Cognition

We are stoked to announce our next **Melbourne MLOps Community Meetup** of the year! We are bringing you an absolute powerhouse lineup featuring two industry heavyweights. We will dive deep into tracking ML/DS performance using high-impact business metrics over raw statistical metrics. We will also tackle the AI coding productivity paradox and the high-stakes build-vs-buy SaaS dilemma. **🎤 Speakers** We’re thrilled to introduce: **\- Nathanael Lampe**, Machine Learning Manager *at* Bunnings Warehouse. Nat is widely recognised as one of the most brilliant, deeply technical data science leaders. He brings an elite background in advanced data science, now driving the core Data Science team at Bunnings. In his talk, *Data & Decisions,* Nat will explain how in ML, we often focus on model accuracy but it’s a lot harder to measure the decisions a model supports. When we can anchor our ML practice in true business metrics, we are better equipped to ensure analytics projects succeed. **\- Javier Candeira**, Fractional CTO *at* Infoplumbing. Javier is a distinguished veteran of the data, software, and tech consultancy scenes. He brings many years of battle-tested technical and business experience to guiding teams through today's volatile AI landscape. His talk titled: *The Buy/Build Dilemma and the Agentic Productivity Paradox* addresses three red-hot issues in the MLOps community: 1\. Local LLM inference and tooling for small scale teams\. What is too much local MLOps for a 1\-5 person shop? Is local inference only a cost saver\, or are there also capabilies unlocked by the finer\-grained control afforded by operating one’s own models? 2\. The Buy/Build dilemma\. This is a question for every company\, from small SaaS to big corporate\. The abundance of LLM coding tools shifts the balance\. How? 3\. The Productivity Paradox: If Agentic Coding and LLM autocomplete are so great\, where are the great new products? Where’s the programmer productivity going? Javier will showcase some of his NixOS-based MLOps-for-one tools, and will attempt to progress the conversation on these three questions with his own reflections based on personal experience. **Networking** The Melbourne MLOps Community is committed to fostering a space where AI/ML engineers and practitioners can connect, exchange ideas, and build meaningful relationships. Come ready to discuss: * The tools you’re experimenting with * Trends you’re seeing in ML and MLOps * Challenges you’re tackling * Ways to find peer support We’ll have food, drinks, and the perfect space for great conversations — so feel free to bring along anyone interested in ML, MLOps, or AI more broadly. **Agenda** 🍕 **5:30pm** – Networking, drinks & food 🙋 **6:00pm** – Welcome 🎤 **6:10pm** – Presentation by Nathanael ❓ **6:30pm** – Questions for Nathanael 🎤 **6:40pm** – Presentation by Javier ❓ **7:00pm** – Questions for Javier 🍻 **7:10pm onwards** – Networking, drinks & food We’re looking forward to seeing you there! **P.S.** If you can’t make it in person, we’ll be streaming the event via Google Meet. Google Meet link: [https://meet.google.com/fxh-hpsg-ryt](https://meet.google.com/fxh-hpsg-ryt)

**What Breaks When AI Picks Up:** **Lessons from Voice AI in Australian Healthcare** 181 commits. 10 weeks. 28% were fixes. In this session, Dr Kevin Ong, Co-Founder, CEO and CTO of Voral.ai, and Principal AI Consultant at Equal Experts Australia, shares what really broke when AI was deployed on a live phone line handling patient calls in Australian healthcare practices. From phantom bookings and four-second silent gaps that no unit test could catch, to race conditions where callers were simultaneously handled by multiple AI agents - this wasn’t theory, it was production reality. No polished architecture diagrams. Just hard won lessons from the fixes that followed. **Agenda** 5 30 PM - Gates open (Networking drinks & food) 6 15 PM - G-EE-K Talk 7 PM - Q&A 7 15 PM - Networking drinks (and more food) 8 30 PM - Wrap up

**Register now to attend! =>** [https://konfhub.com/ksug-au-2026-07-01](https://konfhub.com/ksug-au-2026-07-01) **<=** **Latest promotions** discovered by our community! * **30%** OFF **[Kubernetes](https://lf.ksug.ai/)** Exams - Code: **30K8SUG** * **20%** OFF **[FinOps](https://ksug.ai/finops/?ref=meetup)** Certs Code: **KSAI_20** * Missed **65%** off [LF / CNCF](https://lf.ksug.ai/)? [Get Notified](https://ksug.ai/?notify&ref=meetup) for next BIG drop! We're excited to welcome you to the upcoming **KSUG.AI Australia Meetup** — happening both in-person at at Amazon and online via [Zoom](https://linktr.ee/ksug.ai)! 🎉 We're actively seeking more awesome K8s and AI topic speakers! 👉 [https://sessionize.com/ksug-au](https://sessionize.com/ksug-au) **Agenda and topics preview:** * Food, drinks and Socializing * Welcome / Introductions by the Organizers @**[KSUG.AI](https://ksug.ai/?ref=meet)** * **Topic 1:** Agents onboarded Internal Develop Platform (OpenChoreo) by [Kanchana Wickremasinghe](linkedin.com/in/kanchanaw/), VP & Field CTO for **[WSO2](https://wso2.com)** * **Topic 2:** What is Podplane.dev by [Ryan Djurovich](linkedin.com/in/ryandjurovich/), Founder & Engineer @ Nadrama.com * **Quiz time:** nice swags giveaways Food and drinks will be provided between **5.30 and 6 pm** on a first-come, first-served basis. This is a great opportunity to learn and network with our peers. Thanks to our sponsors **[Amazon](https://aws.com/)** and **[Harness](https://www.harness.io/)**! **[Register here](https://konfhub.com/ksug-au-2026-06-03) to secure your spot!** See you all there! **Location:** Amazon MEL12, Level 13.304 [555 Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000](https://maps.app.goo.gl/Kbi13GZqj2zDqDz2A) 👉 Join our [Discord](https://discord.com/invite/Rp9WzYyKua) and [WhatsApp](https://chat.whatsapp.com/D9a9IDiCS7U4cqQ0Sh60cz?mode=gi_t) for latest update! 🔖 𝐎𝐧𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐬: ☸ 30% OFF **[Kubernetes](https://lf.ksug.ai/)** Certs - Code: **30K8SUG** ☸ 20% OFF **[FinOps](https://ksug.ai/finops)** Certs - Code: **KSAI_20** 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐖𝐞 𝐃𝐨 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬: ✅ Learn 𝐅𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 ⚡ ✅ Certify 𝐒𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑 💰 ✅ Grow 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑 💪 𝟐𝟎𝟎,𝟎𝟎𝟎+ follow **[KSUG.AI](https://ksug.ai/?ref=meet)** 🔥 [github.com/ksug-ai](https://github.com/ksug-ai) *By registering, you consent to the management of your personal information in accordance with KSUG.AI Meetup's [Privacy Policy](https://k8sug.ai/privacy). Additionally, you agree that our sponsors may contact you.* **[KSUG.AI](https://ksug.ai/?ref=meet)** is an independent community and not affiliated with or endorsed by CNCF. Kubernetes, K8s, Kubestronaut are registered trademarks of The Linux Foundation.

Players of all skill levels are welcome to join us at Marché Board Games Cafe in the CBD for a casual night of mahjong - Right in the CBD. We'll start around 6:00pm till we all need to go home :) Our typical session concludes usually around 10:00pm. Please change your RSVP to not going if you're no longer able to attend, 24 hours prior the event. For those that have a record of non attendance without communicating, you will be moved to the waiting list for future events and be contacted directly to confirm that you indeed intend to turn up, at which you will be allotted a spot subject to availability. For more details on the rules of the game, please refer to: http://mahjongtime.com/hong-kong-mahjong-rules.html Marche has been kind enough to offer us a deal to play in their cafe. **⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆ Cost ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆** Attendees who have registered for the event on Meetup can play at discounted rates, with the following payments to be made: * **$6 in total per session” to cover cafe costs. Payment of $6 should be made to Marche at the front counter upon notification to the staff member that you are here for the scheduled meetup. There is now no minimum spend on items at the cafe as there were before. The cafes menu can be found here https://mbgcafe.com.au/menu.pdf .

**Sticky stories are memorable, meaningful, and magnetic. They make people feel something — and that’s what makes them powerful.** You already tell stories — to friends, family, co-workers, and peers. You might need to inspire your team, persuade a colleague to support your ideas, or influence a client to say yes. But if your stories aren’t *sticky*, your message won’t land. It won’t be remembered. And it won’t drive action. Mastering the art of ‘sticky’ storytelling is one of the most valuable communication skills in today’s world. And the good news? It’s a skill anyone can learn. **THIS IS A CURATED GUEST EVENT** Whether you're new to public speaking or looking to elevate your influence and impact… Join us tonight at Port Melbourne Toastmasters as we dive into the principles of powerful storytelling that make messages truly stick. Get ready for a session that will help you speak with heart, connect with purpose, and leave a lasting impression. *Guests, Meetup Group members, and visiting Toastmasters attend for free.* 🌐 [www.portmelbournetoastmasters.org](http://www.portmelbournetoastmasters.org) 📍 Where: Find directions [here](https://www.portmelbournetoastmasters.org/directions.html) ***Port Melbourne Toastmasters is a club for people who are serious about developing their speaking, leadership, and personal presence.*** We offer limited, curated guest sessions throughout the year for prospective members. These sessions allow you to experience our high-engagement, growth-focused environment firsthand — without open access to every meeting.

**Bitcoin Basics -** Altcoins & Tax This is a Melbourne based, live event. Limited seating, booking required. Hosted by Craig A Guest Speaker: Sam Accetta from Haines Muir Hill, Member of the Institute, Chartered Accountants of Australia and New Zealand **What You’ll Learn:** * The Bitcoin Basics related to; * What is Bitcoin * Bitcoin comparison to Altcoins. * Bitcoin and Altcoin historical performance. * What makes Bitcoin special? * Basis of Taxation * Ordinary Income * Capital Gains * Capital Gains Tax Example * Personal Use Assets * Stablecoins * Leaving Australia - Tax Xonsequences AML/CTF Rules. * Questions and answers. At the upcoming live Bitcoin event, attendees will gain an understanding of the fundamentals of Bitcoin, with a focus on how it compares to altcoins and the key taxation considerations involved. The session will explore the historical performance of Bitcoin and altcoins, as well as the unique characteristics that set Bitcoin apart. It will also provide an overview of how Bitcoin is taxed, including ordinary income and capital gains, supported by practical capital gains tax examples. In addition, attendees will learn about special considerations such as personal use assets, stablecoins, the potential tax consequences of leaving Australia, and important AML/CTF rules. A dedicated Q&A segment will allow participants to ask questions and engage directly with knowledgeable speakers. This is a free community event designed to promote education around Bitcoin and support the growth of the local Bitcoin community. With limited seats available, early booking is highly recommended to secure your spot. Don’t miss this opportunity to deepen your understanding of Bitcoin in a practical, hands-on setting. Please send us a message if there is someting in particular you would like to hear about and we will aim to include it within the presentation on the night. **IMPORTANT** please arrive by 5:45pm to ensure we can let you in at ground level and to access the lifts. Thereafter, we may not have someone available to let you in the building. **Location: Melbourne Connect - Level 7 Manhari Room 7212.** **Address: 700 Swanston St, Carlton VIC 3053** How to get there? Take the tram from Melbourne Central Station, there are multiple bus options or paid parking is available at Ace Parking, Cardigan House. Detailed Directions: [Directions Link](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-KL-V_FoEyLkfWzGtFXMNOzSfTI_8K6e/view?usp=sharing) The event will be catered. There'll be some finger food/snacks and drinks available. Please register early so we can allow for everyone. If there is something in particular you would like to learn about, send us a message and we will do our best to include it in the presentation. *\*Final details are subject to change.*

Nianfo Meditation & Wisdom Talk \| Weekly Join us every Wednesday evening for a peaceful session of Nianfo (Amitabha chanting) Meditation and Wisdom Talk at Hai Hui Shan Teamoo Meditation Space. Through Amitabha recitation, meditation, and Dharma wisdom, we cultivate inner peace clarity, compassion, and spiritual growth in daily life. Benefits of Nianfo Meditation: Calm the mind and reduce stress Improve focus and mental clarity. Cultivate compassion and positive energy. Deepen spiritual connection and wisdom. Support emotional balance and well-being. Starting: 3rd June 2026 Every Wednesday 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM 📍 Hai Hui Shan • Teamoo Meditation Space Lv1/141 Toorak Rd, South Yarra VIC 3141 💛 Free Event — All Are Welcome Come with an open heart. “One thought of Amitabha, innumerable blessings.One sincere recitation, peace and wisdom arise.” 🙏 Namo Amitabha Buddha 🙏 Namo Amituofo

**Atheists' Pub Evening.** Please join with us at the pub for drinks, informal conversation and fun. If you can't make it by 6pm, don't worry - we'll be there for a good 3 hours or more (sometimes to midnight), so turn up whenever you can make it. Children are welcome. From 6:00 pm on the first Friday of every month. For information contact: Andrew - 0438 043 050 or John - 0411 143 744

**Chill & Crochet** Spend a relaxing afternoon crocheting, knitting, or crafting with like-minded people. Bring your current project, meet new friends, share ideas, and enjoy a creative, welcoming atmosphere. No experience required—everyone is welcome. 🧶 2:30 PM – 6:00 PM ☕ Relaxed social crafting session ( cafe nearby) ✨ Beginners and experienced crafters welcome FAQ ### 🧶 Do I need crochet experience? Not at all! Everyone is welcome, from complete beginners to experienced crocheters. ### 🧵 What should I bring? Bring your current crochet project if you have one. If you're just getting started, simply bring yourself—we'll help you get involved. ### ☕ What's included? Your ticket includes entry to the meetup, relaxed afternoon of crochet and conversation. ### 👋 Can I come by myself? Absolutely! Many people attend on their own. It's a welcoming environment, and you'll have plenty of opportunities to meet fellow crochet enthusiasts. ### 🪑 What happens at the meetup? We'll spend time crocheting, chatting, sharing ideas, admiring each other's projects, and getting inspired for what's next. There's no formal class or schedule—just a cosy social gathering. ### 🎟️ Do I need to book in advance? Yes. Spaces are limited, so please book your ticket before the event.

Welcome! **HOW TO FIND US** When you enter 234 Collins, go down the escalator to the basement where Dymocks is (you can't miss it, there's books and people everywhere. You'll see the cafe next to the cashier. Once inside the cafe, you'll see the stairs (see pic). Come up the stairs and join us. Feel free to pick any available table. **ITINERARY** 11am: Meet at Dymocks Cafe (upper level) inside Dymocks Bookstore, 234 Collins St. Choose your seat. Order a drink to support the cafe. (They have a range of sweet and savoury snacks.) Enjoy your book. 12.15pm: Let's chat about what we read, what we loved, and why. 1pm: End of event. [OPTIONAL EXTRA] For those who are not too tired, we can go for lunch together after the event. **COST:** There is an organizer fee of $5 for this event. You can bring cash on the day or PayID me at 0403 413 056 (Serena Low). **GETTING THERE:** The closest train stations are Town Hall (4 min) and Flinders St (6 min).

Hi all, us at NeuroSparks are having another fortnightly meeting and we'd love to see you there! When: Saturday 4th July from 12:30-3:30PM. Where: we will be meeting at the Majorca Room at the City Library. Access to the room is via a lift or steps in the foyer. The City Library is located at 253 Flinders Lane, right next to Flinders Street/Town Hall Station. This social gathering will be for those looking to connect with others in the community. It'll be a very casual setting, where everyone can be themselves and can and go when they feel like it. There will be limited structure, as this event is intended to be like the casual free form mingling of our picnic events. For anyone wanting to continue socialising after the room booking ends, we encourage you to get out and hit the town together! **People are welcome to bring food/drinks to the event. Conveniently for us, there is a cafe on the library's ground floor and there are many cafes also nearby! But for the sake of continuing to use the venue, please tidy up after yourself.** This event is open to all neurodivergent people and anyone who values a friendly, inclusive space. Many attendees come on their own, so if you’re feeling a bit hesitant, know you’ll be in good company and warmly welcomed. If the group/noise feels too overwhelming at any point, there is a silent study room next door to decompress in. If you struggling to interact with the group, just let one of friendly organisers know and we will be able to help you out! If at any point you have concerns or feel uncomfortable about any group member, please notify one of the organisers. **For the purposes of not overwhelming attendees, we will be capping RSVPs at 50 people maximum. If you have RSVP’d and can no longer attend, please cancel your booking, to allow others to attend. If you sign up for the waitlist and Meetup prompts you to pay, please ignore this, as this event is not intended to be paid for.** Looking forward to seeing all of you there! Disclaimer & Safety Notice By attending this Meetup, you agree: • Participation is voluntary and at your own risk. • Organisers are community volunteers, not medical or professional providers. • You are responsible for your own safety, choices, and belongings. • Organisers are not liable for injury, loss, or damage at any time. • If you have health or access needs, please make your own arrangements. • In an emergency, call 000 immediately. By joining, you accept full responsibility for your actions and well-being.

Welcome to Respawn’s Gamers Citadel! 🛡️ Come hang out, meet fellow gamers, and enjoy a chill vibe with great food and drinks. 🥤 Entry is $3 or buy yourself a drink or food. 🍲 At the “Gamers Citadel”, we provide the consoles for you and have two multiplayer (2-4 player) game stations (A, B, C and D). For our board games area you are allowed to BYO! 😯 ♟️ Currently available are: Switch, PS1, PS2, SNES, N64, Cardfight!! Vanguard, Yu-Gi-Oh! and more! If you’re bringing anything, please DM us so we can accommodate. ❤️ Conditions of entry are to either purchase any food or drink of your choice and we will provide you a reusable badge to show that you’re one of us! ✌️ Whether you’re a casual player or a hardcore fan, this is the place to be. Don’t miss out on the fun! 🤩 Our games list is below! 👇 Game Station A - PS2: 1st Game: ??? 2nd Game: ??? Game Station B - ??? - Dean: 1st Game: ??? 2nd Game: ??? Game Station C - ??? - Michael 1st Game: ??? 2nd Game: ??? Game Station D - TCG + Board Games: Pokémon TCG YU-Gi-OH! TCG UNO JENGA BYO available! You can bring your own board games, controllers, equipment etc. 👍 Follow us on Instagram: @respawn.social 📱 Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/phscMtBqpW 🎧 Find Respawn on Facebook: https://facebook.com/events/s/respawn-gaming-social-club-lau/940165205164472/ 🔗 Visit our website for all info: https://intermingle.au/respawn/ 👩‍💻

Smashing! Try something new Thursday Interactive reality workshop - Tonight learn how to respond to questioning, by thinking on you feet Serious about improving your leadership - **Why mess, come to the best** Why is Smashing different to other speaking clubs? Just two member's thoughts, "The fun/laughs factor is definitely a point of difference. We keep it moving with high standards so it’s a nice balance. Too strict makes it tense and boring, too loose and we can lose the energy/commercial feel. SmashSpeak's vibe's in the sweet spot." "At other clubs I used to listen to long speeches and lectures, here we get so many chances to talk every meeting, that we have to improve" **Free parking** close: O'Connell and Cobden streets **IMPORTANT: Be on time, as doors close when the show starts** “Proudly Australian" – Free-flowing teamwork, greater good focus, sharing the stage, etc Multicultural Hub, 506 Elizabeth St (Opposite Queen Vic Market) Level 1, PURPLE Room (End of corridor) More to come...

Most people use LLMs by feel: ask a question, read the answer, decide whether it “seems good,” and move on. That works for casual use. It does not work when you are building software, automating workflows, writing important documents, or relying on AI for anything that needs to be repeatable. In this talk, we’ll look at how to improve and evaluate the inputs and outputs of LLMs using practical measurement techniques. We’ll cover how prompt changes affect results, how to compare outputs, how to build simple evaluation sets, and how math-based methods like similarity scoring can help you move beyond guesswork. This will be beginner-friendly, so even if you don't know anything about AI, you should get something out of it. However, this will be a little more technical than our intro talks. You do not need to be an AI researcher, but programmers and technically curious attendees will get a lot out of it. We’ll cover: * Why “it looks good” is not enough * How to improve prompts by changing the input, context, and constraints * How to compare LLM outputs more systematically * Basic evaluation techniques for accuracy, consistency, and usefulness * How embeddings, cosine similarity, and scoring can help evaluate results * Where automated evaluation works — and where humans still need to stay in the loop By the end, you’ll have a practical mental model for treating LLMs less like magic and more like systems you can test, measure, and improve. LOGISTICS AND PARKING: The talk starts at 7:00 PM. The first half hour is reserved for everyone to get set up and mingle. Free pizza and drinks! The cheapest parking option is to find street parking, which will only cost you a few bucks. Otherwise, park in the nearby veteran's museum lot for $8. It's highly recommended you avoid the nearby $15 garage parking.

*We'll update this with the specific topic(s) once they're set for the month.* A relaxed, community-driven Unity GameDev meetup. No strict agenda — just developers getting together to talk shop, share projects, and exchange ideas. Some topics that may come up (based on attendee interest): * Frame Debugger & performance tooling * Addressables & additive scene workflows * Input System, localization, responsive UI * AI integration approaches * DevOps & LiveOps experiences * Full lifecycle: idea → cross-platform publishing * Favorite Asset Store tools and hidden gems * Weird Unity quirks we've all run into Nothing is locked in. Bring a project if you'd like, bring a question, bring a lesson learned — or just come hang out and meet other developers. All skill levels welcome. Food and drinks provided.

You can sleep in on the Sesquicentennial (observed), we’re shifting to the following Friday. But join the local UX community for a chat and some biscuits to catch up. If you were in CA for Figma Config, tell us all the lines and you can tell me how I can animate an SVG without coding it by hand, and why I’d even want to. Thanks to the team at Nationwide of supporting the group.

**Men of Unity** is a safe, welcoming space for men to connect, share, and grow together. In this circle, we explore what it means to live with purpose, integrity, and spiritual awareness in today’s world. Through open dialogue, reflection, and mutual support, we learn to balance strength with compassion, confidence with humility, and action with mindfulness. Whether you’re seeking deeper spiritual connection, personal clarity, or simply a supportive brotherhood, this group invites you to bring your authentic self and grow in community. This week the Men's of Group will meet at Scrambler's - the North Hamilton Road location: 5729 North Hamilton Road Columbus, 43230

**How to take control of your subconscious and harness its power!** Join us for an eye-opening lecture where the speaker will break down complex ideas in a clear and practical way. You’ll gain insights into: ✅ The true definition of the subconscious ✅ How it generates unwanted emotions ✅ Its real purpose and function ✅ What determines the pressure it exerts on you And the most important topic: **How do you take control of your subconscious!** But this isn’t just another lecture where you sit and listen passively. It’s interactive and engaging—you can ask questions at any time. 📅 Reserve your spot now! Seats are limited, so don’t wait too long to sign up. Location: 1266 Dublin Rd, Columbus, OH 43215 Hosted by the Hubbard Dianetics Foundation

The Unity of Columbus Resource Group for the Homeless is seeking compassionate volunteers who would like to help serve and uplift members of our homeless community. This group is dedicated to sharing kindness, resources, and support with individuals who may be experiencing difficult circumstances. Anyone with a heart for service is welcome to join us as we work together to make a positive difference in the lives of others. Community members are also invited to contribute by bringing helpful items for those in need. Donations of items can be contributed at the meeting and will be distributed to assist members of the homeless community. Please consider joining us and sharing this opportunity with friends, family, or associates who may also wish to help. Learn more about Unity of Columbus at www.unityofcolumbus.org or call (614) 267-4959. Together we can extend compassion, dignity, and support to our community. 💛

Private Group. Closed to the Public Knowing ourselves and understanding our abilities is the first step toward wielding our gifts with control and accuracy. In subsequent classes we will verify and hone our talents with activities and discussion. These are hands-on workshops and participation is expected. The goal of our series will be to develop expertise in areas of particular interest such as mediumship, channeling, divination, healing and, etc.. Our ultimate directions will be determined by class members as we evolve. I look forward to sharing and discovering with you. - Cynthia