Sir Walter Murdoch circa 1950
Sir Walter Murdoch 1965
Sir Walter Murdoch: Knighthood 1968

Murdoch University's premier public lecture was inaugurated in 1974 to mark the centenary of the birth of the University's namesake, Sir Walter Murdoch.  A respected academic, Walter Murdoch successfully bridged the gap between academe and the wider community - thereby establishing a tradition for the University which was named in his honour just days before his death in 1970.

Murdoch University annually invites a person of national or international standing to deliver the Murdoch Lecture on a topic of their choice. The only criteria are that it must be thought-provoking, topical and of significant interest. The Lecture provides a valuable forum for the Presenter to express passionately-held views, in a setting free from many of the usual constraints which surround them. This freedom has led to some memorable addresses. Previous Murdoch Lecturers have included WA Premiers the Hon John Tonkin and Dr Geoff Gallop, Justice of the High Court of Australia Mr Michael Kirby, Mr William Hutton, editor of The Observer, Historian and Chancellor of Murdoch University Emeritus Professor Geoffrey Bolton, AO, former Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Malcolm Fraser, and Nobel Laureate and Professor of Immunology Professor Peter Doherty.

• 1974 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  A Century Tribute - by Professor J. A. La Nauze, Professor of History at the Australian National University
• 1975 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  Science in the Development of Western Australia: The Richest Harvest - by Professor E. J. Underwood (1975). [doc]
• 1976 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  Aboriginal Australians:1967-1976 - by Dr H. C. Coombs (1976). [doc]
• 1977 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  Education for the Improvement of Human Welfare - by The Hon. John Tonkin (1977). [doc]
• 1978 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  As I Remember Him: Reflections of an Academic Life - by Sir Zelman Cowan (1978). [doc]
• 1979 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  Islands of Yesterday: The Growth of Literary Ideas - by Professor Leonie Kramer (1979). [doc]
• 1980 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  Reality, Risk, Relevance: A Choice Path for the Eighties - by Sir Rod Camegie (1980). [doc]
• 1981 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  Science and the Suburban Spirit - by Dr Lloyd Evans (1981). [doc]
• 1982 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  God's Experiment: Australian Religion - by Dr Barbara Thiering (1982). [doc]
• 1983 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  Morality and Law: Old Debate, New Problems - by Justice Michael Kirby (1983). [doc]
• 1984 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  Health for All by the Year 2000 - by Professor Stephen Leeder (1984). [doc]
• 1985 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  The Changing Family and in a Changing World - Anne Summers (1985). [doc]
• 1986 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  The Marks of a Good Society - by Rt Rev Peter Hollingworth (1986). [doc]
• 1987 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  Here Come the Yuppies: The Greedy Society or the Intelligent Society - by Robyn Williams ( 1987). [doc]
• 1988 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  Back to the Drawing Board: Reflections on the idea of a University in Australia - by Dr Davis McCaughey (1988). [doc]
• 1989 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  Lecture cancelled.
• 1990 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  Staining the Wattle: Issues of Violence in Australia - by Pat O'Shane (1990). [doc]
• 1991 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  Aging: Everybody's Future - by Dr Don Edgar (1991). [doc]
• 1992 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  The Pursuit of Trivia: Is it Damaging the News Media? - by Ranald MacDonald (1992). [doc]
• 1993 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  Democracy and the Rule of Law - by Brian Burdekin (1993). [doc]
• 1994 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  "Culture through Chemistry" - by Professor Ben Selinger.
• 1995 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  "Headline/Deadline/Bottom Line: The Case for Good Journalism" - by Michelle Grattan (1995). [doc]
• 1996 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  "Ecologically Sustainable Development: Strategy or Snake-oil?" - by Professor Ian Lowe (1996). [pdf]
• 1997 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  "Government that works for everyone - New ideas for changing times" - by Will Hutton - editor of "The Observer" newspaper.
• 1998 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  "The Integration of High and Low Tech Medicine" by Dr Wu Jieping.
• 1999 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  "Millennium Dreaming: Indigenous People in Australia in the Era of Reconciliation" - by Senator Aden Ridgeway (1999). - [pdf]
• 2000 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  "Crossroads: The Future of University Education in WA" - by Emeritus Professor Geoffrey Bolton, AO (2000). [doc]
• 2001 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  "Political Pinball's: The Plight of Child Refugees in Australia" - by Moira Rayner (2001). [doc]
• 2002 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  "What Do We Want to Be?" - by Rt Hon Malcolm Fraser, AC, CH (2002). [doc]
• 2003 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  "Living with a Difference: Does Multiculturalism have a Future?" - by Dr Geoff Gallop (2003). [doc]
• 2004 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  "A Passionate Journey: From Grass Roots Activism to International Governance" - by Wendy McCarthy, AO (2004). [pdf]
• 2005 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  "Diplomacy in the 21^st Century: Dinosaur or Vital Force?" - by His Excellency Dr Hans Sondaal, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Australia (2005). [pdf]
• 2006 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  “Science and the Public Intellectual” - by Professor Peter Doherty FAA Nobel Laureate (1996) and Professor of Immunology
• 2007 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  No lecture
• 2008 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  "The 21st Century Mind" – by Baroness Professor Susan Greenfield CBE, Director of the Royal Institute of Great Britain
  (Audio)
• 2009 Sir Walter Murdoch Lecture
  "The Businesses of Science" - by Catherine Livingstone AO, Chairman of Telstra Corporation, Director of Macquarie Group Ltd and WorleyParsons Ltd
  (Audio)

• Alcoa Lecture January 1990
  The Hope of Progress (or Casino Capitalism and The Chattering Class) - by Robyn Williams (21 January 1990). [doc]
• Alcoa Lecture January 1991
  Beyond 2000 - by Simon Reeve (January 1991). [doc]
• Alcoa Lecture January 1991
  Warnings about Global Warming: The Scientist's Dilemma - by Professor A. Henderson-Sellers (22 January 1991). [doc]
• Alcoa Lecture January 1992
  Science, God & Trees: Science & Culture in a Time of Revolution - by Richard Eckersley (21 January 1992). [doc]
• Alcoa Lecture January 1993
  Science for Sustainability - by Associate Professor Ian Lowe (19 January 1993). [doc]
• Alcoa Lecture January 1994
  Science & Technology: Opportunities & Challenges - by Dr John Stocker (18 January 1994). [doc]
• Alcoa Lecture January 1994
  Take Nothing For Granted - by Brian Wills-Johnson (21 January 1994). [doc]

• Counterpoint Forum April 1979
  Law & Liberty - by The Hon. Mr Justice M. D. Kirby and Senator Susan M. Ryan (24 April 1979). [doc]
• Counterpoint Forum September 1979
  Science & Ethics - by Professor Charles Birch and Professor Everett Mendelsohn ( 6 September 1979). [doc]
• Counterpoint Forum October 1980
  Aboriginal Land Rights - by Bruce Debelle and Galarrwuy Yunupingu (29 October 1980). [doc]
• Counterpoint Forum May 1981
  Who Cares? Australians At Risk in the Eighties - by The Hon. Ray Young, MLA and Professor Manning Clark, AC (18 May 1981). [doc]
• Counterpoint Forum October 1981
  The Australian Image - by David Williamson and Geoffrey Bolton (27 October 1981). [doc]
• Counterpoint Forum April 1983
  Sex: The Apes and Us - by Professor Roger Short and Bettina Arndt (6 April 1983). [doc]
• Counterpoint Forum October 1984
  Pornography: Erotica or Violence? - by Dr Beverley Brown and Dr John Court (11 October 1984). [doc]
• Counterpoint Forum September 1985
  Who'd want to be a Farmer? - by Tony Overheu and Dr Roger G. Mauldon (3 September 1985). [doc]
• Counterpoint Forum June 1986
  Winning The Peace: Australia's Role in Arms Control - by The Hon. Kim C. Beazley and Jo Vallentine (12 June 1986). [doc]
• Counterpoint Forum November 1987
  Australia: 200 years from where I sit - by Professor Russel Ward and Richard Boyer (4 November 1987). [doc]

• Inaugural Professional Lecture
  Engineering: Our Essential Future - by Professor Peter Lee. [doc]
• Professional Lecture 1998
  Our Allegiance: Australians or Global Citizens - by Michael Pendleton (26 August 1998). [doc]
• Professional Lecture 1999
  Bloodshed and Compensation in Ancient Ireland - by Professor Neil Mcleod (20 October 1999). [doc]

Mhe Keith Roby Memorial Lecture in Community Science is a lecture funded by the Keith Roby Trust, established in memory of Dr Roby.

Keith Roby was a foundation member of Murdoch University and a pioneer in the area of “Community Science”, the phrase he coined to reflect the ideal of science and technology directed towards human fulfillment, social well-being and satisfying the fundamental needs of humankind. He believed science could make a major contribution towards resolving major contemporary issues such as the dilemmas surrounding the environment; energy; resources and genetic engineering.

With a deep commitment to interdisciplinary teaching and research, he initiated research and founded courses in the areas of Science, Technology and Society and Energy Studies.

Dr Roby’s work, his life and the way he lived, are an inspiration to many and the vision he illuminated continues. Every second year a distinguished speaker is invited to deliver a lecture that builds on Dr Keith Roby’s life's work.

• 1982 - The First Keith Roby Memorial Lecture
  Born Again Science & Technology - by Charles Birch (3 November 1982). [doc]
• 1984 Keith Roby Memorial Lecture
  Conflict, Science and The Garden of Eden - by Dr Brian Easlea (15 August 1984). [doc]
• 1985 Keith Roby Memorial Lecture
  Extinction: The Implications of the Loss of our Biological Heritage - by Paul R. Ehrlich (2 October 1985). [doc]
• 1986 Keith Roby Memorial Lecture
  Self-Realization: An Ecological Approach to Being in the World - by Emeritus Professor Arne Naess (12 March 1986). [doc]
• 1987 Keith Roby Memorial Lecture
  The Engineering of Reproduction: Is it heading off the rails? - Dr Ditta Bartels (14 October 1987). [doc]
• 1988 Keith Roby Memorial Lecture
  Politics, Choice and Long-Term Thinking in an Age of Technological Revolution - by The Hon. Barry O. Jones (28 October 1988). [doc]
• 1989 Keith Roby Memorial Lecture
  A Science Policy for the 90s: Globalisation and Localisation - by Professor Fred Jevons (11 October 1989). [doc]
• 1992 Keith Roby Memorial Lecture
  Rio and Beyond 2000 - Global Environment Issues: Australia's Role and Interests - by Penny Wensley (5 August 1992). [doc]
• 1998 Keith Roby Memorial Lecture
  Using Economics to Protect the Environment - by Clive Hamilton (7 October 1998). [doc]
• 2001 Keith Roby Memorial Lecture
  Aspects of the Governance of Globalisation - by John Langmore (21 June 2001). [doc]
• 2003 Keith Roby Memorial Lecture
  Beating Nature? Reflections on Human and Global Health - Peter Underwood (14 May 2003). [doc]
• 2005 Keith Roby Memorial Lecture
  Local Enterprise Facilitation for a Just, Participatory and Sustainable Society" - Dr Ernesto Sirolli, (copy of lecture not available)
• 2008 Keith Roby Memorial Lecture
  The Science of Oneness - A worldview for the twenty-first century - Professor Malcolm Hollick (17 July 2008). [doc]

• Notes on the Origins of Murdoch University - by Professor Noel Bayliss (1984). [doc]
• Democracy and The Rule of Law - by Brian Burdekin (15 September 1993). [doc]
  Federal Human Rights Commissioner
• Human-Accelerated Environmental Change: An Ecologist's View - by Professor Gene E. Likens (5 May 1994). [doc]
  1994 Australian Prize Winner and Director of Institute of Ecosystem Studies at Millbrook, New York State