What is Intelligence Squared?

IQ² occupies a unique position in Australia’s social and intellectual landscape. It is the only institution in town - aside from Parliament - to provide a forum for debate on the crucial issues of the day.

But unlike Parliament, its debates are consistently exciting, witty, provocative - and comfortable, held as they are at the City Recital Hall Angel Place in Sydney and the Melbourne Town Hall. Best of all, you are invited to watch the live debates and even participate.

Read more about Intelligence Squared Australia and our live debates.

Note that all debates are later broadcast on ABC radio, television and are available as recordings and podcasts online - learn more. Videos of debates will be placed on this website once available.

Reading. Riting. Remonstrating.

The 3 Rs of IQ² - they go together so well.

And in that spirit, click to open and print your very own IQ² Bookmark.

2012 series

The 2012 national season of the popular IQ² debates is now unveiled! We are delighted to have AMP as national series supporter. The Melbourne debates are a collaboration between St James Ethics Centre and The Wheeler Centre. Check out the challenging series of debates in Sydney and Melbourne!

Sydney:

• 29 May: Same sex marriage should not be legalised*
• 26 June: We've seen the energy future and it's nuclear
• 31 July: We've nothing to fear from a powerful China*
• 21 August: We'd all be better off if farmers had the right to say NO to miners
• 18 September: There's nothing wrong with designer babies

* These debates will be filmed by the BBC with a global audience of 70 million people! They will also feature four speakers rather than six, allowing for greater audience participation.

Melbourne:

• 8 May: Freedom of speech is over-rated
• 4 July: Foreign aid is a waste of money
• 25 September: Western civilisation is in terminal decline
• 7 November: A good death is a human right

Special events:

Special debate Adelaide

11 July: A university degree is overrated

Past debates:

2012 series

Once available the video for each past debate will be found by following the links below.

• Animals should be off the menu - Melbourne

Earlier series

Learn more about the debates from earlier series - you can also watch videos of each debate.