About the Foundation
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.
Changes to the main John Button Prize
The John Button Prize seeks to enhance the quality of public policy writing and debate in Australia. It is managed by the John Button Foundation (see About the Foundation), and funded by public donation. The Foundation is still seeking significant donors to ensure that the Prize is presented in perpetuity.
The main John Button Prize is also changing. Following the 2010 Federal election and the view on all sides of politics that debate about the long-term challenges facing Australia had reached an all-time low, the Foundation has decided to amend the criteria and conditions for the John Button Prize.
From this year, the Prize will present $20,000 to the best piece of thinking and writing on a subject of public policy — not, as previously, on politics and public policy. It is a small but significant shift from the Prize criteria of previous years. By tightening the focus of the Prize we hope to draw public attention to work that provides the most original, rigorous and imaginative responses to one or more of the long-term problems facing Australia.
In this light we are very pleased to welcome Dr Michael Keating, former Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, to our judging panel.
Please click here for detailed criteria for the John Button Prize and an entry form.
Introducing the John Button School Prize
This year we introduce the John Button School Prize, an award for the best piece of writing on politics or public policy — ideas for Australia’s future — by a Victorian secondary school student between Years 10 and 12.
The School Prize will award $2500 to a student and $2000 to the winner’s schoolschool for an essay of no more than 2000 words that in the view of our judges shows the most insight, originality and judgment on a political subject or on an issue affecting Australia’s future.
Former Federal Ministers, the Honourable Barry Jones and the Honourable Dr David Kemp, have agreed to be judges on the inaugural School Prize, which gives an opportunity for the brightest and most engaged young Victorians to show their ideas and passions in writing.
The Foundation is grateful to the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, Social Education Victoria, the Victorian Association of Teachers of English and the History Teachers Association of Victoria for their support in establishing the John Button School Prize.
New members of the Board
We are delighted to welcome former Victorian Premier, the Honourable Steve Bracks, as chair of the Foundation. Other new board members are the Honourable Fred Chaney, former Federal Minister for Social Security and Aboriginal Affairs; Jane-Frances Kelly, Cities Program Director at the Grattan Institute and Joshua Funder, chair of the Per Capita think tank.
We are also very pleased that Loretta Mannix-Fell, who was executive assistant to John Button for 15 years, has been appointed as Foundation Executive Officer. Loretta has a Master of Business (Philanthropy & Social Investment) and has worked in the philanthropic sector for the past 8 years. For queries about our work, please contact her at loretta@johnbuttonprize.org
Board members of the Foundation are:
- Roger Allen AM
- The Hon Peter Baume AC
- The Hon Steve Bracks AC
- James Button
- The Hon Fred Chaney AO
- Sandra Eccles
- Jane-Frances Kelly
- Ian Wavish
Financial Statements to June 2010
Letter from the Chairman – JBLF AGM, 28 April 2010
It is my pleasure to provide these comments on our operations to date at our first annual general meeting.
The John Button Literary Foundation was created following the passing of a great Australian, the Hon John N. Button, on 8 April 2008. Prior to his death John, his partner Joan Grant and his family endorsed the notion of the John Button Prize – a task that commenced promptly with the development of a website, the undertaking of legal matters and the creation of an embryonic and informal board. For this early work in the life of the organisation I thank: Russell and Rudi Yardley for their work on our first website; Maurice Blackburn for its great contribution around matters of incorporation and the gaining of DGR status; and Roger Allen, Chris Leptos AM and James Button as my then colleagues and advisors. James Button established our first judging panel, led by Morag Fraser AM as Chair, with Bob Carr, Professor Judith Brett, Kerry O’Brien and Nobel Laureate J M Coetzee.
The Board of Directors – comprising myself, Roger Allen, the Hon Peter Baume AC, James Button, Chris Leptos AM and Helene Teichmann – was formally established on 29 August 2008. Sandra Eccles joined us on 1 December 2008 and Ian Wavish on 14 January this year. Sarah Mathers joined as Executive Officer in March 2009, and the Melbourne Community Foundation became our administrative base.
The late Richard Pratt AC and Jeanne Pratt AC through the Pratt Foundation generously supported the announcement of the John Button Prize at their home, Raheen, in November 2008. The Prime Minister Hon Kevin Rudd MP accepted our invitation to be Patron, and launched the John Button Prize with Premier John Brumby and Lynne Kosky at Queen’s Hall, Parliament of Victoria on 30 April 2009. Other speakers included Peter Baume and Morag Fraser. Nominations for the inaugural John Button prize were called for shortly afterwards, resulting in just over 100 entries.
On 28 August 2009 the Melbourne Writers’ Festival hosted the announcement by Morag Fraser of Chloe Hooper as the inaugural winner of the John Button Prize for The Tall Man. On behalf of the Board I thank the judging panel for the generous contribution of their valuable time in this endeavour.
Financially there is still much to be done so that the John Button Prize and the Foundation that supports it are sustainable. The Board wishes to achieve a financial base so that the John Button Prize can be awarded in perpetuity. At 31 December 2009 our net assets were $174,000 with pledges in hand for a further $150,000, following donations in our first financial year of $224,760. This generous donor and sponsorship support to date ensures that the John Button Prize can continue for several years, while the funding base is developed to hopefully ensure the perpetuity of the prize. Clearly, a reasonable start resulted from our ambitious beginnings.
The establishment of such ventures can provide challenges; combining initial enthusiasm with the daunting tasks of strategic decision making and fundraising requires commitment. Thus, on behalf of the Board I thank all who have supported our vision with their generosity, both financial and pro bono.
I thank Chris Leptos AM, who retires from our board after the AGM, for his most valued contribution in these initial years; and also my continuing colleagues on the board and our executive officer Sarah Mathers for their ongoing support.
It is much appreciated.
Dr. John O. Miller AO
Chairman,
John Button Literary Foundation Limited.
