Britain-Australia Society
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The Britain-Australia Society was established in 1971 as a friendship society to promote historic links between Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It has headquarters in Buckingham Gate
Buckingham Gate
Buckingham Gate is a street in London, England, near Buckingham Palace.The Albanian Embassy and 51 Buckingham Gate, a 5* hotel, are located here. At number 59 is Swire House, accommodating the Britain-Australia Society, the The Hong Kong Association and Society, and the Japan Society...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and branches throughout the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
History
Britons and Australians share a rich heritage of family ties, history, culture, language, sport and business. In 1971 Sir Robert Menzies and Sir Alec Douglas-Home, former Prime MinisterPrime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
s of Australia and Great Britain, re-founded the pre-existing Australia Club to form two sister societies based in the United Kingdom and Australia in order to recognise the value of a continuing cultural exchange between the two countries.
Despite being founded by two former politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
s, the societies are apolitical and non-commercial.
Aims
The aims of the Britain-Australia Society are to:- strengthen existing friendship between Britain and Australia
- maintain links with Australia
- provide a point of contact for Australians visiting the United Kingdom
- promote educational exchanges
- arrange social events for members
Branches
Branches are maintained in CambridgeCambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
shire, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
, Lincoln
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
the West Country and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. Regional functions are held by these branches in addition to centrally-organised activities.
Events
Annual events normally include a Summer Reception at the House of LordsHouse of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
and a Garden Party at the residence of His Excellency the High Commissioner
High Commissioner
High Commissioner is the title of various high-ranking, special executive positions held by a commission of appointment.The English term is also used to render various equivalent titles in other languages.-Bilateral diplomacy:...
as well as tutored wine tastings, theatre evenings and cocktail parties.
BritOz
In order to attract more younger members a sub-committeeCommittee
A committee is a type of small deliberative assembly that is usually intended to remain subordinate to another, larger deliberative assembly—which when organized so that action on committee requires a vote by all its entitled members, is called the "Committee of the Whole"...
was formed with the task of organising informal and accessible events, for example a Routemaster
Routemaster
The AEC Routemaster is a model of double-decker bus that was built by Associated Equipment Company in 1954 and produced until 1968. Primarily front-engined, rear open-platform buses, a small number of variants were produced with doors and/or front entrances...
bus tour of the Monopoly
Monopoly (game)
Marvin Gardens, the leading yellow property on the board shown, is actually a misspelling of the original location name, Marven Gardens. The misspelling was said to be introduced by Charles Todd and passed on when his home-made Monopoly board was copied by Charles Darrow and thence to Parker...
board, after-hours visit to the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
, and monthly members' drinks.
Officers
The Patron of the Society is HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh KG KT OM GBE AC QSO.The President is The Rt Hon The Lord Carrington KG GCMG CH MC PC
The Chairman is The Rt Hon (George) Miles Hobart-Hampden, Earl of Buckinghamshire
Earl of Buckinghamshire
Earl of Buckinghamshire is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1746 for John Hobart, 1st Baron Hobart. The Hobart family descends from Henry Hobart, who served as Attorney General and Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. In 1611 he was created a Baronet, of Intwood in the...
The Vice-Chairman is Sir Christopher Benson FRICS DL
Vice Presidents:
- HE John Dauth LVO The High CommissionerHigh CommissionerHigh Commissioner is the title of various high-ranking, special executive positions held by a commission of appointment.The English term is also used to render various equivalent titles in other languages.-Bilateral diplomacy:...
for Australia - Ex-Officio - Sir Roger Carrick KCMG LVO
- Mr Rohan Courtney OBE
- Baron Goodlad KCMG, PCAlastair Goodlad, Baron GoodladAlastair Robertson Goodlad, Baron Goodlad, KCMG, PC, is a British Conservative politician who served as the British High Commissioner to Australia from 2000 until 2005....
- Mr Brian Harris
- Sir John Leahy KCMG
- The Viscount Slim OBE DLViscount SlimViscount Slim, of Yarralumla in the Capital Territory of Australia and of Bishopston in the City and County of Bristol, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1960 for Field Marshal Sir William Slim upon the end of his term as Governor-General of Australia. the title is...
- Sir Donald Tebbit GCMGDonald TebbitSir Donald Tebbit, GCMG, was a British diplomat.He attended The Perse School, Cambridge, and Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where he was from 1984-85....
Honorary Vice-Presidents:
- Sir Charles Mackerras AC CBECharles MackerrasSir Alan Charles Maclaurin Mackerras, AC, CH, CBE was an Australian conductor. He was an authority on the operas of Janáček and Mozart, and the comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan...
- Ms June Mendoza
- Mr Rupert Murdoch ACRupert MurdochKeith Rupert Murdoch, AC, KSG is an Australian-American business magnate. He is the founder and Chairman and CEO of , the world's second-largest media conglomerate....
- Sir John Swire CBE DLSwire GroupThe Swire Group is a transnational corporation headquartered in the Swire House in the City of Westminster, London, England. It controls a range of wholly owned businesses, including deep-sea shipping, cold storage, road transport, and agricultural activities. The current chairman is James...
- The Rt Hon Baroness Thatcher LG OM PC FRSMargaret ThatcherMargaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
- Mr Barry Tuckwell OBEBarry TuckwellBarry Emmanuel Tuckwell AC, OBE , is an Australian horn player who has spent most of his professional life in the United Kingdom and the United States.- Early life and education :...
The Honorary Chaplain of the Society is The Revd George Bush, Rector of St Mary le Bow church.
Sponsors
As a non-profit society, administration and events are funded by subscriptions and corporate sponsors, including Australian Government agencies and businesses and organisations with an Australian interest in Britain.Affiliates
- Three Charitable TrustCharitable trustA charitable trust is an irrevocable trust established for charitable purposes, and is a more specific term than "charitable organization".-United States:...
s are maintained by the society:- The Britain-Australia Society Educational Trust is a small Trust for educational purposes, contributing to expenses in Australia for young people on exchange and helping with projects in UK schools which increase knowledge of, or interest in Australia.
- The Northcote Trust funds graduate scholarships to Australia.
- The Sir Robert Menzies Memorial Trust funds scholarships in Law from Australia to Britain.
- The Society also administers the following organisations:
- The Friends of the University of Melbourne Charitable Trust
- The Royal Flying Doctor Service Friends in the UK Trust
- The Friends of the University of Sydney UK Trust
- The Cook Society was founded in 1969 on the initiative of Prime Ministers Sir Alec Douglas Home and Sir Robert Menzies, with the aim of promoting British-Australian relations at a high level. It has counterparts in all of the Australian States with which it is in constant touch. Membership of the Society in Britain is limited to 100, excluding Honorary members, and represents a wide range of national interests including senior business and professional people, politicians, civil servants and academics. Membership is by invitation only. The B-AS administers the Cook Society and shares some events.
- Australia-Britain Society members have reciprocal rights when in Britain.