Menzies Leadership Forum

What happens when communities take the lead in shaping their future?

Communities hold extraordinary power when leadership is shared and local voices are amplified. This episode highlights the principles of grassroots leadership—how empathy, listening, and action rooted in community priorities create lasting transformation. It considers the role of trust and collaboration in bringing people together, the pride that grows when communities see themselves reflected in change, and the ripple effects that extend beyond local boundaries. By exploring examples of community-led initiatives, the discussion shows why leadership begins close to home and builds towards collective strength.

Key Themes & Talking Points:

Cathy Chong AM, President of Chinese Welfare Services SA and long-serving multicultural, healthcare and community advocate.

About the series

Voices of Leadership, Extraordinary Impact is a collaboration between the Order of Australia Association and Menzies Leadership Foundation, bringing to life the stories and insights of Australians recognised for their contribution and service.

Hosted by The Hon Vicki O’Halloran AO CVO FAICD, former President of the Order of Australia Association (2023-2026), the eight-part series explores the lived experiences, values and leadership lessons of Order of Australia recipients and what their stories can teach us about leading in service of others.

How can resilience and courage turn obstacles into leadership opportunities?

Barriers—whether systemic, cultural, or personal—can derail leadership or strengthen it. This episode explores how leaders emerge through adversity, reflecting on the determination it takes to persist when doors are closed or opportunities are denied. It examines the inner resources people draw on to persevere, how setbacks become lessons, and why resilience often shapes the most authentic and impactful leaders. By unpacking stories of challenge and perseverance, the discussion reveals how courage in the face of obstacles can inspire others and create lasting change.

Key Themes & Talking Points:

Annette “Floss” Roberts AM, former Executive Director of Royal Life Saving NT, celebrated for her leadership in drowning prevention and remote community water safety.

About the series

Voices of Leadership, Extraordinary Impact is a collaboration between the Order of Australia Association and Menzies Leadership Foundation, bringing to life the stories and insights of Australians recognised for their contribution and service.

Hosted by The Hon Vicki O’Halloran AO CVO FAICD, former President of the Order of Australia Association (2023-2026), the eight-part series explores the lived experiences, values and leadership lessons of Order of Australia recipients and what their stories can teach us about leading in service of others.

How does serving others define leadership and strengthen communities?

Leadership begins with service. This episode explores how acts of service, whether large or small, become the foundation of trust, connection, and resilience in communities. It considers the values that motivate people to dedicate themselves to others, the sacrifices such choices often require, and the transformative impact that flows when leadership is rooted in generosity and responsibility. From volunteering and mentoring to long-term civic contribution, the conversation highlights why service remains at the core of leadership for the greater good.

Key Themes & Talking Points:

Dr Peter Rogers AM, Engineer, Educator, and Community leader recognised for advancing women in engineering and contributing to Indigenous and community development. 

About the series

Voices of Leadership, Extraordinary Impact is a collaboration between the Order of Australia Association and Menzies Leadership Foundation, bringing to life the stories and insights of Australians recognised for their contribution and service.

Hosted by The Hon Vicki O’Halloran AO CVO FAICD, former President of the Order of Australia Association (2023-2026), the eight-part series explores the lived experiences, values and leadership lessons of Order of Australia recipients and what their stories can teach us about leading in service of others.

What kind of leadership does the next chapter demand?

In environments of heightened scrutiny and institutional fragility, leadership requires moral clarity and disciplined restraint.

Through a Defence or national service lens, this episode explores how leaders remain anchored in purpose when obligations are formal, stakes are high and public legitimacy must be protected.

The series concludes by examining leadership as guardianship — holding authority on behalf of others and sustaining institutional trust in times of uncertainty.

Key Themes:

Brigadier John Fenwick (Retd), Adjunct Professor at the University of Canberra in the faculty of Business, Government and Law, and a moderator/facilitator with the Cranlana Centre for Ethical Leadership  

How do institutions hold purpose across time, not just performance cycles?

Some institutions are designed to steward capital, assets or public trust across generations. Their decisions shape not just quarterly performance, but long-term national resilience.

This episode examines how leaders balance fiduciary discipline with broader responsibility — particularly when volatility and political pressure compress decision-making timeframes.

What does ethical reasoning look like when trade-offs unfold across decades? How do leaders remain anchored in purpose when market cycles and media cycles pull in different directions?

Stewardship is reframed not as caution, but as leadership maturity — the discipline to hold long horizons in short-term environments.

Key Themes & Talking Points:

Will Hetherton, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer - Future Fund

How do leaders of global organisations align performance, trust and long-term responsibility?

Leadership at scale carries a particular gravity. Decisions made in boardrooms ripple through workforces, communities, capital markets and national systems. The larger the enterprise, the wider the consequence.

This episode explores the tension between performance and responsibility in global organisations operating under intense scrutiny. How do leaders sustain commercial discipline while maintaining social licence? How do they navigate transition, geopolitical complexity and stakeholder expectation without eroding institutional trust?

Purpose is examined not as a statement of values, but as a stabilising anchor when competing pressures intensify. When every decision carries reputational, economic and societal implications, ethical judgement must operate in real time.

The conversation surfaces what leadership capability looks like at scale — and how legitimacy is built, sustained or lost.

Key Themes & Talking Points:

Caroline Cox, Chief Legal, Governance and External Affairs Officer - BHP

What kind of leadership does the next chapter demand?

In environments of heightened scrutiny and institutional fragility, leadership requires moral clarity and disciplined restraint.

Through a Defence or national service lens, this episode explores how leaders remain anchored in purpose when obligations are formal, stakes are high and public legitimacy must be protected.

The series concludes by examining leadership as guardianship — holding authority on behalf of others and sustaining institutional trust in times of uncertainty.

Key Themes:

Jo Tarnawsky, Former Chief of Staff to the Deputy Prime Minister of Australia

What guides leadership when compliance is not enough?

Financial institutions operate within highly regulated environments — yet regulation cannot resolve every dilemma.

This episode explores the limits of compliance-based governance. When risk models fail to capture social consequence, where does judgement reside?

Leaders reflect on how moral clarity, disciplined reasoning and institutional culture shape decisions under uncertainty. Purpose operates as a stabilising anchor when formal controls are insufficient.

Key Themes:

Michael Saadie, CEO & Chairman JBWere

What does purpose demand when affordability and supply chains intersect?

Retail and consumer-facing sectors operate at the frontline of cost-of-living pressures. Leaders must navigate supplier relationships, workforce expectations and consumer affordability simultaneously.

This episode examines how fairness is interpreted across interconnected value chains. What responsibility does a leader hold upstream and downstream? How are trade-offs made transparent?

Purpose becomes the anchor that clarifies responsibility across complex economic ecosystems — ensuring commercial viability does not erode trust.

Key Themes:

Callum Smith, Chief Merchandise and Marketing Officer Kmart Australia Limited and Dr Peter Collins - Executive Director, Peter Collins and Associates 

How do leaders balance fairness, sustainability and responsibility in essential services?

Education and health systems operate at the centre of public trust. Leaders in these environments face deeply human dilemmas — balancing equity, funding pressures, regulatory requirements and workforce strain.

This episode explores how purpose anchors judgement when no option is without cost. How do leaders prioritise access, sustainability and fairness simultaneously? What happens when institutional resources are constrained but community expectations are not?

The conversation reveals the moral weight carried by leaders in essential services — and how disciplined judgement sustains legitimacy in environments of constraint.

Key Themes & Talking Points:

Kelly Bayer Rosmarin, CEO and Group Managing Director Australian Unity and Dr Peter Collins - Executive Director, Peter Collins and Associates