We are a community of curious, connected and interested Melburnians contributing to and engaging on the important issues of today and tomorrow.
Melbourne Forum gives you access to the highest level of expertise and real-world lessons that our conversation leaders – all with a reputation for excellence – bring to the table under the Chatham House rule.
We are committed to providing a platform for, and the increased visibility of, diverse voices.
With varied formats (in-person or virtual; conversation leader or members engaging with each other; learning from experts or new experiences) there are multiple ways to participate.
Explore our upcoming program of events and forums.
Events Search and Views Navigation
March 2023
The Uluru Statement from the Heart: is it just politics?
We are bringing this pivotal issue to the table: 'The Uluru Statement from the Heart. Is it just Politics, or do we accept that our First Nations Brothers and Sisters have a Diversity of Views?' Dangerous Dinners give you the opportunity to fearlessly discuss contemporary, challenging…
Find out more »Innovation-Led Boards
Board leadership has the power to generate growth through governance. In the best boards, directors set the course toward ever-greater stakeholder engagement and shareholder value, directing organisations where they need to go. Those that link innovation into their work on strategy, culture, risk, investment and performance…
Find out more »Independent Institutions – Why The State Shouldn’t Try to Control Everything Even When It Thinks It Should
Government today is far more complex, and reaches far further and deeper into our lives than ever before. And that's power. Citizens in democracies grant power to the institutions of their states, usually politicians, under conditions. In many cases, they insist on firebreaks and firewalls,…
Find out more »Jazz at Montsalvat: Joe Chindamo Trio
‘He has more facility on the piano than you could ever wish for, his energy is boundless, he is forever inventive ...’ - JAMES MORRISON This is an opportunity to visit beautiful Montsalvat and to hear Joe Chindamo and his Trio. Joe is a musical…
Find out more »Empowering Gen Z Migrants Through Financial Literacy
As a co-founder of South Sudanese Australian Youth United, a non-for-profit organisation that focuses on empowering young people to be independently capable of leading meaningful lives, Deng Yong Deng astutely understands that young people of migrant backgrounds struggle to contribute to, and participate equally in,…
Find out more »The Song of the Cell: Medicine and the New Human
The building block of life: the cell. Its story is the story of modern medicine. And the story of practicing cancer physician, researcher and Pulitzer Prize winner Siddhartha Mukherjee’s latest book. With revelatory and exhilarating stories of scientists, doctors, and the patients whose lives may…
Find out more »April 2023
Shaping Victoria’s Urban Growth
Where are Victorians going to live and work? How can Melbourne and our regional cities best accommodate this growth? What choices and trade-offs might we need to make? What mechanisms, institutions and governance do we need to best shape Victoria’s urban growth? Jude Munro AO…
Find out more »A Good Hustle with Sammy J? No – Just No! Urzila Carlson
The Minister for Creative Industries Steve Dimopoulos, said "Melbourne International Comedy Festival is one of the most iconic events in Victoria – its impact on our state is serious business. We back this festival because it creates thousands of job opportunities, packs a big economic…
Find out more »The Collections Store
Preview the new Collections Store at Arts Centre Melbourne, which is not open to the public until July 2023. The visit will be hosted by Samantha Hamilton who is the Head of Collections, Preservation and Access at Arts Centre Melbourne. She leads collections management, conservation…
Find out more »Equitable, Profitable and Sustainable Food Systems?
Sustainable agriculture, resilient supply chains and the availability of healthy food requires trade-offs among food systems, water availability, energy, land, climate, economic productivity and agribusiness investments. Do you really know where your food comes from? Does the maxim: 'you are what you eat' shape Australia's…
Find out more »‘The Voice’ and Women’s Leadership
Activist Sally Scales is a Pitjantjatjara woman from Pipalyatjara in the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands in South Australia. As a proud First Nations woman, mother, leader and artist she has used her voice and art to uplift Indigenous communities and bring national recognition of…
Find out more »May 2023
Black Lives, White Law: Locked Up and Locked Out in Australia
How and why Australia’s legal system fails Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. ‘Russell Marks unravels a national tragedy. From the front line he delivers a first-rate, firsthand account of how so many First Nations people end up in jail, again and again.’ —Patrick Dodson,…
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