Public meetings

Rationalist Think Tank

The RSA holds monthly meetings (at this stage, only in Melbourne) for Members and others interested in discussing contemporary issues from a rationalist perspective.

Meetings are held from 6pm on the second Monday of each month at the 505 Wine Room on the corner of Williams Road and Malvern Road, Hawksburn.  Just 7 mins walk from the Hawksburn station and on the 72 tram line.

When	What	Discussion
10 July	Welcome to the World	We will review a proposed secular format for welcoming babies to our world.
12 June	Is the Australian tax system fair?	We considered the income tax tables, negative gearing and capital gains tax. Read report here.
8 May	The new Worldviews curriculum	RSA consultant Dr David Zyngier explains the new Victorian "Worldviews" curriculum; participants get to experience what it will be like in the classroom.
10 April	Government funding of the arts	All levels of government provide financial assistance to various cultural and artistic ventures. Why? How should any money be allocated? Should individual artists be supported by public funds?
13 March	Nudity	What harm is done when we unexpectedly see a naked Person? Should being naked in public be a crime? Are there enough clothing optional beaches, places?
13 February	Division of Time	We have changed our currency and measurements. We should now decimalise time, do away with days of the week and months plus have time unified world wide. Let's do it!
9 January	Drug Law Reform	1. Should personal use and possession of small quantities of marijuana be decriminalised? Would this result in a decreased or an increased in use? 2. Should other drugs also be decriminalised? 3. Do we support setting up pill testing stations at music festivals and perhaps other venues? How should the cost be meet? How would they operate and is there a danger of mistakes? Will the testing of pills on site increase use? 4. Are supervised injecting rooms a good idea?
Meetings held in 2016
12 December	Driverless cars	Read report here
14 November	Rights and Responsibilities	Read report here
10 October	Improving 18C and 18D of the Racial Discrimination Act	Read report here
12 September	Federal vs State responsibilities	Read report here
8 August	World homo sapiens population	Read report here.
11 July	Euthanasia	Read report here
13 June	Abortion	Read report here
9 May	Australia's place in the world	Read report here

Information for first time attendees

The Rationalist Think Tank meets on the 2nd Monday of each month at 505 Wine Bar (previously the Hawksburn Hotel) on the corner of Malvern and Williams Rds in Hawksburn. If coming by car you can park in the car park behind Woolworths, off Malvern Rd to the east of the hotel. The no. 72 tram passes by the venue and the Hawksburn railway station is nearby.

Guests should arrive at 6pm and go up to the first floor function room.

The hotel staff collect our meal orders and bring the meals up. You buy your drinks and pay for your meal downstairs. Allow $30 for a meal and drink. There are toilets upstairs. When you arrive you will be issued a name tag. Please introduce yourself to the other guests.

Seating is not allocated - just find a table to sit at.

The group at each table discusses and endeavours to reach a consensus on questions set for the evening’s topic. It will help if you come with some initial thoughts on the subject. Tables appoint a person to facilitate the discussion and someone to record and report the group's deliberations.

The formal evening concludes around 9pm.

If you are planning to attend, it will assist the organizer if you let us on “thinktank@rationalist.com.au” by the Thursday before so we can notify the hotel of the expected numbers.

If you are unable to attend but would like to contribute you can send an email with your comments or answers for consideration on the night.

You can also register via “Meetup.com”. To use this system go to Meetup.com and search for our group by putting "rationalist" in the search box.  By signing up, you will be able see information on future meetings, introductions and lists of questions.

You can make comments or comment on comments and see who else is in our group and coming to a meeting. You can RSVP yourself and up to one guest.