Events | Black Inc.

Upcoming events

Helen Trinca

Looking For Elizabeth: Helen Trinca on Remembering Elizabeth Harrower

Remembering Elizabeth Harrower

Speakers: Helen Trinca – Editor of The Deal & author of Looking for Elizabeth: The Life of Elizabeth Harrower, Geoffrey Lehmann – Australian poet, writer and tax lawyer

Date:   Monday 21 July

Time:   5:30pm

Venue: The Sydney Institute 47 Phillip St, Sydney

Price:   This is a free event.

Linda Jaivin

Bombard the Headquarters!: Linda Jaivin Author Talk

The Cultural Revolution saw out the Mao era in China with a decade-long orgy of violence and cultural destruction. The suppression of historical truth-telling combined with the fact that many of the Cultural Revolution’s victims, perpetrators and witnesses are elderly or gone means that its memory is fading even as a kind of nostalgia for the era continues to flourish, with Mao’s collected works climbing back up bestseller lists and some young people embracing Cultural Revolution slogans. But what was the Cultural Revolution all really about and how can it inform our understanding of China today?

Linda Jaivin is the author of thirteen books, including The Shortest History of China, which has been translated into almost two dozen languages, and her most recent Bombard the Headquarters! The Cultural Revolution in China. She is also a widely published cultural commentator and translator from Chinese specialising in film subtitling, and an editorial associate of the Australian Centre on China in the World. 

The ANU China Seminar Series is supported by the Australian Centre on China in the World at ANU College of Asia and the Pacific.

Date:   Thursday 24 July

Time:   4:00pm

Venue: The Australian National University

Price:   This is a free event.

Helen Trinca

Looking for Elizabeth: Helen Trinca Festival Appearance

In Looking for Elizabeth, journalist Helen Trinca asks why Elizabeth Harrower – one of Australia’s most important authors – stopped writing at the height of her powers. After publishing four acclaimed books, Harrower faded from the literary landscape and was rediscovered decades later to international acclaim.

Helen unravels this mystery, bringing to life the literary circles of a fascinating era in Australian culture. Based on private interviews with Harrower and full access to her archive, Looking for Elizabeth is the first full biography of this significant figure in Australian letters.

Helen Trinca is an experienced reporter, commentator and editor who has held senior positions at The Australian, including deputy editor, managing editor, European correspondent and editor of The Weekend Australian Magazine. She has authored and co-authored three other books including Better than Sex: How a whole generation got hooked on work.

Date:   Friday 25 July

Time:   12:30pm

Venue: Southern Highland Writers' Festival

Price:   $18.00

Toby Walsh

The Shortest History of AI: Toby Walsh Festival Appearance

Toby Walsh is one of the world’s leading researchers in artificial intelligence (AI). In his latest book, The Shortest History of AI, Toby presents six ideas to help understand artificial intelligence today. From Ada Lovelace’s visionary work to IMB’s groundbreaking defeat of the chess world champion and the revolutionary emergence of ChatGPT, Toby explores AI’s cultural journey.

Toby is Scientia Professor of Artificial Intelligence at UNSW and chief scientist at its AI institute, UNSW.ai. 

Date:   Sunday 27 July

Time:   10:30am

Venue: Southern Highlands Writers' Festival

Price:   $18.00

Erik Jensen

Festival Panel Appearance: Erik Jensen

Mungo Panel: Press Freedom

Join award-winning foreign correspondent and Executive Director of Alliance for Journalists’ Freedom, Peter Greste (The Correspondent), and Pulitzer Prize finalist John Vaillant (Fire Weather) for an urgent discussion on the state of play for press freedom and the most pressing media issues today. With Erik Jensen.

Supported by The Byron Shire Echo

Date:   Friday 8 August

Time:   10:15am

Venue: Byron Writers Festival

Price:   Included in festival passes.

Joëlle  Gergis

Festival Appearance: Joelle Gergis

Water: Our Life

From oceans to rivers, in flood and drought, for drinking, agriculture and industry, water is essential to life. Join Debra Dank (Terraglossia), Joëlle Gergis (Highway to Hell), Chris Hammer (The River) and James Sippo for an essential discussion on water and climate. With Erik Jensen.

‍Supported by Southern Cross University

Date:   Friday 8 August

Time:   2:15pm

Venue: Byron Writers Festival

Price:   Included in festival passes.

Saul Griffith

Plug In!: The Faster and Fairer Tour with Saul Griffith

Australians are keen to electrify their homes and vehicles and save on energy bills, but how can we ensure this happens fairer and faster?

Join Saul Griffith, engineer and Chief Scientist at Rewiring Australia, as he discusses his latest book Plug In! The Electrification Handbook, which provides practical advice for everyday Australians on upgrading their homes and cars. You will also hear from community groups about the local action happening in your neighbourhoods. 

Join us for an enlightening event on how Australia can race towards all-electric homes and communities. 

Date:   Friday 8 August

Time:   2:30pm

Venue: Vines at 139, 39 Fitzroy Street, Grafton NSW

Price:   This is a free event.

Don Watson

Festival Appearance: Don Watson in conversation with Michelle de Kretser

On Reading and Writing

Join celebrated Australian writers Michelle de Kretser (Theory & Practice), Gail Jones (The Name of the Sister) and Don Watson (High Noon) in discussion about their literary craft, process, and influences, and the transformative power of reading. With Chris Hanley.‍

Supported by Southern Cross University

Date:   Friday 8 August

Time:   3:30pm

Venue: Byron Writers Festival

Price:   Included in festival passes.

Joëlle  Gergis

Festival Appearance: Joelle Gergis

Celebrating Science

Mark National Science Week with a joyous celebration of science and maths, culture, and the natural world, with JM Field (The Eagle and the Crow), Joëlle Gergis (Highway to Hell) and Corey Tutt (Deadly Reptiles). With Mel Bampton.

Supported by The Holman Family

Date:   Friday 8 August

Time:   4:45pm

Venue: Byron Writers Festival

Price:   Included in festival passes.

Joëlle  Gergis

Festival Appearance: Joelle Gergis

Women and girls are disproportionately impacted by climate disasters and women leaders are driving change. Join Australia's most respected climate scientist Joëlle Gergis (Highway to Hell) and activist and Greens candidate Mandy Nolan for a rigorous discussion about the most urgent issue of our time and the experience of women in the field. With Mel Bampton.

Date:   Saturday 9 August

Time:   9:15am

Venue: Byron Writers Festival

Price:   Included in festival passes.

Don Watson

Festival Panel Appearance: Don Watson

Fragile Democracy

Political upheaval around the world has laid bare the fragility of democratic institutions and the rule of law. Join an esteemed panel featuring Judith Brett (Fearless Beatrice Faust), Julianne Schultz (The Idea of Australia) and Don Watson (High Noon) to diagnose the health of democracy. With Emma Shortis. 

Date:   Saturday 9 August

Time:   10:15am

Venue: Byron Writers Festival

Price:   Included in festival passes.

Saul Griffith

Festival Appearance: Saul Griffith on Plug In!

AI at Work

From the theft of artist labour and intellectual property, 'slop' content, errors and hallucinations, is the AI bubble about to burst? Join Josh Bornstein (Working for the Brand), Saul Griffith (Plug In!) and Jennifer Mills (Salvage) to discuss the role of AI at, and in, work. With Alice Grundy.

 

Date:   Saturday 9 August

Time:   2:15pm

Venue: Byron Writers Festival

Price:   Included in festival pass.

Don Watson

Festival Appearance: Don Watson

Trump'd

Get the analysis on Donald Trump's second presidency with an all-star lineup of political commentators Nick Bryant, Barry Jones, Emma Shortis and Don Watson. Is Australia's relationship with the USA intact, and what can be done in the face of authoritarianism? With Julianne Schultz.

Supported by The Australia Institute

Date:   Saturday 9 August

Time:   3:15pm

Venue: https://www.byronwritersfestival.com/festival/program?session=trumpd

Price:   Included in festival passes.

Jess Hill

Festival Appearance: Jess Hill and George Megalogenis in conversation with Thomas Mayo

Radicalised: Extreme Boys

From misogynistic 'manosphere' influencers like Andrew Tate to viral TV series Adolescence, the radicalisation of boys is a worldwide concern. Join Jess Hill, Thomas Mayo and George Megalogenis for a discussion on how to empower and protect young people. With ABC Radio National Big Ideas host Natasha Mitchell.

‍Supported by Quarterly Essay

Date:   Saturday 9 August

Time:   3:30pm

Venue: Byron Writers Festival

Price:   Included in festival passes.

George Megalogenis

Festival Appearance: George Megalogenis in conversation

Australian Election Analysis

Now that the dust has settled on the 2025 federal election, get the political analysis with an independent twist from commentator and past candidate Jane Caro, Climate 200's Simon Holmes à Court and Quarterly Essayist George Megalogenis (Minority Report). With Misha Ketchell.

Supported by The Conversation

Date:   Sunday 10 August

Time:   9:00am

Venue: Byron Writers Festival

Price:   Included in festival passes.

Jess Hill

Festival Appearance: Jess Hill on Losing It

Stopping Family Violence

What will it take to stop gendered violence? Australian governments promised to end violence against women and children in a single generation. Instead, it is escalating. What went wrong? And what can we all do to turn it around? Jess Hill (Losing It: Quarterly Essay, See What You Made Me Do) is one of Australia’s most respected thinkers on gendered violence. Hear her in discussion with The Guardian’s Lucy Clark.

Date:   Sunday 10 August

Time:   12:45pm

Venue: Byron Writers Festival

Price:   Included in festival passes.

Saul Griffith

Festival Panel Appearance: Plug In!'s Saul Griffith

Green Solutions

What will it take to heal our planet – and how can each of us play a meaningful role? This inspiring panel explores the intersection of education, philanthropy, and community action in the fight against climate change and the practical things you can do to decarbonise, boost biodiversity, and green our world. Featuring Amy Cutter-Mackenzie-Knowles, Judy Friedlander, Saul Griffith and Kate Saunders. With Courtney Miller.

Supported by Australian Ethical

Date:   Sunday 10 August

Time:   1:00pm

Venue: Byron Writers Festival

Price:   Included in festival passes.

Saul Griffith

Plug In!: The Faster and Fairer Tour with Saul Griffith

Australians are keen to electrify their homes and vehicles and save on energy bills, but how can we ensure this happens fairer and faster?

Join Saul Griffith, engineer and Chief Scientist at Rewiring Australia, as he discusses his latest book Plug In: The Electrification Handbook, which provides practical advice for everyday Australians on upgrading their homes and cars. You will also hear from community groups about the local action happening in your neighbourhoods. 

Join us for an enlightening event on how Australia can race towards all-electric homes and communities. 

Date:   Monday 11 August

Time:   6:00pm

Venue: Sunshine Beach SLSC, Duke St, Sunshine Beach QLD

Price:   This is a free event.

Saul Griffith

Plug In!: The Faster and Fairer Tour with Saul Griffith

Australians are keen to electrify their homes and vehicles and save on energy bills, but how can we ensure this happens fairer and faster?

Join Saul Griffith, engineer and Chief Scientist at Rewiring Australia, as he discusses his latest book Plug In: The Electrification Handbook, which provides practical advice for everyday Australians on upgrading their homes and cars. You will also hear from community groups about the local action happening in your neighbourhoods. 

Join us for an enlightening event on how Australia can race towards all-electric homes and communities. 

Date:   Tuesday 12 August

Time:   6:00pm

Venue: Westside HQ, 3 Clewley Street, Corinda QLD

Price:   This is a free event.

Saul Griffith

Plug In!: The Faster and Fairer Tour with Saul Griffith

Australians are keen to electrify their homes and vehicles and save on energy bills, but how can we ensure this happens fairer and faster?

Join Saul Griffith, engineer and Chief Scientist at Rewiring Australia, as he discusses his latest book Plug In: The Electrification Handbook, which provides practical advice for everyday Australians on upgrading their homes and cars. You will also hear from community groups about the local action happening in your neighbourhoods. 

Join us for an enlightening event on how Australia can race towards all-electric homes and communities. 

Date:   Wednesday 13 August

Time:   6:00pm

Venue: The Gin Parlour, Miami Marketta, 23 Hillcrest Pde, Miami QLD

Price:   This is a free event.

Lucy Sussex

Festival Appearance: Lucy Sussex on Outrageous Fortunes

Join Lucy Sussex co-author of Outrageous Fortunes: The Adventures of Mary Fortune, Crime Writer, and Her Criminal Son as she explains the research and fascinating history behind the woman who was writing crime while her son was committing it. Crime fiction meets true crime in this non-fiction book, when Melbourne's literary bohemia consort with the criminal underworld.

Date:   Thursday 14 August

Time:   12:00pm

Venue: Heathcote Library, 125 High Street, Heathcote, VIC, 3523

Lucy Sussex

Festival Appearance: Lucy Sussex on Outrageous Fortunes

Join Lucy Sussex co-author of Outrageous Fortunes:The Adventures of Mary Fortune, Crime Writer, and Her Criminal Son as she explains the research and fascinating history behind the woman who was writing crime while her son was committing it. Crime fiction meets true crime in this non-fiction book, when Melbourne's literary bohemia consort with the criminal underworld.

Date:   Thursday 14 August

Time:   4:00pm

Venue: Kangaroo Flat Library, 23 Lockwood Road, Kangaroo Flat

Lucy Sussex

Festival Panel Appearance: Lucy Sussex in conversation

Disappearances. Secrets. Escapes. Flights of fancy. Hidden histories and historical mysteries. 

Through fact and fiction, three authors bring us a spectacular cast of spirited women. In Miss Caroline Bingley, Private Detective, Kelly Gardiner (with co-author Sharmini Kumar) re-imagines Jane Austen’s heroine as a sharp-minded sleuth seeking out a missing maid. Lucy Sussex (with co-author Megan Brown) gives us the hitherto little-known story of Australia’s first female crime writer, Mary Fortune, and her career-criminal son in Outrageous Fortunes. Novelist Tara Calaby weaves a speculative romance amid the concealed cabinets and slippery sceances in 19th century Melbourne in The Spirit Circle.  With host, La Trobe University’s, Stephanie Downes.

Date:   Saturday 16 August

Time:   10:15am

Venue: La Trobe Art Institute, 121 View Street, Bendigo, VIC, 3550

Jess Hill

Festival Appearance: Jess Hill in conversation with Sonia Orchard

Stella Award-winning journalist Jess Hill has exposed the devastating impact of domestic abuse through her books, television programs and podcasts.  Her latest Quarterly Essay, Losing it, investigates why violence against women is escalating. In her chilling memoir, Groomed, novelist Sonia Orchard confronts the personal, cultural and legal consequences of child sexual assault.  

These extraordinary writers and thinkers ask the questions: how have we allowed this crisis to happen? And what will it take to fix it?  With host, La Trobe criminologist, Kirsty Duncanson. 

Date:   Sunday 17 August

Time:   12:00pm

Venue: Bendigo Writers Festival

Toby Walsh

Festival Appearance: Toby Walsh in conversation with Elizabeth Finkel

In a seemingly fact-free world, what is the value of evidence?  Is there advantage in uncertainty?  How to weigh up the argument: on data or opinion? Intellect or intuition? And by what authority is vested the algorithm? 

In Prove It, biochemist Elizabeth Finkel describes how the time-tested scientific method plays out in contemporary controversies where politics and prejudice lead debate. In Blindspotting, leadership expert Kirstin Ferguson asks the question: what if the biggest obstacle to your success is something you can’t even see? And Artificial Intelligence researcher Toby Walsh, in his latest book The Shortest History of AI, traces the evolution of AI from “a speculative idea to a transformative force”.  With host, La Trobe University’s Andrea Carson. 

Date:   Sunday 17 August

Time:   1:00pm

Venue: Trades Hall, 36-40 View Street, Bendigo, VIC, 3550

Kate Grenville

Unsettled: Kate Grenville Author Talk

Kate Grenville is no stranger to the past. Her success and fame as a writer exploded when she published The Secret River in 2005, a bestseller based on the story of her convict ancestor, an early settler on the Hawkesbury River.

More than two decades on, and following the defeat of the Voice referendum, Grenville is still grappling with what it means to descend from people who were, as she puts it, “on the sharp edge of the moving blade that was colonisation”.

So she decides to go on a kind of pilgrimage, back through the places her family stories happened, and put the stories and the First People back into the same frame, on the same country, to try to think about those questions. This gripping book is the result of that journey.

Event produced by Bookoccino

Date:   Wednesday 3 September

Time:   6:00pm

Venue: Glen Street Theatre

Price:   $38.00