Bound for Botany Bay

...Eventually—I'm not in Sydney until the middle of the month—and I promise no more convict references...

This evening, I’ll be heading to Australia for the month of October, doing a mix of consulting, public, and private events. I’ll promote these in more detail closer to the time (both here and elsewhere) where possible, but for now, dates and links are below for those who may be interested.

As part of the trip, I’ve undertaken to various organisations to write up my talks here, so where that’s possible and permitted, I’ll do so.

Photo by Leio McLaren on Unsplash

My first event, a public one, is in Brisbane, on October 5th/6th at the Sofitel Turbot St, for CPAC Australia. I’m not sure which day I’ll be speaking, and will let you know as soon as I know.

I’ll be heading to Melbourne and Sydney later in the month to do various events for the CIS, the IPA, Turk’s Head Club, and Free Speech Union Australia. Among other things, I’ll be recording podcasts for both the CIS and IPA.

On October 14th, I have a ticketed private event in Melbourne for members of the Turk’s Head Club. The club has this to say:

The Turks Head Club of Melbourne—modelled on the original literary club of Joshua Reynolds and Samuel Johnson—is a Chatham House Rules discussion group that meets monthly to discuss issues of History, Philosophy, Politics, Literature, and Current Events. Our regular monthly meetings are usually on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, and recent topics have included: The Voice, AUKUS, Xi’s China, Did the Anzacs save Stalin (Greece 1941), View from the Canberra Press Gallery, and Strategic Threats to Eastern Europe (Putin).

On Monday October 14 we have an international guest, as Helen Dale (originally controversial in Australia as Helen Demidenko of The Hand that Signed the Paper fame), is touring Australia as a guest of the Free Speech Union and other free speech groups. She has generously offered to join us to discuss issues of free speech.

Helen has an eclectic background in literature (her novels have won several awards, including the Miles Franklin and the Australian Literature Society Gold Medal); journalism (Courier-Mail, Newscorp, Fairfax and Quadrant amongst others); law (Universities of Queensland, Oxford and Edinburgh); and politics (senior adviser to Senator David Leyonhjelm). She has been part of various libertarian projects such as Australian Skeptics and Free Speech Union, the group blog Catallaxy Files, and her own SkepticLawyer.

She always leads a fascinating, and usually challenging, discussion.

Kelvin Club, 14-30 Melbourne Place, Melbourne. $50 per head including refreshments.

If you would be interested in joining us, please respond by email to: turksheadmelb@gmail.com

Bonus:

Lorenzo Warby

of this parish is a member of Turk’s Head, so if you want to catch us both in the same place…

On the evening of October 15th, I have a ticketed public event in Melbourne for members of the Free Speech Union, and will be sharing the stage with Professor

Katy Barnett

. We’ll be talking about perverse incentives in the academy and how that’s produced things like people with PhDs in breakdancing. It will be held at the Oxford Scholar, 410 Swanston Street.

On the evening of October 17th, I have a public, ticketed event in Sydney for members of the Free Speech Union. It’ll be at the Glenmore Hotel, 96 Cumberland Street, the Rocks.

On the afternoon/early evening of October 19th, I have a public, ticketed event in Brisbane for members of the Free Speech Union.

From the 24th to the 27th of October, I’ll be at the Langham, Gold Coast, as a guest of the Centre for Independent Studies for a major ticketed private event, Consilium.

There will no doubt be additions to and minor alternations of this schedule, but there is enough detail there in enough time for people to make plans.

Copies of my novels will be available for purchase at each event; if you want them signed, I’m happy to oblige.