Governance

Directors

The Honourable Robert French AC (Chair)

Robert French AC is a former Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia. He was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in Western Australia and played a central role in establishing the Aboriginal Legal Service in Western Australia. He was appointed to the Federal Court and later became the inaugural President of the National Native Title Tribunal. Robert became the president of the Australian Association of Constitutional Law in 2001 and was a Foundation Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law. In 2008, he was appointed as the first Western Australian Chief Justice of the High Court. He retired from the Court in 2017 shortly prior to his constitutionally stipulated expiry date.

The Honourable Peter Lindsay

Peter Lindsay began a television career at Channel Seven Townsville in engineering, production, news, editorial and executive roles. He later owned and managed an electronics contracting business with a staff of 33. He was elected to the Townsville City Council for 5 terms followed by serving 5 terms in the Australian Parliament. He held a Defence ministerial portfolio with responsibility for the Defence Estate, Defence Science and Technology, the Reserves, the Defence Housing Authority and Defence cadets. He has chaired ASX listed Guildford Coal Limited and currently chairs IT services company, OriginNet  and the James Cook University Clinical Purposes Building Trust following a term as Deputy Chancellor of the University.

Mr Andrew Phelan AM

Andrew Phelan AM was the Chief Executive & Principal Registrar of the High Court of Australia from 2007 until 2018. From 1986 he held a number of senior government law enforcement, legal, international and general management positions. Andrew served as a Councillor, and remains a member, of the Australasian Institute of Judicial Administration. He was the Secretary of the Council of Chief Justices of Australia and NZ from 2007 until 2018. Andrew has degrees in Arts, Laws and Business and was admitted as a solicitor in 1978. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Managers and Leaders.

Professor Don Markwell

Don Markwell is the Head of St Mark’s College, Adelaide, and an Adjunct Professor in the School of Social Sciences at the University of Adelaide. Rhodes Scholar for Queensland for 1981, he has served as Warden of St Paul’s College at the University of Sydney, Warden of Rhodes House, Oxford, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) of the University of Western Australia, Warden of Trinity College at the University of Melbourne, and Fellow and Tutor in Politics at Merton College, Oxford. He has also served as Senior Adviser on Higher Education to the Federal Minister for Education, and Senior Adviser to the Attorney-General and Leader of the Government in the Senate. His books include Constitutional Conventions and the Headship of State: Australian Experience (2016).

Mr Rodney Cavalier AO

Rodney Cavalier AO is a former Chairman of the Sydney Cricket Ground Trust and a former NSW Minister for Education. He is President of the Sydney Cricket Club, a Life Member of the SCG and an Honorary Life Member of the Marylebone Cricket Club. Rodney was previously deputy chairman of the National Council for the Centenary of Federation, chairman of the Sesquicentenary of Responsible Government in NSW and a member of the Council of the National Library and State Library of New South Wales. He has published books on the NSW Labor crisis of 2005-2009 and the sculptures at the Sydney Cricket Ground. He has written articles on NSW governors and premiers, the workings of cabinet, political cartoons, the uses of diaries and the first serious research into the family and social background of Donald Bradman and siblings.

Mr George Harris

George is a legal practitioner with more than four decades experience in corporate practice and is Of Counsel with the international law firm Baker & McKenzie. He is an editor of The Journal of Banking & Finance Law and Practice and has lectured in the Master of Laws programme at UNSW. George is a director of a charity which supports the teaching of Ancient Greek and Latin in Australian universities and of a foundation which supports young Australians in the field of opera. He provides pro bono advice to charities involved in medical research and training and is a director of Australia’s oldest charity dedicated to avoiding blindness. George chairs a committee active in the translation of liturgical texts. Since 2010 he has been a member of the judging panel for the Governor-General’s essay prize organised by CEFA.

Foundation Councillors

Emeritus Professor Geoffrey Blainey AC

Emeritus Professor Geoffrey Blainey AC is an Author and Historian, Emeritus Professor at the University of Melbourne, and a governor of the Ian Potter Foundation. Emeritus Professor Geoffrey Bolton AO is Chancellor and Emeritus Professor at Murdoch University and ABC Boyer Lecturer 1992.

Professor Greg Craven

Professor Greg Craven is the Executive Director of the John Curtin Institute of Public Policy and Chair in Government and Constitutional Law at Curtin University. He was also a member of the ‘Yes’ Committee in the 1999 Republic Referendum.

Dr John Hirst

Dr John Hirst is an Author and Historian at La Trobe University.  He was formerly a member of the Prime Minister's Republic Advisory Committee, Chair of the Commonwealth Civics Education Group, and is currently a Council Member for the National Museum of Australia.

Associate Professor Gregory Melleuish

Associate Professor Gregory Melleuish is an Associate Professor in History at the University of Wollongong. Since 2000 he has been the President of the Asia Pacific Affiliate Branch of the World History Association. Greg has also published a number of articles on world history and political theory including a chapter on the utility of the idea of ‘clash of civilisations’ for understanding history and a recent article on the idea of ‘commonwealth’.

Sir David Smith KCVO AO

Sir David Smith KCVO AO is a visiting scholar at the Faculty of Law at Australian National University. He is Director of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust.

Mr Hugh Morgan AC

Mr. Hugh Morgan AC is a Director of the Board of the Reserve Bank of Australia, President of the Business Council of Australia, Co-Chair of the Commonwealth Business Council; President of the Australia Japan Business Co-operation Committee.

The Honourable Sir Laurence Street AC KCMG KStJ QC

The Honourable Sir Laurence Street AC KCMG KStJ QC is a Commercial Mediator and Disputes Consultant. He is a former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of NSW and Lieutenant Governor of NSW. He is a former Chairman of John Fairfax Holdings Ltd.

The Honourable Lloyd Waddy RFD

The Honourable Lloyd Waddy RFD is a former Judge of the Family Court of Australia, and Chairman of the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust. He is a Foundation Director of the Australia-Britain Society

Professor George Williams AO

Professor George Williams AO is one of Australia’s leading constitutional lawyers and public commentators. He is the Anthony Mason Professor, a Scientia Professorand the Foundation Director of the Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law at the Faculty of Law, University of New South Wales. As an Australian Research Council Laureate Fellow, he is engaged in a five year international project on anti-terror laws and democracy. He has held visiting positions at Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, Columbia University Law School in New York and University College London. George was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2011: ‘For distinguished service to the law in the fields of anti-terrorism, human rights and constitutional law as an academic, author, adviser and public commentator.’