# Louisa Lim to Deliver ABC Boyer Lecture on Australia's "Uncomfortable History"

> University of Melbourne Associate Professor Louisa Lim will deliver the ABC Boyer Lecture, 'Tell It Slant,' on October 25, 2026, advocating that Australia confront its past to foster engagement with Asia.

By PrimaryBrief newsroom · Published 2026-10-24T22:44:19.448631Z
Canonical: https://primarybrief.com/article/louisa-lim-to-deliver-abc-boyer-lecture-on-australia-s-uncomfortable-history-639d5044

Louisa Lim, an Associate Professor of Journalism at the University of Melbourne, will deliver her ABC Boyer Lecture, titled 'Tell It Slant,' on October 25, 2026, as part of a series examining Australia's engagement with Asia [9][10][11][2][3][4][5]. This lecture is part of a broader series curated by ABC Chair Kim Williams AM, designed to encourage a national discussion about Australia's historical narratives and its place within Asia, aiming for deeper integration and a sharper policy focus [9][15][16][17][18][13].

The series seeks to provide fresh perspectives on how Australia's connections with Asia will shape its future, advocating for improved planning and deeper integration in Australian thinking [9][15][16][17][18]. The lectures emphasize the need for Australia to consider its changing demographics, economic future, and geographic position in relation to Asia [17].

## What the records show
The 2026 ABC Boyer Lecture series, 'Australia-Asia Engagement: Strengths and Challenges,' is curated by ABC Chair Kim Williams AM, who assumed office on March 7, 2024 [9][15][16][10][11][13]. The series features speakers from Australia, Singapore, and Indonesia, exploring opportunities and challenges for Australia's engagement with Asia in the 21st century [9][15][16][10][11]. Louisa Lim, an award-winning author and an Associate Professor of Journalism at the University of Melbourne, is scheduled to deliver her lecture on October 25, 2026 [9][10][11][2][3][4][5]. Lim teaches audio journalism and podcasting at the University of Melbourne [2][3][4][5]. Her work often explores historical memory and political narratives [2][6].

## The timeline
The 2026 ABC Boyer Lecture series began with a keynote broadcast by Sam Roggeveen on October 17 and 18, 2026 [7][8][9]. Louisa Lim's lecture is set for October 25, 2026 [9][10][11]. Dr. Mari Pangestu will present her lecture on November 1, 2026 [9][11]. The series will conclude with a lecture by Singapore's former Prime Minister and current Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong on November 8, 2026 [1][9][10][11].

## What changed and for whom
The ABC Boyer Lecture series aims to foster a national discussion in Australia regarding its historical narratives and Asian identity [9][15][16][17][18]. It intends to influence Australia's long-term outlook by encouraging a sharper policy focus, better planning, and deeper integration with Asia [9][15][16][17][18]. The series intends to engage Australian thinking on its position within the region [9][15][16][17][18].

## What the subject has said publicly
Louisa Lim's lecture, 'Tell It Slant,' argues that Australia must confront its "uncomfortable history" before it can meaningfully engage with the Asian region [9][10][11]. Lim's lecture suggests that a reckoning with its past is a prerequisite for Australia to strengthen its relationships and presence in Asia [9][10][11].

## What we could not confirm
The specific broadcast time for Louisa Lim's lecture on October 25, 2026, was not detailed in the available records [9][10][11].

## Evidence cited
1. 2026 ABC Boyer Lecture Series — Australia-Asia ... On Sunday 8th November, you can hear Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong's lecture Engaging Asia from Down Under. — https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQEFAXt6Zy5FIVs4VYpcG9YrZcOBoSjGgyF0UxE7fKwIOd3ar1JTXJCWD4wyuRAAyyPuT6LZyHLCcfIevdiP81cNf0Qty7AK7bl6CcwJIuj8YjAjp6ega2bjiW1S_rWmiowyJPV9w27wRxNrowhHmQYG0N8tqtxU6-0HwY4=
2. Louisa C. Lim - Wikipedia (wikipedia.org) — https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQGYbuhhI8LQy6ik5T2OvHx-xJpbryueBNelEIGxTRfl49JGrYOZByMJqogcYntmtFRh6GxHzLEsBFHTm1b4xMNLyHFHVS4aiwVaGdHggebivZ2MmEZlkk0XlhWoX7ua9_HxLmU=
3. Louisa Lim – Author & Journalist — https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQFoc6XSS5888KsRZJ2fLp49osyjCpy_tIjSTOI0iHHVt9vBATMOfibS9tRoxwYqQLEtABOwhjnRbE7_1vNIiJt_Y2S0ky0JsZ7ONwfzntXDDytUFNbO
4. Louisa Lim (unimelb.edu.au) — https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQHzLk-Q5x4XMx6C9tODb328REjxq9qbwcTAMOQSda2ovrDUY61ZJ3F3elQQMYNBeuHkkn6UVmUiHn91lgC0y-N_Rb3zJMVcgUfz7ehvkPhF3pxIJUDqFQQfeGHks2Byg9PeaiXDOYOu9W9xk7ru1RFQNoVcfXhdDurRiw6Za-Uh_c6WOHvNn_DlU05b-6lHVldDB2MHGfVINjRQ==
5. Louisa Lim — Bundanon (bundanon.com.au) — https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQFy2rh5WEatThRDIrfNpWkpwiXsHAdpEoaTcg2S8XdRGhGCWngAufEA_Tw9O2E2XvaHdo0bO_g6pZNv-1DMx_YdvqCym0S-ts7M-zAojAmynKCKTxtRjFh4RUY0cRLliSeFF4XknsulkyE=
6. Louisa Lim (unimelb.edu.au) — https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQFT14kfRm6euzdhevEOMtv3Zk8ozS6KH-j1sM-SPLzHSeX1ZlEPI6uEjnTp_Tz-N3rOD8TqxG5QB6Mf_cZBzpsV-bkF1l_CzZiliOZ_lfGzWeltoGNoUM6o9ZKwvyDodTSWR71ySN3D0AqtwJK2A4wVQPzOHq-Mfbo=
7. Sam Roggeveen to deliver 2026 ABC Boyer Lecture Series keynote - RadioInfo Australia (radioinfo.com.au) — https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQGeL7o0qZNXew5KT_b-o7NR_KkcELyrDvw1nOym518ffPLh_UIz-_nt2NDbbvagbArdSllEG2WA9zF-neS_P_r075v1eXk8XmS-mS2q1lLGL5rB69Df4-6JXs5aaxN5GnFpC0jHtEYse_xc49Qo6KKT8dU4X-1C4jkn6E87r_c6WOHvNn_DlU05b-6lHVldDB2MHGfVINjRQ==
8. Boyer Lecture 2026: Sam Roggeveen on Apple Podcasts — https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQEpv8c4z3MqZTF9kWRhnBaWvcOE289-aALzvYXODY3x88GfVghefS7u9IYapQHw6ex1w3_HjuagrpkoJ9Idzm-vHeQd-7RwNrhxv5b_btcVxub6PEkStePPsFShW1ueBvqe3SqhpBLzaQY4etT5CZ3xWMFN6ivDtrg_XTfoaNxPDtjYbEFP2HDjkdvpgNTgjtR8spUDzvzPAIU3
9. 2026 ABC Boyer Lecture Series — Australia-Asia Engagement: Strengths and Challenges - podcast by ABC Radio National - Listen on Podcast Addict (podcastaddict.com) — https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQFNp_U0yVPnVQSAouX0C4yGgdVCbRIXmKGoUflX7kizOBV06-iVSKZhUeGf3jlhcGsyGbACqq7WPOIOQeVtxGb4bMu23GIPnq-AMEfaCJNRBUR9oKBZCmlD6QQxC0TQPJ7kOS8pzKQcfmxGrxnlxNs9LJS1
10. 2026 ABC Boyer Lecture Series — Australia-Asia Engagement: Strengths and Challenges on Apple Podcasts — https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQHTI4OSZC082v2_OQ2SMhNlTgrxrVIh37LO-2wJRIjd3ftOcDgd7DanAIjthti7jNiWP6GyJ6lWI-MuJvegJzgsHkmatrCwTSQJv1NTsY8y-vGbC85xBrJCviyUNx4dtkYXgc_Sm3Gmof7wkroltImlKSm1sdL_TVZwFTA=
11. 2026 ABC Boyer Lecture Series — Australia-Asia Engagement: Strengths and Challenges on Podchaser (podchaser.com) — https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQH24t7Uc1xZsbehhq2ZwWdWqGmTsRTQrWivGWiRbzsdEMy5z80taRNtik2T3mKWkdjOFrDOkBzzgym_3qBf4k92dhfjLVoJgjlNpV5ChLqpa9xUFOx34NfIwN4LOUqzOeMRnewHqiJdKA5Pdb-vyTxmHng=
12. Kim Williams AM - Australian Institute of Company Directors (aicd.com.au) — https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQHusR-AmpaiqYuM-5pZqixCuVztcrWkbrevRx8FySprF4MepUfHo3L76PYkYypAKTRGGEGWVTE-ICaWnY1Uu_RzDZ5DVYhERC7xet7ioPIpK-pCcFru3n0LmNG01se4bD3I2vE1MyuNCjfbbgyvbwn5iPP9q4O4TWn8rqtnsaDTngI53M4=
13. Kim Williams - Wikipedia (wikipedia.org) — https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQFfp_ifhj6xoTdSWwdaNbv_U-_rw3BFze6qxxsicYz6Gqv75ebuee-iBbJYlyID_A_CL85RDQCX2Cj9TzZi08D7i-woPOr2i0i4_uIqvZMbAsB3Qv92EFFItER1eoxw5X2lsnq2PsGvKdhAXETa2ed9w4rQ1Ry-2w==
14. Louisa C. Lim - Wikipedia (wikipedia.org) — https://vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com/grounding-api-redirect/AUZIYQGYbuhhI8LQy6ik5T2OvHx-xJpbryueBNelEIGxTRfl49JGrYOZByMJqogcYntmtFRh6GxHzLEsBFHTn1b4xMNLyHFHVS4aiwVaGdHggebivZ2MmEZlkk0XlhWoX7ua9_HxLmU=
15. 2026 ABC Boyer Lecture Series — Australia-Asia Engagement: Strengths and Challenges - podcast by ABC Radio National - Listen on Podcast Addict (podcastaddict.com) — https://podcastaddict.com/
16. 2026 ABC Boyer Lecture Series — Australia-Asia Engagement: Strengths and Challenges on Podchaser (podchaser.com) — https://podchaser.com/
17. Sam Roggeveen to deliver 2026 ABC Boyer Lecture Series keynote - RadioInfo Australia (radioinfo.com.au) — https://radioinfo.com.au/
18. 2026 ABC Boyer Lecture Series — Australia-Asia Engagement: Strengths and Challenges on Apple Podcasts — https://apple.com/
19. Boyer Lectures - Wikipedia (wikipedia.org) — https://wikipedia.org/