Canberra City Evening Rostrum Club

CCERC 2026

Founded 2003 from the former Club 4 and Foundation Club

ACT Rostrum Club of the Year 1977-78, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 2001 - as Club 4 1965-66, 1966-67, 1969-70, 1988, 1997, 2000 as Foundation Club, 2008, 2010, 2013 and 2018 as CCERC

CITY GROUP Evenings – alternate Mondays 7pm Hellenic Club in the City, 13 Moore Street, Canberra City

Welcome to our Website. It provides information for members and those who may wish to join. We meet every other Wednesday at 18:45 (6:45 pm). The meeting dates are set out below. We meet to develop Communications skills, debate hot issues, hear a different point of view and enjoy a social outing.

Have a look around the Website for information on our club The Menu is immediately below, clicking on these will take you straight to the area concerned. Or simply scroll up and down the page.

Contact us

Meeting dates

Program

News

Resources

About

Meeting dates 2026 Wednesdays

January 21 (BBQ) February 4 18 March 4 18 April 1 15 29 May 13 27 June 10 24 July 8 22 August 5 19 September 2 16 30 October 14 28 November 11 25 December 9

Wednesday 18 March at 6:45 pm at the Canberra Labor Club Chandler Street Belconnen

Topic

I just can't stand it

Some Topics to be discussed in 2026

A big idea

Pearls of wisdom

The value of volunteering

Virtual reality

Recycling

The debating competition will also be held in 2026.

Rostrum originally formed to promote discussion

Rostrum was founded by Sidney F. Wicks. He came to believe that people needed to think through their own decision-making processes rather than just accept the promotions of the press and other interested parties. On 21 July 1923, he founded a club in Manchester (under a yew tree) with the prime purpose to encourage men to listen to many sources before formulating their own opinions, and then to speak their minds to groups of others in a way that would encourage them to listen. Australian Rostrum was founded by Alan Crook in 1930.

Members of CCERC at a recent meeting

CCERC's debating team (from left to right Abi, Andrew and Anne) winners of the 2025 debating competition, see News for details.

A guide to Debating-Warwick Everson Click here to read

About! The Rostrum story

Australian Rostrum has been in involved in the development of public speaking and other related skills since 1930. Is is active in all states and territories. CCERC is part of the Australian Capital Territory (Canberra) Dais. Rostrum was established in the ACT in 1953.

Canberra City Evening Rostrum Club was founded in 2003 and was formed out of a merger of long established Club 4 and Foundation Club both of which were established in the mid Twentieth Century.

Rostrum is committed to developing speaking, communications and speaking skills in a supportive non-threatening environment.

It is also committed to free speech in the Community and the need to speak up when necessary.

CCERC Stalwart Andrew Sellars won the ACT Legislative Assembly Speaker's trophy at the Annual Dinner on july 20. The trophy is awarded to a member of Rostrum who has made a significant contribution to the advancement of public speaking in the ACT.

CCERC won the 2025 Rostrum Annual Debating Competition against Phillip Club and came away with the Warwick Everson Perpetual Trophy, arguing that ‘it is better to grow potatoes than roses’.