Menzies Research Centre

The Menzies Research Centre Ltd is an Australian public policy think tank. It was founded in 1994 and is named for Sir Robert Menzies, the founder of the Liberal Party of Australia and Australia's longest-serving Prime Minister. In disclosure returns lodged with the Australian Electoral Commission, the Centre indicated that it is an associated entity of the Liberal Party.^[1]

The Centre "works to promote the principles of individual liberty, free speech, competitive enterprise, limited government and democracy".^[2] The Centre publishes books and monographs, and organises conferences and seminars throughout the year.^[3]

The Centre is supported financially by corporate and private sponsors and (along with other partisan think tanks) the federal Department of Finance and Regulation. The receipts of the Centre in 2014-15 was $538,690.^[1] The Department of Finance provided $229,105 to the organisation in 2013.^[1][4] Since February 2016 the Department of Finance made further grants of $245,279. The purpose of the grants was to conduct roundtables and seminars on social and political policy issues; to develop its website to disseminate information and production of articles and publications; to conduct research and other projects approved by the Board within the objects set out in the Constitution of the Centre; and to cover the general expenses incurred in conducting its activities.^[5]

The Centre makes donations to the Liberal Party. It donated $230,639 to the party in 2001-02.^[6] It was $39,603 in 2013-14.^[7]

Activities

Its activities include:

• consultations and other processes for debating and developing public policy, such as a policy development of the New Colombo Plan,^[8][9] and roundtables on productivity^[10] and many other topics
• the annual John Howard Lecture, given each year by a distinguished international figure (e.g. British Foreign Secretary William Hague in 2013),^[11] and
• publications such as, in 2013, State of the Nation: aspects of Australian public policy (edited by Professor Don Markwell, Rachael Thompson & Julian Leeser), with critiques of Australian public policy since 2007 by 15 non-partisan experts.^[12]

Directors

The Directors of the Centre are:^[13]

• Tom Harley – Chair
• Andrew Abercrombie
• Hon Ian Campbell
• Paul Espie
• May Wan Khor
• Anthony McLellan
• Hon Andrew Robb MP and
• Hon Alan Stockdale.

Former Chairs have been:

• David S. Clarke AO 1995-98
• Hon Andrew Robb MP 1998-2004
• Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP 2002-04

Executive Directors of the Menzies Research Centre have been:

• Michael L'Estrange AO 1995-97
• Hon Dr Marlene Goldsmith 1998-2000
• John Roskam 2001-02
• Jason Briant 2003-05
• Julian Leeser 2006-12
• Professor Don Markwell, 2012–13
• Nick Cater, 2014–present.

The work of the Menzies Research Centre is assisted by an Academic Advisory Council, including Associate Professor Hazel Bateman, Dr Amanda Bell, Professor Ross Babbage, Professor Jeff Bennett, Professor Geoffrey Brennan, Professor John Carroll, Professor Henry Ergas, Dr David Gow, Professor Ian Harper, Dr David Kemp, Professor Phil Lewis, Professor Ian McAllister, Associate Professor Gregory Melleuish, Dr Alex Robson, and Dr Jeremy Shearmur.^[14]

References

External links

• Official website