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Current Events - Kempsey Macleay Valley U3A Inc

Kempsey Macleay Valley U3A Inc
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Current Events

Classes & Events
Current & Upcoming Events
This page contains a list of events available to KMVU3A members. Some are events organised by KMVU3A and others are organised by other organisations that KMVU3A members are able to join.  Ways to book / register will be listed for each event.
Please refresh this page to ensure you have the latest information.

KMVU3A Events
  • KMVU3A events are listed below
    • Book as indicated - usually online or by asking us to book for you via email, txt or phone
    • Pay online when booking online or pay later by direct deposit into our account or from links in an email sent to you
    • Scroll to bottom of this page to READ about how to BOOK online for KMVU3A events before starting to book for the first time
There are no current KNVU3A events. Click here to see photos of past events

Events hosted by other organisations available to KMVU3A members
ZOOM events - presented by Canberra U3A
  • Tuesday Forums (usually weekly @ 12.30pm)
  • Friday Conversations  (usually fortnightly @ 10am)

Log in Details for both sessions:
  • Log in details have been emailed to members. They are the same for both and every session so you can use details in any email sent to you.
  • You will need to have ZOOM on your device. Click here to download ZOOM - its free.
  • You do not need to register as KMVU3A is already registered- but you can if you wish to get a weekly reminder - say you are a member of KMVU3A when registering
Event rules:
  • Log in at least 5 minutes before the start time
  • Log in is not available after the event start to avoid disruption
  • Mute your sound and turn off video  ( You will be removed if you do not)
    • Look towards the bottom of the zoom window click on MUTE and STOP Video.

Tuesday Weekly Online Forums
Forums are held via Zoom on most Tuesdays at 12:30 - 1.30pm approximately

View a list of the upcoming forum topics here: Tuesday Forums Topic List
View recordings on past Tuesday Forums here:  Click here for recordings of previous Forum talks
  • There are many very interesting recordings of past forums

Forums have a "current affairs" focus through interviews with interesting people on topics such as local events, politics, science, the environment and international events.
Examples of topics for 2026 include: the future of Australian universities, US policy in South America and Australia's economic performance.

Friday Fortnightly Online Conversations
Conversations are held via Zoom usually fortnightly on Fridays at 10 am.
Conversations are similar to Conversations on ABC radio. A range of people are interviewed by Alex Gossman, on their “lives’ - what influenced them, major moments in their life, reflections etc.   

15 May  10am  Glenn Withers ANU Economist
Glenn Withers is an Australian economist, policy adviser, and academic associated with the Australian National University (ANU), where he serves as an Honorary (or Emeritus) Professor of Economics. He has interacted with many members of Parliament including during the Hawke/Keating period. He earned his PhD in economics from Harvard University and has had a long academic and policy career spanning ANU and other institutions, including roles in public policy and economic research.  
At ANU, he has held positions such as Professor of Public Policy and contributed to the Crawford School of Public Policy. Beyond academia, Withers has played major national policy roles: he was founding CEO of Universities Australia, chaired key government bodies (including the National Population Council), and helped design Australia’s modern immigration points system.   
   
29 May 10am  Kate Lundy  former ACT senator
Kate Lundy) is a former Australian Labor politician who served as a Senator for the Australian Capital Territory from 1996 to 2015. She entered parliament at age 28, becoming one of the youngest Labor women elected at the time. Before politics, she worked in the construction industry and became active in the trade union movement, which launched her public career.  
During her parliamentary career, Lundy held several ministerial roles, including Minister for Sport and Minister for Multicultural Affairs, and was a strong advocate for information technology, the digital economy, and innovation policy.  
After leaving politics, she moved into corporate governance and technology leadership, serving on boards such as the Australian Cyber Security Cooperative Research Centre and other major organisations.

5 June 10am Tammy Aslett – a career in music
Tammy is well known to U3A as the Community Music Centre coordinator at the School of music where we work together on the Musical Reflections course.
Tammy is an experienced music educator and performer with 14+ years in teaching voice, saxophone, piano, and contemporary commercial music (CCM). She holds a PhD focused on modern music education and developed an innovative CCM teaching model. Formerly a long-term lecturer in South Africa Tammy and family moved to Australia seerval years ago In south africe , she built a successful CCM program from the ground up and now continues her work in Australia. Alongside teaching, Tammy is an accomplished stage performer with extensive experience in musicals, bands, and festivals.  
 
10 July 10am Bob Bowker ret Diplomat with focus on Middle East
Bob Bowker is a retired Australian diplomat with a 37-year career in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, specialising in the Middle East. His postings included Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Lebanon, and he served as Australia’s Ambassador to Jordan (1989–1992) and Egypt (2005–2008), with concurrent accreditation to Syria, Libya, Tunisia, and Sudan. He also worked with UNRWA in Gaza and Jerusalem in senior external relations and policy roles.  
Following his diplomatic career, Bowker has held a range of academic positions at the Australian National University, where he earned his PhD and is now an Honorary Professorial Fellow. He is the author of six books on Middle Eastern affairs, including his 2022 memoir Tomorrow There Will Be Apricots: An Australian Diplomat in the Arab World, which was shortlisted for the 2023 ACT Book of the Year.
 

Past Events:
27 Feb 2026: Tania Brown – Lord Mayor of Wollongong
6 March 2026: Estella Hutchinson
  • Estella Hutchinson is a Canberra-based grief counsellor, end-of-life doula and advocate for death literacy
20 March 2026:  Jana Kapr – CEO & Co-Founder, Billigence
  • Jana Kapr is the CEO and co-founder of Billigence, a global data and analytics consultancy headquartered in Sydney
10 April 2026: Michelle Arrow - Professor of History Macquarie University - Michelle Arrow is a prominent Australian historian, academic, and author, known especially for her work on post-war cultural and social history in Australia.
24 April 2026:  Paul Hardisty- a Canadian-born environmental scientist, engineer and author

Cybersecurity Online Seminars - Recorded sessions - presented by U3A NSW.  
The live seminars have completed however you can view recordings of the two seminars at the link below:
    • Seminar 1 - recorded on 27 May 2025 - is about general Cyber Security Awareness
    • Seminar 2 - recorded on 10 June 2025 - is about Cyber Security Awareness for Travellers
    • Seminar 3 -  24 March 2026 - update on Cybersecurity issues
  • Double click on a seminar link to view the recording online
  • Or look for the download icon to download each recording and save a copy on your computer for viewing without being connected to the internet or at other times. The download link appears in several different places so look around.  A mp4 file will (probably) be downloaded into your downloads folder unless you choose another location.

Health Information Online Sessions - presented by the CPSA (Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Association).
There are many sessions on various health topics held over a variety of dates during 2025.
Click here to see the latest dates and details of all seminars and to book in / register for the sessions.   After registering you will be sent details of how to access the sessions.

How to book online for KMVU3A events:  read first
You book online for KMVU3A events in three ways:  
  1. On our website: using the booking link on this page - or the event link on the Current Classes page
  2. From an email sent to you which will have an event link
  3. In the Member Portal (on the Classes (& Events) tab)
    1. This is the only way to book online if you don't have an email or have access to your email
    2. Log into the Member Portal using your member number if you don't have an email
      1. Once logged in > Click on Classes (& Events) > the Event Name > then Go to Step 4 below

Steps to book online: Steps vary slightly depending on your system and which method you use to book - so experiment.
  1. Click the link to book. (Go to step 4 if booking in the Member Portal.)
  2. Tick to indicate if you are a KMVU3A member or not. Enter your email or required details. Members will be sent an email
  3. OPEN the email sent to you and click on - Click here to Register.   You will be taken to a website to complete the booking.
  4. Enter any notes for organiser eg dietary requirements and the number of tickets you require
      1. If you book 1 ticket it will assume it is for you (if it is for someone else type this in the notes)
      2. If you book 2 or more tickets - a box will open for you to type in the names of the people each ticket is for
          • Type the first and surname of each person so we have an accurate record of attendees
  5. Click on Register. Select to pay:
    1. Online when booking
    2. By direct deposit after booking into our account:
      • Acc/Name: Kempsey Macleay Valley U3A  |
        • When making a direct deposit:
          • You must put the NAME of person being paid for / event info in the REFERENCE or DESCRIPTION section provided in the  deposit window. (eg Tom Smith-Mid Year lunch etc.).
          • If making a direct deposit for multiple people or for people other than yourself, you MUST email us with the names of all people being paid for
          • We need to know who the deposit is for. Deposits with no details cannot be processed.
          • Coastline bank members need to use Pay Someone NOT Transfer and include a REFERENCE
  6. You will be sent a confirmation email of your booking and...
        1. An invoice if you book online but select to pay by direct deposit. It will contain details on how to pay.
        2. A receipt when the payment is received.

To add additional tickets or notes for the organiser:
If you have already registered but want to book additional tickets or add notes for the organiser eg dietary requirements, you can do this as follows:
  1. Repeat steps 1 - 3 above
  2. On the page that opens you will see the number of tickets you have already booked
  3. To add notes only: Type in the notes area. Do not alter the number of tickets booked
  4. To add Tickets: Type in the new TOTAL of tickets you want to book (eg if you have already booked 1 ticket and want 1 more - Type 2.)
    1. Select how you will pay for these additional tickets
        1. NOTE: If you haven't paid for the original tickets - you will need to pay for these as well
  5. Click on Register
  6. You will be emailed confirmation etc as above
  7. NOTE: Simply close the page if you don't want to add or alter anything


Updated:  26-03-2026

Kempsey Macleay Valley U3A Inc.
PO BOX 3666
West Kempsey NSW 2440

Copyright KMVU3A Inc 2023
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