The Britain–Australia Society is an organization that was established in 1971 to promote historic links between the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

and

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

. Its London headquarters is in the Australia Centre within Australia House. It has other branches throughout the United Kingdom.

History

In 1971,

Sir Robert Menzies ''Sir'' is a formal honorific address in English for men, derived from Sire in the High Middle Ages. Both are derived from the old French "" (Lord), brought to England by the French-speaking Normans, and which now exist in French only as part ...

and

Sir Alec Douglas-Home Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home, Baron Home of the Hirsel ( ; 2 July 1903 – 9 October 1995), known as Lord Dunglass from 1918 to 1951 and the Earl of Home from 1951 to 1963, was a British statesman and Conservative Party (UK), Conservative ...

, former

Prime Ministers A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but rat ...

of Australia and the United Kingdom, re-founded the pre-existing Australia Club to form two

apolitical Apoliticism is apathy or antipathy towards all political affiliations. A person may be described as apolitical if they are uninterested or uninvolved in politics. Being apolitical can also refer to situations in which people take an unbiased p ...

and non-commercial societies, based in the United Kingdom and Australia.

Events

A primary activity is organising events including diplomatic dinners, seminars and social gatherings. The West Country branch arranges an annual service of remembrance and lunch in

Bath, England Bath ( RP: , ) is a city in Somerset, England, known for and named after its Roman-built baths. At the 2021 census, the population was 94,092. Bath is in the valley of the River Avon, west of London and southeast of Bristol. The city becam ...

, honouring the memory of Admiral

Arthur Phillip Arthur Phillip (11 October 1738 – 31 August 1814) was a British Royal Navy officer who served as the first Governor of New South Wales, governor of the Colony of New South Wales. Phillip was educated at Royal Hospital School, Gree ...

Awards

The Society grants an occasional Britain–Australia Society Award to recognise a person who has been recognized for contributing to the relations between the United Kingdom and Australia. Past recipients have been

Barry Humphries John Barry Humphries (17 February 1934 – 22 April 2023) was an Australian comedian, actor, author and satirist. He was best known for writing and playing his stage and television characters Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson. He appeare ...

, Lord Hague,

Kylie Minogue Kylie Ann Minogue (; born 28 May 1968) is an Australian singer, songwriter, and actress. Frequently referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Princess of Pop", she has achieved recognition in both the music industry and fas ...

David Attenborough Sir David Frederick Attenborough (; born 8 May 1926) is an English broadcaster, biologist, natural historian and writer. He is best known for writing and presenting, in conjunction with the BBC Studios Natural History Unit, the nine nature d ...

Lord Carrington Peter Alexander Rupert Carington, 6th Baron Carrington, Baron Carington of Upton (6 June 1919 – 9July 2018), was a British Conservative Party politician and hereditary peer who served as Defence Secretary from 1970 to 1974, Foreign Secreta ...

, and Samantha Cohen.

Structure

Branches are maintained in

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...

shire,

Suffolk Suffolk ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East of England and East Anglia. It is bordered by Norfolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Essex to the south, and Cambridgeshire to the west. Ipswich is the largest settlement and the county ...

Norfolk Norfolk ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in England, located in East Anglia and officially part of the East of England region. It borders Lincolnshire and The Wash to the north-west, the North Sea to the north and eas ...

Leicestershire Leicestershire ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It is bordered by Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire to the north, Rutland to the east, Northamptonshire to the south-east, Warw ...

Lincolnshire Lincolnshire (), abbreviated ''Lincs'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber regions of England. It is bordered by the East Riding of Yorkshire across the Humber estuary to th ...

Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent, making Portsmouth the only city in En ...

, and the

West Country The West Country is a loosely defined area within southwest England, usually taken to include the counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset and Bristol, with some considering it to extend to all or parts of Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and ...

. Regional functions are held by these branches in addition to centrally-organised activities. The Patron of the Society was The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. The President is William Jefferson Hague, Baron Hague of Richmond (the founding President was

). As of March 2019, the chairman is Damian Walsh

Vice Presidents

* The High Commissioner for Australia – ''ex officio'' * Peter Benson * Brian Harris * Sir Roger Carrick * Rohan Courtney * The Lord Goodlad * Michael Whalley * George Vestey

Honorary Vice-presidents

* Dale Eaton * The Baroness Liddell of Coatdyke * Sylvia Countess of Limerick *

June Mendoza June Yvonne Mendoza, AO, OBE, RP, ROI, HonSWA (12 June 1924 – 16 May 2024) was an Australian portrait painter, working mainly in oil. Early life June Mendoza was born in Melbourne, Australia on 12 June 1924, the first child of Doris " ...

Barry Tuckwell Barry Emmanuel Tuckwell, (5 March 1931 – 16 January 2020) was an Australian French horn player who spent most of his professional life in the UK and the United States. He is generally considered to have been one of the world's leading horn p ...

CEO

* Louise Mulley

Affiliates

Three charitable trusts are maintained by the society: * The Britain–Australia Society Educational Trust provides sponsorship for both countries. * The Northcote Trust funds postgraduate scholarships to Australia. * The Royal Flying Doctor Service – Friends in the UK. Australian Britain–Australia Society members have reciprocal rights when in Britain, and vice versa.

References

External links

*
Australia–Britain Society

The Menzies Foundation

The Northcote Trust

Britain-Australia Society Education Trust

RFDS Friends in the UK
{{DEFAULTSORT:Britain-Australia Society Clubs and societies in London Clubs and societies in Australia 1971 establishments in the United Kingdom Organizations established in 1971 Australia friendship associations United Kingdom friendship associations British-Australian culture