Welcome to our Guest Speakers Program

Our guest speakers program has resumed via free Zoom e-meetings. Check out our speaker schedule to register.

One of the special things about coming to a Rotary meeting is listening to our many and varied Guest Speakers.

Our speakers are drawn from business, academia, government,  and not for profits to name a few.

They speak on all sorts of topics that bring Rotary members up to date with the latest trends and opposing views.

Members of the public who would like to hear these speakers are most welcome but need to book for catering purposes (dinner meal at your cost). So come along, enjoy the camaraderie, good meal and listen to a speaker of your interest.

See our speakers in action

Past Speakers

His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley AC, DSC (Ret’d)
Her Excellency General The Honourable Margaret Joan Beazley, AC, QC
The Honourable Scott Morrison MP
The Honourable Gladys Berejiklian MP
The Honourable Thomas Bathurst QC, Chief Justice NSW
The Right Honourable The Lord Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore
The Honourable Tanya Plibersek MP, Member for Sydney, House of Representatives
The Honourable John Barilaro, Deputy Premier NSW and Minister for Regional NSW, Industry and Trade
Alex Greenwich, Member for Sydney, NSW Legislative Assembly
Commissioner Mick Fuller APM, NSW Police
Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons AFSM, NSW, Rural Fire Service
Belinda Hutchinson AM, Chancellor of the University of Sydney
David Gonski AC, Chancellor, University of NSW
Catherine Livingstone, AO Chancellor of UTS & Chair CBA & former President of the Business Council of Australia
Dr Michael Spence, Vice-Chancellor University of Sydney
Professor Barney Glover, Vice Chancellor of University Western Sydney
Professor Attila Brungs, Vice Chancellor UTS
Professor Jeremy Chapman AC Chairman of the Westmead Research Hub Council on the COVID 19 pandemic
Prof Michael McDaniel UTS Pro Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Leadership and Engagement)
General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK, CVO, MC (Ret’d)
Professor The Honourable Dame Marie Bashir AD CVO

Speakers from July 2021 – ongoing

Dr. Kerry Chant, NSW Chief Medical Officer

Nick Hughes, Joint Country Chief, UBS

Dr. Anne Noonan with Lindsay Mell

Jess Scully, Deputy Lord Mayor, Sydney

Mark Latham MLC

Sonia Rutnam, Chair Carers, Australia

Russell Browne, Phortse Water Project, Nepal

Jacqui Munro, Communications & Technology

Parnell Palme McGuiness, Journalist

 

 

 

Speakers from 2020 – June 2021 (Our Centenary Year)

Hugh Riminton, Journalist, Editor and TV news presenter

Libby Hodgson, CMO Unicef, Australia

Ronni Kahn AO, Founder & CEO Oz Harvest

Zali Stegall OAM, MP

Corey Tutt, Founder Deadly Science

Commissioner Kate Jenkins, Australia, Sex & Discrimination

Behyad Jafari, CEO Electric Vehicle Council

Russ Comeau, US Consulate, Sydney

Professor Simon Rice OAM, Director of NSW Law and Justice

Virgina Haussegger AM, Journalist

Michael Rose AM, Chairman of the Committee for Sydney

Jeanine Treharne, Angela Farr-Jones – Stand Tall

Uncle Harry Allie, Kudjula Tribal Group

Professor Talal Yassine OAM, Director Crescent Finance

Professor Simon Jackman, United States Studies Centre

Brian Toohey, Author & Journalist

Tim Reed, President of the Business Council of Australia

Robert Fisher & Thelma Raman, Climate Action Group

Clare Land, Kulin Nation

Paul McKenzie, CEO ABS Property and Conveyance

Paul Hutton, VP Operations, South East Asia, Hilton Hotels

Simon Holmes a Court, Climate & Energy College Melbourne University

Christopher Blaxland-Walker, Clearview Wealth Ltd.

Assistant Commissioner Justine Gough, AFP

Linh Nong, Rotary Peace Fellow

Melissa Abu-Gazaleh, Founder Top Blokes Foundation

Suzanne Hopman, Dignity

Kim Edwards, World Bank

Richard Alcock AO Chairman of Western Sydney Local Health District on the COVID 19 pandemic
The Honourable Arthur Sinodinos AO on migration to Australia the values of Australian citizenship
The Honourable Mike Baird MP
Tony Stuart, CEO of UNICEF Australia
Mark Scott AO is the Secretary of the NSW Department of Education & former MD of the ABC
Dr Ziggy Switkowsk, Chairman of the NBN, Chancellor of RMIT, Chairman of Suncorp and past CEO of Telstra & Optus.
His Excellency José Ramos-Horta, former President and Prime Minister of East Timor
Gail Kelly, former CEO of Westpac
Dr Simon Longstaff, Executive Director The Ethics Centre
The Honourable James Spigelman AC QC, former Chief Justice and Lieutenant Governor of NSW & former Chair of the ABC
Pastor Ray Minniecon Aboriginal pastor who has dedicated his life to supporting members of the Stolen Generations
Stephen Page AO is the Artistic Director of the Indigenous Australian dance company Bangarra Dance Theatre.
Jan Utzon, Architect, celebrating The Opera House’s 40th Anniversary
Professor Larissa Behrendt, Prof of Law and Director of Research at the Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning, UTS
The Hon Michael Kirby, AC, former Justice of the High Court
Dr Charlie Teo AM, Neurosurgeon
Kate Carnell, Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman
Roger Corbett AO, Chair of Mayne PharmaGroup, Molopo Energy & Beovista, former CEO Woolworths
Tim Wilson, MP when Human Rights Commissioner
Victor Dominello NSW Minister for Customer Service
Prof Gillian Triggs, Acting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner & former President of the Australian Human Rights Commission
Dr Wayne Johnson, Archaeologist, Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority
Professor James Weirick on the design of Canberra
The Honourable Jason Clare MP Shadow Minister for Regional Services, Territories and Local Government. Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness.
The Honourable Dr Brendan Nelson MBBS, MRACGP, FRACP (Hon.), FAMA, Director of the Australian War Memorial
Jihad Dib Lakemba MP Shadow Minister for Skills and TAFE, Shadow Minister for Youth, Shadow Minister for Juvenile Justice, and Shadow Minister Assisting on Multiculturalism & formerly principal of Punchbowl Boys High School.
Dorothy Hoddinott AO, Presiding Pro-Chancellor, University of Sydney
Cameron Kerr, Chief Executive Taronga Zoo
Professor Peter McMinn, Bosch Professor of Infectious Diseases, University of Sydney
Her Excellency Kirsty Sword Gusmão, Timor-Leste’s Ambassador for Education and wife of the Prime Minister
Caroline O’Hare Counter Terrorism & Special Tactics Command
Lucy Brogden on both Womens’ Issues and on Mental Health
Jennifer Hewett, National Affairs Columnist, The Australian Financial Review
Neville Tomkims OAM, Chief Commissioner of Scouts Association NSW
Associate Professor Munjed Al Munderis, a leading orthopaedic surgeon
Dr Jamal Rifi Muslim community leader
Steve Killelea, founder of the Institute for Economics and Peace
Nick Farr-Jones AM, captain of the Wallaby side who won the World Cup in 1991 on The Wallabies at the Rugby World Cup
David Levine Inspector, Police Integrity Comm & NSW ICAC
Stepan Kerkyasharian AO, President of the Anti-Discrimination Board
Associate Professor Jennifer Burn, on Slavery and Human Trafficking
Associate Professor Dr Melissa Green on Schizophrenia
Professor Stephen Simpson, Academic Director, Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney
The Honourable Nick Greiner AC, Infrastructure NSW & former Premier of NSW
The Honourable Kevin Humphries MP, Minister for Natural Resources Land and Water; and Minister for Western NSW
Les Murray AM, Australian Sports journalist and broadcaster
Professor Jack Beetson, Aboriginal philosopher, teacher & only Australian to receive the UN’s “Unsung Hero” Award, 2001
Paul McPhun, Executive Director of Medecins sans Frontières
Rabbi Zalman Kastel Director Together for Humanity Foundation
Mahir Momand, CEO of Thrive Refuge Enterprise
Wal King former CEO, Leighton Holdings
Clyde McConaghy, Founder, Global Peace Index
Jane Singleton CEO of Sydney Peace Foundation
Mark Tedeschi AM, QC Senior Crown Prosecutor, Academic, Author
Wendy Holdenson Director & COO Mitsui & Co
Professor Philomena Leung Assoc Dean International Engagement Macquarie University
Geoffrey Winters, Director of Development at Chalk & Behrendt
Bernie Brookes, CEO of Myer
Ross Greenwood
Warren Mundine AO
Wally Lewis
Kylie Bell Executive Director – Industry, Trade and Investment. NSW Department of Industry – Challenges & Opportunities for a Female Diplomat
Dr Peter Mason CEO of the Credit Union Foundation Australia (Cufa). Alleviating poverty across Asia-Pacific.
Associate Professor Payal Mukherjee Clinical Associate Professor of Surgery, University of Sydney, Adjunct Professor – University of Wollongong
Donna Vinci CxO, Chief Digital and Information Officer Bank of Queensland
Tim Sims AM, the Founder and Chairman of Pacific Equity Partners.
Parnell Palme McGuinness Commentator
Hugh Mackay AO Author
Paul Scurrah, CEO and Managing Director of DP World Australia, Australia’s largest Port container handling company
The Honourable Justice Tricia Kavanagh former Justice of the Industrial Court of NSW and Deputy President of the IRC
Dr Mark Westman, Founder of Pets in the Park
The Honourable Jillian Skinner MP, NSW Minister for Health
The Honourable Adrian Piccoli MP NSW Minister for Education
Charles Tarbey, Chairman of Century 21 Australia
Catherine Burn, Deputy Commissioner of Police
Harkan Harman CEO Community Relations Commission
Craig Laundy MP, Business and Politics
John Brogden AM Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Institute of Company Directors
Margaret Cunneen SC Deputy Senior Crown Prosecutor in NSW
Michael Knight, former NSW Minister for the Olympics
Frank Howarth, Director, Australian Museum
Jim Maxwell, ABC journalist
Tanya Hosch, Deputy Campaign Director RECOGNISE & Chair, Bangarra Dance Theatre
Dr Michael Schaper Deputy Chairman ACCC
Peter Debnam Soils for Life Board Member
Carol Cooke AM, Gold Medal winner at the 2012 London Paralympics
Hugo Llorens, Consul General of the USA
Ann Knight, Honorary Secretary and member of Management Board of NSW Rape Crisis Service
David Williams, President NSW Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Veterans Services Association
Steve Price, announcer radio station 2GB
Sam Romaniuk, CEO, Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority
Luke Naish, CEO, BBQs Galore
Tracey McCann, Head of the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children’s Teleschool
The Honourable Pat Farmer AM, multiple world record holder for endurance running and former Federal MP
Ros Strong, Chair, Sydney Community Foundation
Prof Cyndi Shannon Weickert, Macquarie Group Foundation Chair of Schizophrenia Research, University of NSW
The Honourable Shaoquett Moselmane MLC
Simon Balderstone, Chairman Australian Himalayan Foundation
Julie McKay, Executive Director, Australian National Committee for UN Women
Richard Woolcott AC, former Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Mike Chilcott, Linchpin Environmental
Professor Mary O’Kane, NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer
Angela Vithoulkas, Councillor, City of Sydney
Wendy Machin, President NRMA
Dr Kim Jaggar, Principal Sydney Boys High School
Cheryl Bart, on The Explorers Grand Slam
Vic Ahladeff, Chair of Community Relations Commission NSW on journalism in South Africa during Apartheid
Major Paul Moulds AM, The Salvation Army , on partnering with the club to support the marginalised and homeless
Kel Gleeson, President UNAA NSW on his role in UN Peacekeeping Operations in Rwanda,
Patrick Winston Medway AM CEO and Honorary Secretary of the Australian Wildlife Society
Mike Dureau AM, on Future Energy Security – Options And Trends”
Martin Welsh, New Zealand Consul-General
John Bale, Founder of ‘Soldier On’
Reg Richardson AM, Philanthropist
Mathias Kopp on ‘Business Angels’
Craig Carter on the Resilient Landscapes Project
Dr Dana Cordell from Institute for Sustainable Futures UTS
Professor Peter Schofield, Executive Director and CEO of NeuRA and Prof of Medicine at UNSW.
Ted Plummer, Head of Government and Community Relations at Sydney Airport
Professor Joerg Eberhard MME, Chair of Lifespan Oral Health in the Faculty of Dentistry and the Charles Perkins Centre
Ron Delezio founded of Day of Difference Foundation
Geoff Hukker; Founder and CEO, Beyond the Orphanage
Heath Ducker CEO of Youth Insearch
Dr. Raji Ambikairajah, COO of Women in Banking and Finance and Sydney Chapter Leader for Room to Read
Carole Schlessinger, co-founder and director of Kids Giving Back
Roxy Lee, Music Photographer & Founder of the Blue Guitar Project
Michele Rumsey, Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Development at UTS
Prof Caroline Homer, Director of the Centre for Midwifery, Child and Family Health & an Assoc Dean Faculty of Health, UTS
Frances Rush, CEO of the Asylum Seekers Centre
Peter Kaye AM, CEO of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award – Australia
Dr Gerardo Sicat, Economist
Dr Ian Pollard
Leigh Hatcher
Diane Smith-Gander
Graeme Cowan
Sandra Chipchase
John Winning , CEO, Winning Appliances & Appliances Online
James Castrission (First person to kayak the Tasman & to walk unassisted to the South Pole and back)
Pat Farmer (First person to run from the North Pole to the South Pole)
Sarah Ryan (Olympic Gold Medal-winning swimmer)
Tim Power, CEO of 3P Learning
Fifa Riccobono; former CEO, Albert Music
John Skinner Director, Centre for Oral Health Strategy
Justice David Levine Inspector, Police Integrity Comm & NSW ICAC
Peter Wilkinson Television journalist
Dr Chris Bourke MLA, First Indigenous Australian Dentist
David Schwartz MD & Founder, Board Direction
Dorothy Hoddinott AO Education
Dr Keith Suter AM, Terrorism, technology & regional power
Phillip Adams AO Broadcaster
Air Marshall Geoff Brown AO Head of the Royal Australian Air Force
Lindsay May on the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
Piers Akerman – Journalist News Ltd.
Dr Sonu Bhaskar, Founding Director and Chair NSW Brain Clot Bank
Professor Brian J O’Brien, Only scientist with 5 experiments on the Moon in two different sciences, Radiation and Dust
Peter Price OAM Vice-President Crime Stoppers International
Ron D Burton Rotary International President 2013-14 at the opening of the Rotary Life Skills Centre.
Jim McIlvenny, Senior Vice President, Dow Chemicals
Her Excellency Ambassador Belen F. Anota, Ambassador of the Philippines
Teresa Nizzola Export Development Canada
Tom Switzer Centre for Independent Studies
Deng Thiak Adut, 2017 NSW Australian Of The Year
Rear Admiral Ian Crawford AO AM (Mil) RAN (Rtd)
Martin Holzberger CSC, Warrant Officer of the Royal Australian Navy
Dr Andrew Young, Director, Centre for Social Impact, University of NSW
David Morris, National Director Australian Republican Movement
Noel Trevaskis OAM, an Australian-based Board Member of Rotary International.
Dr Happy! AKA Dr Tim Sharp at the Rotary Hat Day Launch
Annette Edis, author of ‘Retire and Live the Dream’
Bill Salter, District Governor Rotary International District 9675
H.E. Mr. Gian Ludovico De Martino di Montegiordano, Ambassador of Italy to Australia
H.E.Dr Milan Balazic, Ambassador of Slovenia to Australia and New Zealand
Gloria Carter, on Parkinson’s disease
Keith Jones, Affinity Wealth
Robin de Crespigny, author ‘The People Smuggler’;
Donald Hector, President The Royal Society of NSW
Niels Marquardt, US Consul General
Jackie Gambrell, National Stroke Foundation
Ryan Bulger, Indigenous Sports teacher, St Andrew’s Cathedral School
Rob Laurie AM, former Australian High Commissioner to India
Lynda Ben-Menashe, NSW Jewish Board of Deputies
Barry Antees, District Governor Rotary International District 9675
Tracy Howe, CEO of NSW Council of Social Services of NSW
His Excellency Mr. Ravdan Bold, Ambassador of Mongolia to Australia
Kylie Gwynne Director, Poche Centre for Indigenous Health
Michael Noetel, Sport and Exercise Psychologist
Amanda Doring, YMCA’s ‘Heartmoves’ preventative health
Michael Smith, radio journalist
Jesper Lowgren, author
Julian Todd, Wine merchant & business model.
Maha Abdo OAM, President Muslim Women’s Association
Andrew & Renata Kaldor & Melanie Noden, Centre for International Refugee Law
Louise Walsh, CEO Philanthropy Australia
Darren Black, CEO PCYC
Mark Anderson, Rotary Foundation
Brad Copelin Services stories from a Veteran
Carolyn Fletcher, AM on Opportunity Cambodia
David Holm, Architect, Churchill Fellowship
Miss Gulseren Celik Consul General of Turkey
Professor Dr. Floricel-Paul Mocanu, Consul General of Romania
Abel Guterres, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Timor-Leste
Garry Browne AM, District Governor, Rotary International District 9675
Martin Butterworth, Managing Director, Space Syntax Australia
Claire Moffat, CEO of Connected Media
Stephen Humphreys, District Governor Rotary International District 9675
Professor Shirley Kaye Randell AO On Rwanda’s first Economic Development and Poverty Reduction
Peter Lazar AM, on How to Reach People with a Message
Graham Wilson, District Governer Rotary International District 9675
Kristian Kolding and members of Australia’s Skillaroos team
Ric Smith AO PSM on China Today: Politics and Economics
Dan Blatch, founder of Blatchy’s Blues
Fayez Nour, Australian Rotary Health
Laurie Glanfield, NSW Department of Finance and Services, NSW Department of Justice and Attorney General
Ellissa Nolan, Synergising business, technology and communities
Ursula Hufnagl, Director of Sydney-based Chic Management
Stephen Fenech, Technology Journalist
James Glissan ESM QC, the Chair of Marine Rescue NSW
Alex Shaw, Former President of Rotary Club of Sydney
Stephen Britten, District 9675 Governor
Andrew Rochford
Christine Morgan
Sue Hayward
Dianne North
Paul Scurrrah (MD, DP World Australia)
Holly Kramer, former CEO, Best & Less
Dr Tim Sharp
DG Graham Wilson
Barry Antees District Governor
Tracy Howe CEO of NCOSS (Council of Social Services of NSW
Mongolian Ambassador Bold Mongolia
Goranka Slavujevic MLA
Brad Manera Historian/Curator, ANZAC Memorial
Nick Harrington Sustainable development
Hans-Dieter Steinbach Consul General of Germany
Norman Gillespie CEO UNICEF Australia
Dr Stavros Kyrimis Greek Consul General
Phoebe Alexander End Polio program
Rachel Beck, Unicef Centenary Project
Bernard Macleod Open Heart Disability Care Trust
Dr Elizabeth Coombs, NSW Privacy Commissioner
Jillian Skinner (NSW Minister for Health)
Commissioner Andrew Scipione APM, NSW Police Service
Troy Grant MP, Deputy Premier of NSW, Minister for Justice and Police, Minister for the Arts
Ann Sherry AO former CEO Carnival Australia
Adrian Piccoli (NSW Minister for Education)