Welcome

Welcome to the website of the John Button Foundation.

The Foundation was established in memory of John Button, the late Industry Minister, Senator and writer. The Foundation awards two writing prizes – the John Button Prize and the John Button School Prize.

Lindsay Tanner joins judging panel of John Button Prize

The John Button Foundation is delighted to announce the appointment of writer and former Federal Minister Lindsay Tanner to the judging panel of the John Button Prize.

Lindsay, who was Minister for Finance and Deregulation in the 2007-2010 Labor Government led by Kevin Rudd, replaces former New South Wales Premier Bob Carr, who stood down from the panel after becoming Foreign Minister.

Lindsay is one of the few politicians to have published regularly throughout a long political career. While an MP he wrote three books, Open Australia, Crowded Lives and The Last Battle, and since his retirement in 2010 he has published Sideshow: Dumbing Down Democracy.

The Foundation would like to thank Bob Carr, who was one of the Prize’s inaugural judges in 2009, and was approaching his fourth year on the panel when he became Foreign Minister. He was a dedicated, discerning and eloquent judge, who will be sorely missed. However, Lindsay Tanner is a replacement of equally high calibre.

The other judges of the $20,000 prize for writing on politics and public policy are Morag Fraser (chair), Julian Leeser, Michael Keating and Sally Warhaft.

Entries sought for the 2012 John Button Prize

The John Button Prize awards $20,000 to the best piece of writing on public policy and politics in the past 12 months. It is a non-partisan prize that seeks to increase awareness of the best writing and thinking on long-term issues facing Australia.

The John Button Prize is open to any published piece of non-fiction writing on public policy or politics published in Australia from 1 May 2011 to 30 April 2012. You’ll find detailed criteria for entry on the link entitled The Judging Process, on the left of this page.

The Prize is managed by the John Button Foundation (see About the Foundation), and funded by public donation. The Foundation is still seeking donors to ensure that the Prize is presented in perpetuity.

Click here for more information about all judges, detailed criteria for awarding the prize, project partners and an entry form.

Entries sought for 2012 John Button School Prize

The John Button Foundation is pleased to support the John Button School Prize in 2012.

The John Button School Prize awards $2,500 for the best essay on a subject concerning Australia’s future by a Victorian student who is in Years 10 to 12 and is younger than 19. It also awards $2,000 to the student’s school and both student and school receive a commemorative plaque.

Essays submitted for the School Prize will discuss Australian politics or policy. They might address such topics as Australia’s population, climate change, reconciliation with Indigenous Australians, water, asylum seekers, education, health, the state of the arts — big ideas for Australia’s future.

Click here for more information about all judges, detailed criteria for awarding the prize, project partners and an entry form.

Melbourne University supports John Button Prize

The John Button Foundation would like to thank Melbourne University for its highly generous decision to support the Prize for another three years. Winners of the Prize give a lecture and take a writing seminar at the University.

Supporters

About the Foundation

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