Tuesday Lunchtime Forums (Zoom)

Forums have a "current affairs" focus covering local events, politics, science, the environment & international events.

Sessions are held via Zoom commencing on Tuesdays at 12:30 pm and run from March to early June and from mid-July to November.

There are two registration options:

* Pre-register for all talks during the year and you will automatically be sent Zoom login details each week, i.e. there will not be any need to register on a weekly basis. (Note: Those who pre-registered in 2022 will automatically be transferred to the 2023 Forums.)
* Register on a weekly basis for the Forums which interest you. Registration will open in the week preceding the talk and the details are advertised with each Forum

Date	Forum details
3 October	What Impact are Australia's Changing Demographics having on Politics as we know it - ZOOM - 12.30PM Ian McAuley, former Senior Policy Advisor and Lecturer at University of Canberra The 2022 Federal Election results highlighted the challenges to the traditional two party system in Australia arising from the changing demographics within Australian society. Ian will discuss what those developments are and why for example the first preference votes the LNP and ALP receive are falling dramatically. He will consider, do these changes imply that the traditional two party system is the only form our democracy can have in Australia? Ian McAuley has lived and breathed public policy. He has been a policy analyst and a manager in the Federal Department of Industry and more recently, a lecturer in Public Sector Financial Management at the University of Canberra. Ian has been the course leader of a number of popular politics-related U3A courses. Registration (unless pre-registered for all 2023 talks) Opens: 9am on Tuesday 26 September. Closes: 5pm on Monday 3 October. Register via
10 October	From Orphanhood to Toilets to Personal Computers - the Changes in Australian Census Topics and Possible Changes for 2026 - ZOOM - 12.30PM Duncan Young, General Manager, Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) The ABS has started its content review for the 2026 Census which includes public consultation and rigorous testing. The ABS has considered nearly 1,000 requests for changes to or additions to the 2026 Census and if all were accepted the Census would have to double in length! Duncan will talk to the fascinating process of choosing topics for the Census and how topics have changed over time. Duncan is the General Manager of Census and Population Statistics at the ABS. He provided an excellent presentation last year on the 2021 Census results. Registration (unless pre-registered for all 2023 talks) Opens: 9am Tuesday 3 October. Closes: 5pm Monday 9 October. Register via
17 October	Strategic Recap - is the world and Australia a Safer Place - ZOOM - 12.30pm Emeritus Professor William Maley AM, Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific, ANU Billl will provide an overview of the major geo-political world events of the past year with a particular focus on the implications for Australia and our strategic environment. Bill will provide a critique of the Australian Government's response to strategic challenge, particularly within the Asia Pacific Region. In addition to serving as Professor of Diplomacy at the ANU, Bill was the Foundation Director of the Asia Pacific College of Diplomacy from 1 July 2003 to 31 December 2014. He is a Barrister of the High Court of Australia, Vice President of the Refugee Council of Australia and a member of the Australian Committee of the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific (CSCAP). Bill is one of the world's leading experts on Afghanistan and has written a number of policy books including his most recent The Decline and Fall of Republican Afghanistan. Bill is one of the most popular speakers to have addressed the Tuesday forums. Registrations Opens: 9am on Tuesday 10 October. Closes: 5pm on Monday 16 October. Please register via

Date

Forum details

3 October

What Impact are Australia's Changing Demographics having on Politics as we know it - ZOOM - 12.30PM

Ian McAuley, former Senior Policy Advisor and Lecturer at University of Canberra
The 2022 Federal Election results highlighted the challenges to the traditional two party system in Australia arising from the changing demographics within Australian society.

Ian will discuss what those developments are and why for example the first preference votes the LNP and ALP receive are falling dramatically. He will consider, do these changes imply that the traditional two party system is the only form our democracy can have in Australia?

Ian McAuley has lived and breathed public policy. He has been a policy analyst and a manager in the Federal Department of Industry and more recently, a lecturer in Public Sector Financial Management at the University of Canberra. Ian has been the course leader of a number of popular politics-related U3A courses.

Registration (unless pre-registered for all 2023 talks)
Opens: 9am on Tuesday 26 September.
Closes: 5pm on Monday 3 October.
Register via

10 October

From Orphanhood to Toilets to Personal Computers - the Changes in Australian Census Topics and Possible Changes for 2026 - ZOOM - 12.30PM

Duncan Young, General Manager, Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)
The ABS has started its content review for the 2026 Census which includes public consultation and rigorous testing. The ABS has considered nearly 1,000 requests for changes to or additions to the 2026 Census and if all were accepted the Census would have to double in length!

Duncan will talk to the fascinating process of choosing topics for the Census and how topics have changed over time.

Duncan is the General Manager of Census and Population Statistics at the ABS. He provided an excellent presentation last year on the 2021 Census results.

Registration (unless pre-registered for all 2023 talks)
Opens: 9am Tuesday 3 October.
Closes: 5pm Monday 9 October.

17 October

Strategic Recap - is the world and Australia a Safer Place - ZOOM - 12.30pm

Emeritus Professor William Maley AM, Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific, ANU
Billl will provide an overview of the major geo-political world events of the past year with a particular focus on the implications for Australia and our strategic environment. Bill will provide a critique of the Australian Government's response to strategic challenge, particularly within the Asia Pacific Region.

In addition to serving as Professor of Diplomacy at the ANU, Bill was the Foundation Director of the Asia Pacific College of Diplomacy from 1 July 2003 to 31 December 2014. He is a Barrister of the High Court of Australia, Vice President of the Refugee Council of Australia and a member of the Australian Committee of the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific (CSCAP).

Bill is one of the world's leading experts on Afghanistan and has written a number of policy books including his most recent The Decline and Fall of Republican Afghanistan. Bill is one of the most popular speakers to have addressed the Tuesday forums.

Registrations
Opens: 9am on Tuesday 10 October.
Closes: 5pm on Monday 16 October.

Please register via