakers: Mr Ian McDougall, Ms Fleur Watson, Prof Rob Adams AM, Mr Tony Elwood, Ms Emily Floyd, Mr Peter Mares (MC)

                    2013 Conversations

                    27 November 2013

                    Water Stories Past and Present (YouTube)

                    20 November 2013

                    Arts strategy – a public talk and conversations with artists

                    13 November 2013

                    Arts strategy – a workshop for artists and arts organisations

                    30 October 2013

                    High line Park New York City – Robert Hammond Lecture (YouTube)

                    28 October 2013

                    Convergence: A new paradigm for thinking about our cities? (YouTube)

                    19 September 2013

                    Women and Work: Who Pays? Curator Sophie Cunningham (YouTube)

                    5 September 2013

                    Objectivity and Dissent: The Future of Australia’s old and new media (YouTube)

                    28 August 2013

                    Getting Better with Age: Living well in an older Melbourne (YouTube)

                    27 June 2013

                    The Making of King Kong the Musical: Conversations with the Creators

                    25 June 2013

                    Science City: Has Melbourne got what it takes? (YouTube)

                    3 June 2013

                    Toff Talks: Fashion - More than runways and frocks (YouTube)

                    30 May 2013

                    Constitutional Recognition of Australia's first people (YouTube)

                    26 May 2013

                    Craig Sherborne on being ordinary: The School of Life Melbourne Secular Sermon Series (YouTube)

                    22 May 2013

                    Is it Treason to Have the Wrong Reason? Guest Curator Dr Leslie Cannold (YouTube)

                    21 April 2013

                    Melbourne Town Hall Andrea Durbach on Vengeance: The School of Life Melbourne Secular Sermon Series (YouTube)

                    27 March 2013

                    Bosnia to Melbourne: Standing against violence towards women

                    24 March 2013

                    Christine Kenneally on Lying – The School of Life Melbourne Secular Sermon Series (YouTube)

                    25 March 2013

                    Toff Talks: Zines and the handmade aesthetic

                    18 March 2013

                    Stompin’ Ground: A talk about dance, land and culture as part of Dance Massive 2013 (YouTube)

                    24 February 2013

                    John Safran – On Unrest – The School of Life Melbourne Secular Series (YouTube)

                    14 February 2013

                    Feeding a growing Melbourne: issues and opportunities, Melbourne Sustainable Living Festival (Word, 116kb)
                    Feeding a growing Melbourne: issues and opportunities, Melbourne Sustainable Living Festival (YouTube)

                    3 February 2013

                    David Woods on humour, The School of Life, Melbourne Secular Sermons Series (YouTube)

                    2012 Conversations

                    30 November 2012

                    Getting to Zero: What does the AIDS/HIV mean for you? (YouTube)

                    26 November 2012

                    Shaping Knowledge Cities in a digital world (DOC 115 KB)
                    Shaping Knowledge Cities in a digital world (YouTube)

                    29 October 2012

                    Toff Talks: North vs. South: which side of the river are you on? (DOC 113 KB)

                    26 October 2012

                    Fed Square turns 10: uniting the ‘New’ Melbourne (DOC 2.7 MB)

                    15 October 2012

                    Being poor in a rich city: voices on poverty and inequality (DOC 115 KB)
                    Being poor in a rich city: voices on poverty and inequality (YouTube)

                    1 October 2012

                    Public art: models of possibility (DOC 120 KB)
                    Public art: models of possibility (YouTube)

                    27 July 2012

                    Heritage and development innovation: making Melbourne a world leader (PDF 75 KB)
                    Heritage and development innovation: making Melbourne a world leader (DOC 107 KB)
                    Heritage and development innovation: making Melbourne a world leader (YouTube)


                    19 July 2012

                    The culture of the book: celebrating our City of Literature (PDF 74 KB)
                    The culture of the book: celebrating our City of Literature (DOC 108 KB)
                    The culture of the book: celebrating our City of Literature (YouTube)


                    25 June 2012

                    Toff Talks: Urban Melbourne = Mega Melbourne. Where is it headed? (PDF 67 KB)
                    Toff Talks: Urban Melbourne = Mega Melbourne. Where is it headed? (DOC 106 KB)
                    Toff Talks: Urban Melbourne = Mega Melbourne. Where is it headed? (YouTube)

                    18 June 2012

                    Shedding light on how we read the world: Unlocking extraordinary stories (PDF 81 KB)
                    Shedding light on how we read the world: Unlocking extraordinary stories (DOC 106 KB)
                    Shedding light on how we read the world: Unlocking extraordinary stories (YouTube)

                    3 June 2012

                    Mabo Decision 20 years on: Hopes and aspirations for Victorian Traditional Land Owners (PDF 67 KB)
                    Mabo Decision 20 years on: Hopes and aspirations for Victorian Traditional Land Owners (YouTube)

                    28 May 2012

                    Toff Talks: Music Activism – SLAM – Where are you now? (PDF 80 KB)
                    Toff Talks: Music Activism – SLAM – Where are you now? (DOC 26 KB)
                    Toff Talks: Music Activism – SLAM – Where are you now? (YouTube)

                    30 April 2012

                    Toff Talks: Sampling remixing (PDF 70 KB)
                    Toff Talks: Sampling remixing (DOC 107 KB)
                    Toff Talks: Sampling remixing (YouTube)

                    17 April 2012

                    Drug use happens: National Youth Week event (PDF 76 KB)
                    Drug use happens: National Youth Week event (DOC 105 KB)
                    Drug use happens: National Youth Week event (YouTube)

                    29 April 2012

                    Sustainable communities: collaborating, planning, delivering (PDF 84 KB)
                    Sustainable communities: collaborating, planning, delivering (YouTube)

                    29 February 2012

                    Rio+20: shaping our future, telling your stories (DOC 115 KB)
                    Rio+20: shaping our future, telling your stories (YouTube)

                    11-12 February 2012

                    Melbourne Indigenous Arts Festival: Indigenous writers and visual arts talks (PDF 79 KB)
                    Melbourne Indigenous Arts Festival: Indigenous writers and visual arts talks (DOC 109 KB)

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