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MCKINNON PRIZE
The Prize is the only of it's kind in Australia. It seeks to recognise leaders, encourage national discussion and inspire others to pursue courageous and visionary political leadership.
A partnership between
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our purpose
As Australians, we tend to be good at pointing to what we don't like about our political leaders, but if we want to be constructive we also need to identify, recognise, and discuss the qualities we admire. That's what the McKinnon Prize seeks to do.
Scepticism can be healthy, but Australians' trust in their political leaders has been falling. Without this trust, belief in our system of government can erode and necessary reforms become impossible to achieve. The McKinnon Prize therefore seeks to highlight genuine examples of leadership excellence to counterbalance the prevailing pessimism.
The McKinnon Prize is an unapologetically positive initiative that we hope encourages national discussion about our expectations of political leadership.
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The McKinnon Prize recognises outstanding Australian political leaders in three categories:
McKinnon Political Leader of the Year - Federal
Long-serving federal elected representatives with over five years in elected office.
McKinnon Political Leader of the Year - State/Territory
State or Territory elected representatives with over five years in elected office.
McKinnon Emerging Political Leader of the Year
Recently elected representatives, with less than five years in federal, state/territory or local office.
PRIZE CRITERIA
THE PRIZE CRITERIA
In each prize category, nominations are evaluated by an independent Shortlisting Committee and then a Selection Panel, against the same criteria. The criteria ensure leaders are recognised for the right reasons.
The criteria reflect a leader’s ability to put their country’s needs first, their vision, and their capacity to collaborate and embrace non-partisanship to deliver positive outcomes.
The McKinnon Prize criteria are:
Vision:
The nominee has demonstrated innovative, farsighted, and practical thinking to identify and resolve important public policy problems.
Collaboration:
The nominee has built coalitions to achieve positive outcomes across and beyond partisan divides.
Ethical behaviour:
The nominee has exhibited honesty, integrity, respect and compassion through a standard of conduct and behaviour that inspires public confidence.
Courage:
The nominee has shown bravery to stand up for a worthy principle for the greater good, overcoming formidable opposition or sectional interests, regardless of risks to their own career advancement.
Impact:
The nominee has demonstrably advanced the public good.
selection panel and process
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a diverse and independent judging panel
The McKinnon Prize is awarded each year from a pool of nominations through a rigorous and transparent selection process. The McKinnon Prize is judged by a unique panel of prominent and accomplished Australians representing the breadth of the political spectrum.
2023 Prize Winners
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Senator David Pocock
McKinnon Emerging Political Leader of the Year
Senator David Pocock of the ACT was named McKinnon Emerging Political Leader of the Year 2023 for his values-driven approach to handling his balance of power position in the Senate and commitment to genuinely listening to and appraising competing perspectives. Senator Pocock was also shortlisted in 2022 for McKinnon Emerging Political Leader of the Year.
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Bridget Archer MP
McKinnon Political Leader of the Year – Federal
Bridget Archer MP, Federal Member for Bass, was named the 2023 Federal Political Leader of the Year for consistently demonstrating rare courage in standing up for her principles and the interests of her constituents, even when this has put her at odds with her party. Bridget Archer was also shortlisted in 2022 for McKinnon Political Leader of the Year.
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Premier Chris Minns - Joint Winner
McKinnon Political Leader of the Year - State/Territory
The Hon. Chris Minns MP, Premier of NSW was named as a joint recipient of the first McKinnon Prize for State/Territory Political Leader of the Year, for his civil conduct and respectful leadership during the 2023 State Election Campaign. This is a joint award with former Premier Dominic Perrottet.
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Premier Dominic Perrottet - Joint Winner
McKinnon Political Leader of the Year - State/Territory
The Hon. Dominic Perrottet MP, former Premier of NSW, was named joint recipient of the first McKinnon Prize for State/Territory Political Leader of the Year, for his civil conduct and respectful leadership during the 2023 State Election Campaign. This is a joint award with the Premier Chris Minns MP.
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