Stand Up For Refugees 2025

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After two years of total sell-out shows at Max Watt’s to raise buckets of cash for the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, co-hosts Wil Anderson & Tom Ballard are back to do it all again this Melbourne International Comedy Festival – and this time, they’re graduating to the big and fancy Comedy Theatre.

For one early-afternoon only, don’t miss this special line-up of A-grade comedy excellence, featuring the best comedians in the world donating their time and talents to support the ASRC’s vital work: providing material and legal assistance to people seeking asylum and refugees, and fighting back against Australia’s cruel immigration policies.

Most of the line-up will be kept super-secret until the day. Previous years have featured the likes of Anne Edmonds, Daniel Kitson, Sam Campbell, Geraldine Hickey, David O’Doherty, Guy Montgomery, Josh Thomas, Sam Pang and more – the only way to find who’s taking to the stage this time around is to grab yourself a ticket.

So come along and laugh good, feel good and do some good.

Co-hosted by Wil Anderson & Tom Ballard.

 

BOOK NOW!

My debut book “I, MILLENNIAL” is OUT NOW WOAH

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‘A damn hilarious read.’ Nazeem Hussain

‘A true barbarian.’ Andrew Bolt

Our world is in chaos lol. And no, Australian Millennials, it’s not your imagination: things are especially f**ked for us.

Millions of Baby Boomers got beach houses, free education, jobs for life and a franking credit-fed retirement. But Millennials have been handed a housing crisis, crippling student debt, the gig economy, a cooked planet, a truly broken political system and now wars, inflation and a global pandemic, as a treat.

This fully sucks. But never fear – this book is going to fix everything. Through the power of jokes, history, interviews and sass, so-called comedian Tom Ballard unpicks how his generation got here, and explains why we should probably do a revolution.

Fact-filled and furiously funny, this is a must-read not just for young people wondering why they’ve been given such a raw deal,
but for anyone with an interest in how we’re making our collective future impossible.

‘Tom Ballard is one of the most original, fearless and hilarious voices in Australian comedy.’ Wil Anderson

‘As a fellow beleaguered Millennial, Tom is exactly the voice we need in this time of wailing capitalist death throes. Funny but biting, he lays out how the system has screwed us all – and it has nothing to do with avocado toast. You’ll never be able to afford a house, so spend your money on this book instead.’ Amy Remeikis

‘Ballard is fuming, funny, and armed with facts.’ Tom Tilley

‘Speaking as Tom’s non-biological mother, I am naturally proud to bursting of everything he does, especially the gay sex and particularly the class consciousness, which you will find emerging in this book.’ Helen Razer

‘Tom makes me laugh, and think. I’m not sure in which order. This book might be his last but that’s ok – he’s nailed it.’ Dave Hughes

 

ORDER HERE!

#Kwanda: A Play Full Recording

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Here’s the satirical play I wrote back in 2019 for your viewing pleasure.

Monday night, 9.30pm, ABC.

Five panellists join a veteran journalist host on the nation’s flagship discussion program, ready to answer audience questions about the 2019 Australian federal election.

It’s set to be a scintillating display of civilised and enlightening debate.

Then someone starts saying what they really think, and it all goes to shit.

A satire about politics, words, honesty and The Discourse.

Recorded @ MICF 2019

Ra Chapman as SUSAN MINN

Emily Taheny as KATIE BIRD

Michelle Brasier as MEREDITH DUNN

Tom Ballard as TONY JONES

Patrick Livesey as MICHAEL LAWSON

Geraldine Hickey as LEONIE HARRIS

Scott Edgar as BRIAN / GUITARIST

Written by Tom Ballard

Directed by Alan Brough

Thanks to Zen, the MICF and all at Token Events