OVERVIEW
This October Long Weekend Sydney Opera House plays host to more than 50 speakers and performers, multiple free events, debates, panel discussions and more.
The Festival's Opening Address is by international journalist Christopher Hitchens, in conversation with Tony Jones on the topic 'Religion Poisons Everything'. Taking an opposing stance on Sunday is Catholic Archbishop Cardinal George Pell, who argues 'Without God We Are Nothing' and Keysar Trad who argues that 'Polygamy and Other Islamic Values are Good for Australia'.
We have Susan Greenfield discussing the implications of Online Networking on developing brains; an international panel debating the merits of Democracy; Aboriginal activist Gary Foley arguing that 'The Aboriginal Genocide will be complete'; Germaine Greer questioning whether people really want Freedom; Julian Savulescu supporting genetic enhancement and much much more.
The Festival will almost certainly cause moments of outrage, but will hopefully push the boundaries enough to stimulate, provoke and engage people in wider discussion.
Click on Saturday or Sunday above to see the full program, and make a day of it with one of our Festival Passes, which start at just $45*.
Bombs, guns and bullets may be dangerous. Closed or complacent minds make them lethal.
* Transaction fee of $8.50 applies to all phone bookings.
SATURDAY
Soapbox
Free on the Forecourt
Heats 12pm; Finals 2.30pm
Team Loko
Free on the Forecourt
2pm & 4pm
Polygamy and Other Islamic Values Are Good For Australia
Keysar Trad
The Studio
4pm
$20 / $15 With Festival Pass
No Human Cure Justifies Animal Experimentation
Denise Russell
Utzon Room
4pm
$20 / $15 With Festival Pass
Yes to Child Labour, No to The Minimum Wage
Ray Evans
Hosted by Michael Duffy
The Studio
5.30pm
$20 / $15 With Festival Pass
Policing our Minds is the Future
- THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT
David Mutton
Utzon Room
5.30pm
$20 / $15 With Festival Pass
Religion Poisons Everything
Christopher Hitchens
Hosted by Tony Jones
Concert Hall
8pm
$65/ $55 With Festival Pass
SUNDAY
Freedom: The Most Dangerous Idea of All
Germaine Greer
Concert Hall
11am
$39/ $29 With Festival Pass
People With Flat Screen TVs Should Stop Whingeing about Capitalism
Oliver Hartwich and Cassandra Wilkinson
Hosted by Paul Comrie-Thomson
Drama Theatre
12.30pm
$20 / $15 With Festival Pass
Bring Back Conscription
Rear Admiral Chris Barrie
Utzon Room
12.30pm
$20 / $15 With Festival Pass
Does Online Networking Harm Children's Brains?
Baroness Susan Greenfield
Concert Hall
1pm
$39/ $29 With Festival Pass
By 2075 the Aboriginal Genocide will be Complete
Gary Foley
The Studio
1.45pm
$20 / $15 With Festival Pass
Why We Enjoy Killing
Jeff Sparrow
Utzon Room
1.45pm
$20 / $15 With Festival Pass
Team Loko
Free on the Forecourt
2pm & 4pm
IQ2 Debate: Democracy Is Not For Everyone
Concert Hall
2.45pm
$39/ $29 With Festival Pass
The Arts Don't Deserve A Place In This Festival
John Carroll, Catherine Deveny and Julian Morrow
Hosted by Stephen Crittenden
Drama Theatre
3pm
$20 / $15 With Festival Pass
Make All Drug Use Legal
Greg Barns, Norm Stamper and Alex Wodek
The Studio
4pm
$20 / $15 With Festival Pass
Australian Stereotypes Betray Our Cultural Identity
Ien Ang, Robyn Archer and Larissa Behrendt.
Hosted by Bridget Kendell
Free in the Utzon Room
4.15pm
$20 / $15 With Festival Pass
Dead Aid: Why Aid is Not Working and How There is Another Way For Africa
Dambisa Moyo
Concert Hall
5.30pm
$39/ $29 With Festival Pass
Without God We Are Nothing
Cardinal George Pell
The Studio
5.30pm
$20 / $15 With Festival Pass
The Old Should Pay For Themselves
John Humphreys
Utzon Room
5.45pm
$20 / $15 With Festival Pass
Unfit For Life: Genetically Enhance Humanity or Face Extinction
Julian Savulescu
Drama Theatre
6.45pm
$20 / $15 With Festival Pass
Dangerously Funny!
Casey Bennetto, Jamie Kilstein, Jean Kittson, Paul McCarthy (as Kevin Rudd), Eddie Perfect & Band and Reggie Watts
Hosted by Judith Lucy
Concert Hall
8.30pm
$55/ $45 With Festival Pass
FESTIVAL PASS
Buy 3 or more talks in the same transaction and pay the Festival Pass price - that’s a minimum saving of $15! (See individual talks for their Festival Pass price)
A FESTIVAL PASS IS:
- A ticket to three (or more) different talks, purchased in the one transaction
- Available by phone only
- Strictly limited. (There is a limit on the number of tickets per talk, that can be sold at the Festival Pass price. The allocations will sell out, so book your Festival Pass early!)
YOU CAN ADD MORE TALKS TO YOUR FESTIVAL PASS ONCE ONE HAS BEEN PURCHASED, IF:
- The original booking is in your name
- You’re adding a different event from one you’ve already bought
- You mention your Festival Pass at time of booking (there are no refunds if you forget)
- That particular talk's Festival Pass allocation has not already sold out
You can buy multiple Festival Passes in the one transaction, but the number of discounted tickets per event cannot exceed the total number of passes. Any additional tickets will be charged at the standard price.
THE FOLLOWING EVENTS HAVE SOLD OUT OF THEIR FESTIVAL PASS ALLOCATION
- Christopher Hitchens: Religion Poisons Everything
- David Mutton: Policing Our Minds Is the Future
- Keysar Trad: Polygamy and Other Islamic Values Are Good For Australia
- Panel: Make All Drug Use Legal
- Jeff Sparrow: Why We Enjoy Killing
- Germaine Greer: Freedom: The Most Dangerous Idea of All
When planning your Festival experience, make sure you leave a minimum of 15 minutes between talks, to allow time to move between venues and collect and re-check your bags (where necessary).
THE FOLLOWING EVENTS HAVE LIMITED FESTIVAL PASS TICKETS REMAINING. BOOK EARLY TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT
- People with Flat Screen TVs Should Stop Whingeing About Capitalism
- No Human Cure Justifies Animal Experimentation
- Julian Savulescu: Unfit For Life: Genetically Modify Humanity or Face Extinction
- Denise Russell: No Human Cure Justifies Animal Experimentation
All prices quoted are inclusive of GST where applicable.
Booking Fee Applies per Transaction ($5.00 Box Office, $7.50 online, $8.50 Call Centre)
No refunds, except as outlined in the Code Of Practice for Event Ticketing in Australia.
Program may be subject to change.