December 2009
Leadership, respect, passion, capacity, commitment – all of these together, plus much more, were on display in the person of keynote speaker at December’s Round Table Dinner, Christine Nixon.  Ms Nixon, the former Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police, is now the chair of the Victorian Bushfire Recovery and Reconstruction Authority. Ms Nixon confronted issues surrounding the ongoing hearings of the Bushfires Royal Commission, the performance at the time of the fires of those in authority and the progress of the huge task of rebuilding the ravaged communities – both in physical and emotional terms. Ms Nixon challenged the graduates of the Leadership Ballarat and Western Region program to go out into their own communities and lead.  Praising the commitment of the graduates, she also commended the great support they had received through the LBWR program and told the graduates, “You owe”.

September 2009
Head of Access Economics, Macroeconomist Group, Chris Richardson expounded his views on the current economic situation.Chris gave a colourful address on the local economy which he claimed was not all doom and gloom; in fact, Ballarat is in a strong position for the future.Chris provided insight into the economy and what lies ahead not only for Ballarat but Australia as we overcome the Global Financial Crisis. Although Ballarat is demographically a regional town we have the resources and industries to become a leader in not only Victoria but Australia.Committee for Ballarat Chair Tony Chew     also had guests reflecting on many of the projects on which Committee for Ballarat has already been a prime motivator and the beneficial consequences of these projects.

 June 2009
IBM Australia’s Global Investment Executive, Dr John Harvey AM discussed his strong ties he has with Ballarat and his involvement in the construction of the IBM IT plant in Mt Helen, which is now a representation of a true success story for Ballarat and IBM.Insight into regional developments and the importance of ‘shopping locally’ was passed on through a passionate delivery by a man that had and still does have strong ties with Ballarat. He highlighted that Ballarat has the skills and potential to become a leading industry community in regional Victoria. The night also saw Professor David James step down from Chairman, a role that he has professionally filled for the past  three years. Tony Chew     will now follow on from David’s success and take on the responsibility as chairman for Committee for Ballarat.

February 2009
Professor Ross Garnaut, one of Australia’s leading experts in the debate on climate change, discussed the merits and complexities of an emissions trading scheme as well as Ballarat’s role and impact within the current economic and environmental climate. He emphasised that Ballarat could soon become a major player in Australia’s battle against climate change as our city has the infrastructure and resources required to develop new industries for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

November 2008
The overwhelming theme of the address by Mrs Janet Holmes à Court AC was that, in life, people need to be participants, not spectators. Mrs Holmes à Court, head of one of Australia’s largest private companies, covered a range of topics including her passion for the arts, children’s programs, water, workplace safety and her successful resurrection of Heytesbury Pty Ltd – her late husband’s debt-ridden company.

September 2008
Mr Rob Gell, an active environmental campaigner with strong ties to scientific and conservation communities and a deep-seated commitment to sustainable development, addressed the topic ‘securing our water future’. Mr Gell highlighted the challenges faced by business and communities in the light of ongoing climate change and shifting weather patterns.

June 2008
IBISWorld Founder and Chairman and business strategist Mr Phil Ruthven heralded Ballarat's approach to the "magic" population figure of 100,000 at which time it would become a truly self-generating economy. Mr Ruthven presented a detailed breakdown on Ballarat's economic base, living standards and growth – all of which will strongly impact on our future.

February 2008
We tackled the challenge of energy and sustainability issues with Dr Ziggy Switkowski (former Telstra CEO and chairman of former Prime Minister John Howard’s Review of Uranium Mining, Processing and Nuclear Energy.) Dr Switkowski delivered an insightful presentation on Australia’s energy and climate change strategy.

December 2007
Ms Avril Henry of AH Revelations addressed the RTD at which the 26 participants in the 2007 Leadership Ballarat & Western Region (LBWR) program officially graduated. Ms Henry emphasised the need to nurture and strengthen young leaders – a theme which strongly supports LBWR’s vision of equipping emerging leaders to guide our region into the future.

October 2007
Nobel Laureate Prof Peter Doherty spoke about global health issues and associated challenges. The depth of Prof Doherty’s knowledge
and sensitivity about the topic of global health was inspiring and his message was delivered in a highly engaging manner.

June 2007
Mr David Kirk MBE’s presentation on the past, present and future of Fairfax Media, including in the Ballarat region, provided interesting historical perspectives and anecdotes. His attention to the ongoing importance for Fairfax of the print medium and connections with local communities provided important insights.