Thinkers in Residence

Thinkers in Residence was a program in Adelaide, South Australia, that brought leaders in their fields to work with the South Australian community and government in developing new ideas and approaches to problem solving, and to promote South Australia.

The concept of the Thinkers in Residence program was announced by the Hon Mike Rann, South Australian Opposition Leader, in November 2000. It was inspired by Greg Mackie's Adelaide Festival of Ideas. Invited guests would spend three months in Adelaide, assisting the government and community in tackling problems and exploring opportunities for the state. Mr Rann, after his election as Premier in 2002, funded the Thinkers program, which ran for 2003 for 9 years. In 2012 Mr Rann’s successor, Premier Jay Weatherill, discontinued the Thinkers program as a budget-saving measure.

In 2013 the Don Dunstan Foundation hosted the first residency outside of government, with a particular focus on South Australia's live music industry. The residency was incredibly successful, resulting in the establishment of St Paul's Creative Centre and the Music Development Office, along with the designation of Adelaide as a UNESCO City of Live Music.

The Thinkers in Residence Program formally transitioned in 2016 to the Don Dunstan Foundation. The next residency in 2017 will focus on Social Enterprise and Impact Innovation.

In nine years of operation, the Adelaide Thinkers in Residence program made an outstanding contribution to public policy making in South Australia. It delivered positive changes in a rapid timeframe. Between 2003 and 2012 the program resulted in more than $300 million of investment in programs and infrastructure, both in South Australia and across the nation. The Australian Federal Government provided a significant proportion of this investment, itself an endorsement of the ideas being incubated in South Australia.

In 2011 a representative of the Adelaide City Council wrote a testimonial letter to the Thinkers in Residence program highlighting the program's "positive influence in the development of strategies and policies for enhancing the City."

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