Rostrum is an Australian organisation in which members learn and practise public speaking skills in a friendly club atmosphere. Rostrum is made up of small, sociable clubs situated throughout the country. Members help each other to gain in confidence and improve their speaking skills in a warm, friendly and supportive environment. so that meetings are entertaining and are  characterised by good humour, and good fellowship. Members enjoy each other’s company and quickly make new friends.

Members learn public speaking through the most effective method of acquiring skills, that is, by practising under the guidance of a coach or mentor. Members may follow a structured program made up of a set number of exercises, or they may choose areas in which they want to improve, for example impromptu speeches or speeches for formal occasions such as weddings.

Rostrum is committed to truth in communication and defending freedom of speech. Our members believe that democracy will only flourish if people speak up and exchange ideas in a community that values truth.
Rostrum members are committed to truth in communication and defending freedom of speech, and that democracy will only flourish if people speak up and exchange ideas in a community that values truth.

We welcome everyone as members. Past members have included a state governor, state premiers, judges, federal senators and MPs, state politicians and members of local government, professionals, business men and women, public servants, tradespersons, welfare workers, journalists, a film producer, actors, artists and activists.  Our members come from every occupation, every race and every culture.

Fees are modest but the value of membership is immense. The well-known New South Wales Barrister and author, Chester Porter QC, enunciated this value perfectly in his book The Gentle Art of Persuasion, when he wrote:
"I think that the best public speaking teacher I had was the Rostrum Movement."

Each year, between May and July, Australian Rostrum organises the Rostrum Voice of Youth, the premier public speaking competition for Australian secondary students. The competition is divided into two levels: the Senior level for those who are 15 years of age or older at the 1st of January in the year of the competition, and the Junior level for those who are under fifteen years of age on the 1st of January.

We enjoy welcoming visitors. I am very pleased that you have visited our website; and I invite you to visit one of our clubs to experience and enjoy the friendliness, the exchange of thoughtful views and the valuable advice of the coach you will find there.

Patrick Bourke
President

Background - What is Rostrum?

For more information on how to join Rostrum, please click on one of the state links below, or contact our President via this form.

Members can join the website via the join link in the top right of this page or via this link.

Each Australian State and Territory includes a group of local Rostrum Clubs.

• Australian Capital Territory
• New South Wales
• Northern Territory
  
• Queensland
• South Australia
• Tasmania
• Victoria
• Western Australia