Discussions

Melbourne Conversations and Future Leaders invite you to join us on 22 November

What Difference is Australian Writing Making?

SPEAKERS
Mr Alex Miller
Ms Hannie Rayson
The Hon Barry Jones AO
Ms Dorothy Porter

The event will be marked by the presentation of the Future Leaders Writers’ Prize 2006

VENUE: BMW Edge, Federation Square, Cnr Flinders & Swanston Sts
DATE: Wednesday 22nd November 2006
TIME: 6.00 – 7.30pm (doors open 5.45pm)
RSVP: rsvp@futureleaders.com.au
There is no cost to attend this event

Alex Miller
Alex Miller's third novel The Ancestor Game won the 1993 Miles Franklin Award, the 1993 Commonwealth Writers Award and the 1993 Barbara Ramsden Award for best novel. He won the award for the second time in 2003 for Journey to the Stone Country. In addition he has been short listed twice for the Miles Franklin Award, in 1996 for The Sitters and Conditions of Faith in 2001.

Hannie Rayson
Hannie Rayson is the author of eleven plays including Hotel Sorrento, Falling From Grace, Life After George and Inheritance. Her plays have been performed throughout Australia and internationally. Hotel Sorrento, which won several prizes, was adapted as a feature film. She has won the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Award and the Victorian and NSW Premier’s Literary Awards. Hannie also writes for newspapers, film and television.

The Hon Barry Jones AO
Barry Jones is a former teacher, lawyer and politician. He was Deputy Chair, Constitutional Convention on the Republic and Chair, Victorian Schools Innovation Commission. He is a Vice Chancellor's Fellow at Melbourne University, chairs the Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority and serves on six medical research boards. He has written Sleepers, Wake!, Dictionary of World Biography and his autobiography, A Thinking Reed.

Dorothy Porter
Dorothy Porter has published many collections of verse including Driving Too Fast; two novels for young adults; and four verse novels, Akhenaten, The Monkey’s Mask, What a Piece of Work and Wild Surmise. The Monkey’s Mask won the Age Book of the Year for Poetry, the National Book Council Award for Poetry and the Braille Book of the Year. What a Piece of Work and Wild Surmise have been short listed for the Miles Franklin Award.

An initiative of City of Melbourne’s Melbourne Conversations Program and Future Leaders to coincide with the Melbourne Prize for Literature 2006 Federation Square 13 - 27 November.

The Discussion Series aims to bring into focus significant issues for the Australian community, government and business. The Discussions are for a general audience. They also provide young people with opportunities to build on their networks and to interact with outstanding leaders and role models in Australian society.

Previous speakers include; The Hon Fred Chaney AO, The Rt Hon Sir Ninian Stephen K.G. A.K., Sir Gustav Nossal AC CBE, Professor Peter Singer, Mr Julian Burnside QC, Rev Tim Costello AO, Professor David Yencken AO, Professor Robert Manne, Mr Don Henry, Mr Alex Miller, Professor Fiona Stanley AC, Justice Michael Kirby AC, Professor Larissa Behrendt, Professor Mark Considine, Dr Tim Flannery, Mr Noel Pearson, Ms Ann Sherry AO, Dr Don Watson, Mr Robert Dessaix, Ms Ramona Koval, Ms Louise Sylvan, Dr Clive Hamilton, Professor Ian Lowe AO, The Hon. Dr Barry Jones AO, Professor Glyn Davis AC, Dr Jose Ramos Horta, Mr John Banville, Ms Hannie Rayson, Ms Dorothy Porter and Hon Justice Lex Lasry.

Previous Discussions

The Power of Ideas – How ideas serve to assist in understanding, forming & renewing Australia
Date: Tuesday 15 July 2008

Energy and Climate Change: science and technology for Australia’s future – Non–Renewable Energy: Coal, Gas, Geosequestration & Nuclear
Date: Monday 28 April 2008

Energy and Climate Change: science and technology for Australia’s future – Renewable Energy: Solar, Wind, Geo-Thermal, Bio Mass & Tidal
Date: Monday 21 April 2008

The Urgent Design Challenge – Case studies from Australian and International metropolises
Date: Thursday 14 February 2008

Art, Migration & Indigeneity – What Happens When Cultures Meet?
Date: Monday 14 January 2008

Music: Players, Passion and Politics
Date: Thursday 22 November 2007

Political Accountability – What is really going on ?
Date: Wednesday 27 June 2007

Our Future Health – The challenges for science in keeping us healthy in the 21 Century
Date: Wednesday 17 April 2007

Human Rights: Have We Lost Our dignity ? – Three prominent lawyers reflect on some of the critical questions of our time
Date: Wednesday 01 March 2007

Which Direction for Sustainability ? – Economists and Environmentalists Talking
Date: Wednesday 15th February 2007

What Difference is Australian Writing Making?
Date: Wednesday 22nd November 2006