Hugh White is one of the nation’s most listened-to defence strategists. For decades, he’s been helping shape Australia’s foreign policy from all the places that count: media, politics and the public service. These days, the bearded and bespectacled ANU academic is trying to convince world leaders to change their thinking on how they deal with […]

Ian Plimer is one of the most imperious purveyors of climate scepticism in the world. He’s a prize-winning academic and bestselling author, meaning he’s got the cultural capital and turn of phrase needed to put forward a compelling case. Plimer’s way with words (human-induced global warming is a “scam”; environmentalists are “warmists” spreading “eco-guilt”) has […]

John Roskam is the whip smart and media savvy executive director of the Institute of Public Affairs, the loudest — and most right-wing — think tank in the country. As libertarian-in-chief, it’s Roskam’s job to marshal the IPA’s platoon of conservative culture warriors as they spread their free market agenda. And according to his bosses, he’s making a good […]

When it comes to pulling down the patriarchy, there aren’t too many in the sisterhood willing to go in as hard, or as often, as Leslie Cannold. It’s what makes her one of the most prominent feminists in the country. Her voice — often acerbic, always articulate — consistently cuts through the debate, like secateurs through seedlings. Though many […]

Listing the country’s most powerful intellectuals is fraught with danger. How do you separate one thinker from another in such a broad field? Does it go to the most widely published? The most recognisable? The one with the highest IQ? And there’s an extra ingredient that needs to be considered: the most effective, and powerful, […]

Who are the intellectuals most influencing our public debate? Next week The Power Index counts down the Top 10 Most Powerful Thinkers. Here, we present the shortlist … Charles Livingstone Up until very recently, Dr Livingstone, we presume, was much more powerful. But after Julia Gillard welshed on Andrew Wilkie’s poker machine reforms this week, […]

If you’re looking for power twosomes that have managed to spread their tentacles across both business and politics, you needn’t look much further than Kevin Rudd and Therese Rein. The former first couple have had their ups and downs over the past year or so but still remain one of The Power Index’s most influential […]

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange remains frustrated by the lack of assistance from the federal government over his prolonged overseas legal plight, three weeks ahead of his appeal against extradition in the UK Supreme Court. In an exclusive interview with The Power Index, the platinum-haired whistleblower revealed Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd’s office had been in contact with […]

Controversial climate change sceptic Professor Ian Plimer says the “average punter” inspired him to write his new tome, which teaches students that human-induced global warming is a scam. Plimer is currently doing the rounds plugging his new book How To Get Expelled From School: A guide to climate change for pupils, parents and punters. It’s been […]

The past year has provided a smorgasbord of power snatching opportunities for those looking to increase their influence. Here we present eight of our favourite 2011 power grabs: Alan Joyce It was the industrial relations power play no one saw coming. Qantas had been involved in a running battle with the unions over Joyce’s plans […]

Every Friday, The Power Index profiles a place where powerful people wine, dine and travel. Today we start the series with a restaurant frequented by Melbourne’s business elite, The Italian … The Italian enjoys its power by proximity. The elegant CBD long-lunch spot sits smack bang in the rear of one of Melbourne’s centres of […]

In a country where sport means more than religion, Andrew Demetriou’s church is the biggest and most dominant. But it’s not enough for the AFL pontiff. He wants even more disciples, even if it means gambling on the game’s future. He’s already got the audience: of the four big codes this year, the AFL boasted […]

NRL CEO David Gallop’s power has long come with one big caveat: whatever you do, don’t piss off the bosses. Until recently, that is. Long-ruled by a combination of long-lunching powerbrokers and News Limited heavies, a new independent commission looks set to deliver Gallop increased power over the biggest game in Queensland and NSW. Tall, […]

Every four years, for 16 days, Olympics kingpin John Coates becomes one of the most influential people in the world. The rest of the time he’s still powerful, just on a smaller scale. Coates’ ability to continually eke out government funding for Olympic sports, despite increasing opposition, demonstrates his power. And with the 2012 London […]

Frank Lowy is widely credited as the man who fixed the mess that was Australian soccer. It’s a reputation that has given the shopping centre magnate incredible influence over the direction of the game in recent years. Yet his power could be on the wane, particularly if increasing calls to oust him come to fruition. […]

You may not know him, but Patrick Delany plays a major role in determining which sports you watch on free-to-air TV, and which are restricted to those willing to pay for the privilege. That’s because Delany’s the head of Premier Media Group, owners of the lucrative Fox Sports network, and he’s working to take as […]

Australians are bored with cricket and our players are underperforming. As CEO of Cricket Australia, it’s up to James Sutherland to resurrect our national summer sport and oversee the biggest shake-up cricket has seen since the Packer World Series revolution of the 1970s. In Packer’s day the players took on the establishment to try and […]

Ian Frykberg is the most powerful sports rights agent in the country. With his sandy brown hair and intimidating physique, the former journalist, media executive and rugby front-row forward casts a large shadow over the sporting landscape — literally and figuratively. When the NRL hammers out a $1 billion-plus deal to sell its TV rights next year […]

You probably hate the club and you may hate the man, but you can’t deny that Collingwood president and all-round media loudmouth Eddie McGuire isn’t a power machine. Just check his list of bona fides: he runs the country’s biggest sporting club (tick); he’s so ubiquitous everyone knows him by his first name (tick); his […]

The country’s two biggest footy leagues may have just staged their respective grand finals, but there’s no off-season for the powerbrokers running sport. Not when there’s a quid to be made. We don’t have to tell you that sport is a pretty big deal in this country, but we’ll lay down some figures anyway: 7.6 […]