1. What a good idea, and interesting exercise. In particular, in considering my answer I've been struck by the extent to which it is impossible to separate 'important/influential' 'thinking' from 'writing'/'speaking'/'promotion' (someone could be the best thinker in the world but it would matter not a bit, if they were unable to make it onto the radar)! The question can obviously be answered from several different perspectives. As an environmental historian, I would consider Tom Griffiths to be both important and influential. Opening the aperture wider brings into view full-time thinkers like Robert Manne, thinking writers from Gail Jones to Peter Carey to Gideon Haigh, and those who seem to go (prominently) beyond the call of duty for thinking in the course of their regular employment, such as Julian Burnside and Michael Kirby. In academia, which I believe attracts many excellent thinkers, there are people like Ruth Balint and (closer to home) Tony Hughes-d'Aeth, who clearly have the capacity for excellence in both thinking and communicating, yet are not highly visible/influential in the wider public sphere, at least in part because much of their communication is with students. The intellectual work of academics in teaching is collectively highly influential (and important), but their ability to reach a wider audience (a prominent way of measuring influence/importance) is limited not only by the prevailing conditions within universities (doing more with fewer people), but also the points system that does not recognise the value of engaging with the broader public (eg via newspaper articles, documentaries etc.). The ground is too slippery to construct a 'top ten', but I hope these comments are nonetheless helpful.

2. Henry Reynolds – influential in affecting a change in our perceptions of white/black settler relations both in the scholarly community, in legal circles and in the broader public. As well as a scholar I would put in the class of a public intellectual. Donald Horne – highly influential as a social commentator for a very long time. His books have lasted a long time and are still useful in undergraduate teaching. He too is one of our public intellectuals. I am aware of course that he died not so long ago; Don Watson – trenchant mind of current Australian politics and corporate/political language. Seems to be able to cross the line between political speech writer to public commentator having a following amongst the ‘educated community’ as well as within the academy; Stuart MacIntyre: has become influential for the left on the culture/history wars. Able to write for a broader audience in the media and in his books. Just to make sure I am not only thinking of like minded people to myself, I would have to put in Windshuttle for the other side as he certainly gets airspace and political attention. Not sure I would class him as a great mind though – just politically effective. Phillip Adams with his program on radio national and the column in the weekend Australian Magazine. Looks both to internal issues and world wide politics. Puts Australians into contact with international commentators and perspectives. Marcia Langton – one of the most articulate indigenous minds. Kerry O’Brien – a very important role through his presentation of the 7.30 report every week night. Ability to get to the heart of issues. Robyn Archer: a fantastic mind that can relate the arts to politics not only in her own work but who advocates for the importance of the arts in the development of a critical conscience. Maybe Gerard Henderson for the conservative side – perhaps one of their more nuanced commentators.

3. 'Best'/'important'/'influential' could be interpreted in different ways, but here goes, in no particular order: Gideon Haigh, polymath; Michael Kirby; Peter Craven; Robert Manne; Geoffrey Blainey; James Ley; Frank Brennan; David Marr; Helen Garner; Don Watson. I've assumed you're interested in thinkers in Australia , hence my exclusion of Germaine Greer. I also realise there is something of a gender bias in my list. I'd prefer not to have my name attached to this list!

4. Here are some names . . . It's biased towards academics, I'm afraid - that's who I know. I've left out Australians overseas, of course, otherwise there would have been Peter Singer, and perhaps Meaghan Morris. And there are some it was hard to leave out, like Marcia Langton and Larissa Behrendt. I couldn't think of any politicians or community leaders, though I'm sure there are some of the latter. These are in no particular order:

Academics: Ghassan Hage, Anthropology, Uni of Sydney Marilyn Lake, History, LaTrobe Moira Gatens, Philosophy, Sydney Anna Haebich, Centre for Public Culture and Ideas, Griffith Hilary Charlesworth, Law, ANU Martin Nakata, Education, Jumbunna Centre for Indigenous Learning, UTS Hugh Stretton, Social Policy and Economics, Adelaide; Independents: Paul Collins, Catholic critic; Journalists: David Marr, journalist, Marian Wilkinson, journalist

5. On the assumption that you want a brief and quick response to a top ten list of Australian thinkers, here goes. My main criterion is excellence in a particular field of endeavour and capacity to think aloud in accessible but not simplistic public discourse beyond their principal field of expertise: J.M.Coetzee; Frank Moorhouse; Helen Garner; Carmen Lawrence; Ien Ang; Nicholas Hasluck; Tim Flannery; David Malouf; Gus Nossal; Helen Caldicott. Others: John Mulvaney, Henry Reynolds; Michael Kirby; Hugh Mackay; Graeme Turner.

6. Difficult term, 'thinker'. Off the top of my head, among others: Michael Kirby, Noel Pearson, Ken Inglis, Tim Flannery, David Malouf, Peter Doherty, Les Murray, Paul Kelly, Christine Wallace, Geraldine Doogue. Maybe Hugh Stretton. These all lead their fields in interesting ways. There'd be more scientists and other professionals worth thinking about, and creative artists are a bit of a grey area . .. Also, there's another cohort who live abroad. It's a pity Donald Horne is dead. Barry Jones hasn't said or written anything intelligent for decades, unless I've missed something!

7. In part I'd be looking for public intellectuals and those who offer attempts at progressive rethinking of social policy. So I'd include Hugh Stretton and Julian Disney. For similar reasons I'd consider Larissa Behrendt and Marcia Neave. (I wouldn't include Eva Cox though many would). In terms of progressive voices in the media I'd include Phillip Adams and Humphrey McQueen, and perhaps Jeffrey Robertson. And for our political leaders I'd put down Carmen Lawrence and Joan Kirner. Another mind I admire -- Barry Hindess.

8. This is all almost impossible. What I would like to say is that the editors of the journals in Australia are the key intellectuals. But most of us are historically highly modest and not self promoting, as celebrities. Another difficulty is the visibility and takeup in any mass media of anything that the journals do. Some of the Melbourne ones seem to get some coverage, like Morag Fraser - and Robert Manne who is a bit fakey . . . he has got to be a bit starry, but there’s something there you don’t trust/ there are also organisations like getup or CHASS that are doing a lot, but could you really say Malcolm Gillies, maybe. One really odd phenomenon is Phillip Adams. Years ago he was a boring old fart and he hasn’t changed but with the current climate you’d almost want to say he was no. 1, though he’s just a left liberal he is one of the very few people you could say you cared for and trusted. So people like Henderson and Albrechtsen and the reinstituted Craven (if the Australian is the measure of the visible intellectuals in the "media") or people like . . . kevin donnelly, they look like who anyone knows about as opinion formers ... I dont read the SMH and Age maybe another voice is getting out. The difficulty with your concept is that the current hegemonic institutional environment wants to destroy all the advances that were made in the last 30 years by labelling them pc and biaised . . . And as for aboriginal people being able to be seen as intellectuals there seems no space at all.

9. My quick-fire list (check the spelling!) would be Robert Manne, Henry Reynolds, Frank Brennan, Tom Keneally, Barnaby Joyce, Mark Latham, Barry Jones, Bob Brown, Phillip Adams, Lisa Donohue and Ann Curthoys. A preponderance of scribblers rather than orators reflecting my own humble endeavours, but courageous ones in whatever medium.

10. Most influential and important thinkers in Australia today: Noel Pearson, Influential; Bernard Salt, Important; Tim Costello, Influential; Philip Adams, Important; Harold Mitchell, Influential; Janet Holmes a’Court, Influential

NB: Important – in terms of media coverage, making a fuss etc. Influential – in terms of actually making a diff. to opinion

11. A difficult exercise. I take it you mean people who are alive. The list might be quite different if one took 'influential' as the sole touchstone, in which case Janette Howard would be a clear contender. I take it to mean a balance of both but a leaning towards the 'important' category. There is a question of what you do with communicators like Robin Williams, who are undoubtedly important. He should be there as No. 11 perhaps or in another category. There are, of course, people who are influential but don't seem to do much thinking of which the less said the better. The question of representation of categories is of interest (e.g. Science vs the Humanities). I am stronger on the latter. My list not necessarily in any order of importance would be: Hugh Stretton; Barry Humphries; Germaine Greer; Paul Davies; Francis MacNab; Geoffrey Blainey; Owen Harries; Justice Michael Kirby; Peter Singer;Peter Doherty

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