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| Kokoda Foundation | |
|---|---|
| Name | Kokoda Foundation |
| Type | Non-profit think tank |
| Founded | 1996 |
| Founder | Ted Nannup |
| Location | Australia |
| Focus | Public policy, leadership, Indigenous affairs, veterans' issues |
Kokoda Foundation is an Australian non-profit policy institute established to promote leadership, national service, and Indigenous recognition. The Foundation engages with public figures, academic institutions, Indigenous communities, and military veterans to develop proposals on citizenship, public service, and national resilience. Its work intersects with debates involving national identity, veteran commemoration, and Indigenous policy reform.
The Foundation emerged in the mid-1990s amid discussions involving the Howard Government, the legacy of the Kokoda Track campaign, and debates about Australian republicanism. Founding activities were influenced by veterans from the Kokoda Track campaign and leaders in Western Australian civic life, and attracted attention from commentators associated with the Lowy Institute, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, and the Australian National University. Early programs drew on comparative models such as the Civilian Conservation Corps and the National Service (United States), and engaged with former ministers from the Fraser Government and the Keating Government. Over time the Foundation convened forums featuring figures linked to the Anzac Centenary, the Centenary of Canberra, and initiatives advocated by the Australian War Memorial and the Repatriation Commission.
The Foundation's stated aims align with discussions in the Australian Constitution about national recognition and with policy discourses associated with the Uluru Statement from the Heart and debates over constitutional change. Its objectives include promoting civic leadership akin to proposals from the Grattan Institute and the Committee for Economic Development of Australia, supporting veterans in the spirit of the Returned and Services League of Australia, and advancing Indigenous participation reminiscent of programs run by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. The Foundation frames its mission around ideas found in landmark reports such as the Bringing Them Home report and inquiries conducted by the Joint Select Committee on Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
Programs have included leadership fellowships, public seminars, and community exchanges influenced by models from the Rhodes Scholarships, the Asialink network, and the Asia-Pacific Centre for Security Studies. Activities often partner with universities like the University of Sydney, the University of Melbourne, the Australian National University, and vocational providers associated with the TAFE system. The Foundation has run workshops reflecting principles from the National Aboriginal Conference and veterans’ programs coordinated with the Department of Veterans' Affairs and commemorative projects related to the ANZAC Day tradition. It has published position papers engaging with policy debates covered by the Grattan Institute, the Australia Institute, and media outlets such as The Australian, The Sydney Morning Herald, and The Australian Financial Review.
The Foundation is governed by a board of directors and advisory panels that include former public servants, military officers, and Indigenous leaders with ties to institutions like the Australian Defence Force and the National Museum of Australia. Governance arrangements reflect standards promoted by the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission and reporting practices comparable to those of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute and the Murdoch Children's Research Institute. Advisory membership has included individuals with careers linked to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Office of National Intelligence, and former ministers from the Hawke Government and the Rudd Government.
Funding sources have combined philanthropic donations, grants from foundations such as the Myer Foundation and corporate sponsorships resembling partnerships with firms in the Commonwealth Bank and resources sector companies headquartered in Perth, Western Australia. The Foundation has collaborated with peak bodies including the Australian Industry Group, the Business Council of Australia, and Indigenous representative bodies like the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples. It has sought project funding from trusts and philanthropic vehicles used by families associated with the Gandel Foundation and has engaged in co-funded projects with academic partners including the Griffith University and the University of New South Wales.
The Foundation’s initiatives have influenced public discussion on national service, veterans’ commemoration, and Indigenous recognition, attracting commentary from columnists at The Age and policy analysts at the Lowy Institute. It has been cited in submissions to parliamentary inquiries and forums hosted by the Parliament of Australia and has received awards and acknowledgments from community groups linked to the Returned Services League and regional councils in Western Australia. Its alumni include participants who later worked within agencies such as the Department of Defence, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Indigenous policy bodies, and who have contributed to further dialogue at events like the National Press Club (Australia) and the Australian National University Public Lecture Series.
Category:Think tanks based in Australia Category:Non-profit organisations based in Australia