NEXT CAD: Thursday 25 August 1.30 – 3.00 p.m.
Heritage Reading Room

Name: Current Affairs Dialogue | Discussion Group
Start: 2022-08-25T13:00:00+10:00
End: 2022-08-25T15:00:00+10:00
Location: Soldiers Hill CBD | Pop-up

Topic: The USA: what’s the state of the union and why? Three core issues are suggested to
frame discussion:

Mass shootings and the gun culture;
Division around the Supreme Court overturning the Roe v Wade ruling on abortion;
The ongoing fall-out from the contested 2020 Presidential election.

1pm for 1.30pm start

Interested in current affairs? Welcome to a new initiative at the BMI designed for you.

Current Affairs Dialogue (CAD) at the BMI:

CAD will launch in The Reading Room 1-3 pm on Thursday 28 July 2022. CAD at the BMI is designed for members and friends who are interested in joining with similarly interested people as listeners and contributors in respectful, informed, analytic and interpretive conversations on issues of significant current public interest. The goal is to have all participants enjoy stimulating discussion and to leave CAD at the BMI sessions feeling their horizons have been extended and their understanding of current affairs deepened.

Dates, place & format:

A light-touch, flexible structure is proposed to launch the initiative. Program and practice will evolve in line with participant consensus. Meetings will be in the Reading Room. We will start meetings with a cuppa and welcome/introduction of new participants. Intention is to meet on the last THURSDAY of each month February through November. Topics will be nominated by agreement of participants a month ahead. Participants will be encouraged to identify

insightful written and spoken media pieces that they encounter pertinent to the coming sessions topic, to reference or share these pieces with other participants in advance of the next meeting where appropriate – in other words, do some purposeful and, hopefully, stimulating reading, listening and thinking before each meeting. Subject to participants’ agreement, contact details will be shared. Mark Potter, BMI Cultural Development & Services Manager will provide communications assistance and follow-up. Frank Hurley, former President and Patron of the BMI will act as convenor/ facilitator for the first few meetings. The idea is that this role be rotated among participants as CAD at the BMI finds its feet.

Some sample current issues to set us thinking…

Below is a selection of substantial, wide-ranging current issues some or all of which might be a meeting focus over coming months. Indicatively, the discussion framework for a topic would be to look at and discuss ( order depending on the topic)

Discussion framework:

how did the issue arise, what are its roots/background/history,
what is the situation as it stands,
how might it unfold/ effect change in its own, locale, at national and global levels.; what significance for us.

Suggested topics:

The troubled (Dis)United States: Roe V Wade overturn, guns, continuing fall-out from 6 January 2021 Capitol riot. ( N.B. It is proposed to make this the topic to get us started at the first meeting on Thursday 28 July)
Russia’s ongoing military attack on Ukraine
The pervasive “Culture “ problem: bad behaviour in Parliament House, football clubs, corporations like Crown and Star Casinos , banks etc. etc.
Census 2021: What has changed ? Will keep changing? Advance Australia Where?
Problems and possibilities of our town: Bakery Hill/Bridge Mall proposals, hollowing out of the CBD, Fed Uni’s announced vacating of Lydiard/Camp St buildings complex, all those Council “strategy” plans
Your suggestions?

If this outline engages your interest, come along. Help make this initiative a success. Spread the word among friends you think would be interested. Looking forward to a good representation BMI members and supporters gathering in The Reading Room for the inaugural CAD at the BMI on Thursday 28 July at 1 p.m.

Enquires to:

Mark Potter at the BMI on most Wednesdays and Thursdays. Tel: 0439 141722; email: [email protected] or complete the Expression of Interest below.

This event is a BMI Community Cultural Project – Ballarat’s Oldest Cultural Institution

Live Comedy BMI | Black Friday Special

28/11/2025 No Comments

Our friends at A-List have given us the opportunity to promote this Black Friday special – why not take advantage, after-all: BMI is the home of Live Comedy NOW Daniel Muggleton added to this special 30% off tickets purchased from 10am tomorrow until 5pm Monday 1 December This is a great deal. Get Tickets Live comedy – find out more

Update from Liam Mudge, Venue Manager | Stage Ready

27/11/2025 No Comments

Stage Ready The BMI has received funding to launch Stage Ready — a new non-formal technical-theatre training program for regional creatives. The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute (BMI) is pleased to announce it has secured $22,946 to deliver Stage Ready, a new non-formal technical-theatre training program designed to support emerging production talent and strengthen regional creative capability. Launching in 2026, Stage Ready delivers practical, real-world experience in lighting, sound, stagecraft, and venue operations. The program is non-formal by design, helping participants develop entry-level technical skills through

A Message from the Chair | BMI Board of Directors | December 2025

27/11/2025 No Comments

Hello everybody, it is hard to believe we are writing the December edition of the BMI newsletter, but while the year seems to have dashed by, a lot has been achieved at the BMI, for you the Members and for the wider community. Much of this activity has been internal, with Finance and HR audits almost complete led by the Finance Committee and the Board respectively, cyber security and IT upgrades generously led by volunteer Travis Charlton, website overview and

Rosemary’s Book of the Week

24/11/2025 No Comments

It’s A Scorcher: Tales of the Australian Summer William McInnes Don’t miss Willima at the BMI on Tuesday 2 December at 6pm If there is a quintessence of Australia at its best William McInnes has diestilled it – The Age From one of Australia’s favourite storytellers There is something about long, hot summer days that stirs our emotions. It’s all about holidays, festivals, family and Christmas; a time for swimming, a hit of backyard cricket or firing up the barbie.

Rosemary’s Book of the Week

17/11/2025 No Comments

The Courageous Life of Weary Dunlop Peter FitzSimons AM Don’t miss Peter at the BMI on Thursday 20 November at 6.30pm The Courageous Life of Weary Dunlop: Surgeon, prisoner-of-war, life -saving leader and legend of the Thai-Burma Railway Australia’s bestselling non-fiction writer Peter FitzSimons AM will be in Ballarat to celebrate his latest book about Weary Dunlop. The extraordinary story of the heroic doctor whose courage and leadership were a lifeline for thousands of Australian prisoners-of-war on the infamous Thai-Burma

Rosemary’s Book of the Week

13/11/2025 No Comments

An Ill Wind Margaret Hickey Don’t miss Margaret at the BMI on Tuesday 18 November at 6pm A Small Town Divided – Secrets Are Blown Apart Author of Cutters End and Stone Town High on a hill above the small fictional Victorian town of Carrabeen, 300 wind turbines constantly spin. All except for one, now deadly still with a limp body hanging from one of its huge white blades. Married Detective Sergeants Belinda Burney and Will Lovell are shocked to discover the dead man