Canberra Conversations is a place to meet regularly in a casual, welcoming, and safe space to explore the big issues by looking beyond what we see in the mainstream media. It aims to pique our curiosity, challenge our thinking, and deepen our understanding of the big issues facing our society, to examine how we might better understand and therefore participate in our supposed democracy via conversations with expert speakers and with each other. We hope to start conversations that will extend beyond our walls. Audience participation will be a large part of our conversations.

Canberra Conversations will be held at Smith’s Alternative, Canberra City, on the third Sunday of each month at 3.30 pm to 5.30 pm. The event will be live streamed on our social media platforms and may at times be simulcast by Consortium News.

Our Inaugural topic this month is, “Do we really live in a democracy?”

Strengthening democracy, greater transparency and accountability are critical to our survival. Christine Milne

Guest Speakers

Tim Hollo

Topic: "Democracy is dead. Long live Democracy!"

Tim is a highly regarded environmentalist, community builder and musician, Executive Director of the Green Institute and author of Living Democracy: an ecological manifesto for the end of the world as we know it. https://www.booktopia.com.au/living-democracy-tim-hollo/book/9781742237251.html

Founder of Green Music Australia, was Communications Director for Greens Leader Christine Milne, has been a board member of Greenpeace Australia Pacific, and has run for election as the Greens candidate for Canberra

Tim established Canberra’s flourishing Buy Nothing Groups, set up a little library, and spearheaded a campaign to keep billboard advertising out of the city.

Christine Milne 

Topic: “Wrestling back democracy from plutocracy: Proportional Representation”

Dr Tjanara Goreng Goreng (www.oneinmaglobal.org)

Topic: “A Pure Democracy before 1788.”

Dr Tjanara Goreng Goreng PhD, MSA, Grad.Cert.Soc.Sc. (Couns.) PhD CAEPR, ANU Founder Chief Visionary One INMA Global – Transformational Leadership and Research Consultancy Research Scholar Australian National University, Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) Founder & National Convenor, Foundation for Indigenous Recovery & Development, Australia (FIRDA) Grandmother and Traditional Custodian.

Canberra Conversations is hosted by:

Lorese Vera Over a 35-year career, Lorese has worked as a Teacher of English Literature and Language, Professional and Creative Writing and Editing for Publication, is a writer and editor, and the Convenor of Canberra for Assange since 2016. 

Cathy Vogan (@CathyVoganSPK) Sydney film-maker, academic since 1989 and Executive Producer for Washington DC based Consortium News, Cathy has also been a committee member & producer for Politics in the Pub Sydney, whose events she began live-streaming in 2015.

Find Canberra Conversations here:
MOB: 0421 599 112
Twitter
Facebook
Email: CanberraConversations@proton.me
Youtube

Future conversations:

Democracy and The Voice to Parliament
Democracy and Secrecy
Democracy War and Peace
Democracy the media and censorship
Democracy refugees and detention
Democracy and dissent

We welcome suggestions for topics and offers to speak from people with expertise in these fields.