Students Leading Change Through the Design Out Racism Challenge A group of students in New South Wales have taken on one of society’s most complex challenges — and shown what ethical leadership can look like in action. Through the Design Out Racism Challenge, a pilot initiative delivered by the Menzies Leadership Foundation in partnership with The Ethics […]
“We’re not the leaders of tomorrow — we’re leading now.” When Elina Forsyth talks about human rights, she is not speaking in the abstract language of conventions and frameworks. She is speaking about voice — the fundamental right of every person to be heard in the decisions that shape their life, and the persistent reality
The Power of Voice: Why Human Rights Start with Youth in Governance Read More »
Can a new national initiative help rebuild the norms of respect, dialogue and trust that hold communities together? In recent years, many Australians have sensed a shift in the tone of public conversation. Debates that once unfolded with a degree of mutual respect increasingly feel sharper, louder and more divisive. Social media has amplified disagreement,
Leadership today is not faltering because capable people are absent.It is faltering because the mandate to lead can no longer be assumed. Across institutions, organisations, and public life, leaders increasingly discover that authority — once conferred by role, expertise, or election — no longer guarantees consent. Decisions are questioned before they are implemented. Intentions are
Across Australia, communities are beginning to ask a different question about economic development. Rather than waiting for solutions to arrive from elsewhere, what happens when communities themselves shape their economic future — investing in local assets, mobilising local leadership and building institutions that reflect shared values? In Mount Alexander Shire in central Victoria, this question
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In February 2026, researchers and practitioners contributed to an important global conversation about the future of education leadership. At the International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement (ICSEI) in Qatar — one of the world’s leading conferences on education systems improvement — Dr Kerry Elliott, Menzies Senior Research Fellow at the ANU Leadership & Complexity Lab, and Willie Thompson, Founder of
Reimagining School Leadership for a Complex World Read More »
Across Northern Australia, a powerful leadership movement is quietly gaining momentum. Indigenous women are building enterprises that strengthen families, sustain culture and create new pathways for community leadership. These businesses may begin small — often as side ventures grounded in local knowledge, cultural practice or community need — but their influence extends far beyond economic participation. They are shaping
What Indigenous Women’s Entrepreneurship Is Teaching Us About Leadership Read More »
For much of the past century, leadership has been built around a simple assumption: that with enough information, authority and expertise, leaders could understand the system they were responsible for and steer it in the right direction. But the systems shaping our lives today no longer behave that way. Climate disruption, technological acceleration, geopolitical uncertainty
“Good data is important — but purpose gives it direction.” When Andreas Zakhari speaks about cities, he does not begin with spreadsheets or economic models. He begins with people — the families navigating broken infrastructure, the communities underserved by planning decisions made far from where they live, and the persistent gap between what data can
Data with Purpose: How Evidence-Informed Policy Can Build Just and Sustainable Cities Read More »
Purpose may begin with an individual insight, but it rarely succeeds alone. In an era defined by complex, global challenges, leadership is no longer a solo pursuit. The problems that shape our future — climate change, geopolitical uncertainty, economic transition — demand collaboration across borders, institutions and ideologies. In Episode 3 of Purpose in Action: Redefining Leadership for
Natasha is driven by a profound passion for both creativity and analytics, a synergy that fosters authentic storytelling in the digital realm with both innovation and integrity.
Throughout her career, she has consistently integrated the overarching marketing and communications narrative with the emotional connections of audiences. She is currently pursuing a Certificate in Society and the Individual from Flinders University, furthering her exploration of human behaviour and the critical importance of connectedness between organisations, individuals, and communities.
