The Institute is named after Donald Horne AO.

Donald was also Chancellor of the University of Canberra, Professor of Political Science at the University of New South Wales, Chair of the Australia Council for six years, chair of the Ideas for Australia committee, author of 28 books and hundreds of other publications. Trained as a journalist he was editor of Daily Telegraph, Quadrant, The Observer, a contributing editor to Newsweek International and twice editor of The Bulletin. He advised the Australian Constitutions Commission and developed the Barton Lecture series for the Centenary of Federation around the question what holds Australia together. His best known book is The Lucky Country which became a defining if, oft misapplied, soubriquet for the nation. Donald was also a legendary and dedicated luncher and generous host. Donald Horne remains one of Australias best known intellectuals and public figures.

Born in Sydney in 1921, he documented his life in an autobiography in four installments from The Education of Young Donald in 1967 to his last book Dying: a Memoir which chronicles his death in 2005. The last book was jointly authored with his wife Myfanwy who contributing tangibly and intangibly to all his work.

Books by Donald Horne

The Lucky Country, 1964
The Education of Young Donald, 1967
Southern Exposure, 1967
God is an Englishman, 1970
The Next Australia, 1970
But What if there Are No Pelicans, 1971
The Australia People: Biography of a Nation, 1973
Death of the Lucky Country, 1976
Money Made Us, 1976
Change the Rules!: Towards a Democratic Constitution, 1977 (with Sol Encel and Elaine Thompson)The Permit, 1977
His Excellency's Pleasure: A Satire, 1977
Right Way Don't Go Back, 1978
In Search of Billy Hughes, 1979
Time of Hope: Australia 1966-1972, 1980
Winner Take All?, 1981
The Little Digger: A Biography of Billy Hughes, 1983
The Great Museum: The Re-Presentation of History, 1984
The Public Culture: The Triumph of Industrialism, 1986
Confessions of a New Boy, 1986
Ideas for a Nation, 1989
The Trouble with Economic Rationalism, 1992
The Coming Republic, 1992
Public Culture: An Argument with the Future, 1994
Avenue of the Fair Go: A Group Tour of Australian Political Thought, 1997
The Lucky Country Revisited, 1987
Portrait of an Optimist, 1988
The Intelligent Tourist, 1993
An Interrupted Life, 1998
Donald Horne Memoirs, 2000
2001 Why Are We Celebrating?, 2001
Looking for Leadership: Australia in the Howard Years, 2001
Ten Steps to a More Tolerant Australia, 2003
On How I Came to Write The Lucky Country, 2006
Dying: A Memoir, 2008

Selected Essays

The Role of Universities Today 1977

Changing the System: Political and Constitutional Reform, Some Options and Difficulties 1981

Supporting the Arts in Australia 1985

How to Be an Intellectual 1985

Demystifying the Museum 1986 [ISBN 0949060585, 978949060587]

A Story of What Might Have Been 1987

Think or Perish: Towards a Confident and Productive Australia 1998 (Commission for the Future)

A Hidden Australian Cultural Resource: The Parallel Education System 1993

Imaginative Country: Some Ideas on the Arts and Entertainment, and on the Humanities and Public Intellectual Life in Australia 2001

An Australian Compact? 2002

Donald and Bailed Up by Tom Roberts at the AGNSW on 16 January 1985. His first address as Chairman of the Australia Council. Photograph by J. van Loendersloot. Private Collection.