TIM MINCHIN: COWARD
When Sir Salman Rushdie had to withdraw, we needed someone who could carry the mantle of provocation without missing a beat. A lifelong admirer of Sir Salman, the brilliant Tim Minchin was the obvious choice.
A composer-lyricist, pianist, singer, writer, comedian and actor, Minchin has made a career out of making the forbidden funny and the funny profound. He has spent decades turning the things we’re told not to examine – certainty, hypocrisy, religion, our own comforting delusions – into words as sharp as they are joyful, and devoured by children and adults all around the world.
Using the Rushdie fatwa as a jumping-off point, Minchin will examine the role of storytelling, music and satire in growing a vibrant, free society, and how extremism – old and new, left and right, delivered via keyboard or knife – damages all of us.
Looking back at his career so far, he will put his own record on the stand: testing the consistency of his ideas across a lifetime of work and trying to be honest about where he fell short. Did the times he used his platform to agitate do more harm than good? Were the times he withdrew an effort to make space for other voices, or was he just avoiding pile-ons and protecting his brand?
Has he become a coward? Have we all?
And at what cost?
Join us on 21 August for the Opening Night of Festival of Dangerous Ideas 2026 at Carriageworks, where Tim Minchin presents the 2026 John Caldon Provocation.
Tim Minchin
Tim Minchin is a musician, writer, actor and comedian. He is the award-winning composer-lyricist of two stage musicals, Matilda and Groundhog Day. He has toured his iconic live shows for two decades, playing some of the world’s most iconic venues in the UK, Australia, New Zealand and the US. He has released 2 studios albums: Apart Together (2020) and Tim Minchin Time Machine (2025).
As an actor, he has appeared in Upright, Californication, Robin Hood, Secret River and The Artful Dodger. He was also head writer and co-producer of Upright. Stage roles include Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar and Rosencrantz in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. Books include Storm, When I Grow Up and You Don’t Have To Have a Dream.
He has won many awards including Oliviers, AACTA, AWGIE, Logie, Evening Standard, Edinburgh Comedy Award, Helpmann, Chortle and the Richard Dawkins Award for Science Communication. He has been nominated for Tonys and Grammys, is a member of the Order of Australia and has received three honorary doctorates.
Image Credit: Billy Plummer
SIMON LONGSTAFF
Simon Longstaff began his working life on Groote Eylandt in the Northern Territory of Australia. He is proud of his kinship ties to the Anindilyakwa people. After a period studying law in Sydney and teaching in Tasmania, he pursued postgraduate studies as a Member of Magdalene College, Cambridge. In 1991, Simon commenced his work as the first Executive Director of The Ethics Centre, a role he continues today. In 2013, he was made an officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for “distinguished service to the community through the promotion of ethical standards in governance and business, to improving corporate responsibility, and to philosophy.” Simon is an Adjunct Professor of the Australian Graduate School of Management at UNSW Sydney, a Fellow of CPA Australia, the Royal Society of NSW and the Australian Risk Policy Institute.
About the John Caldon Provocation
Presented to honour the legacy of businessman John Caldon OAM (1947–2021). Investment banker and entrepreneur, Caldon was one of Macquarie Bank’s early stars from 1984–1998, who ignited debate, discussion and reflection amongst all. His personality, ambition, and creative approach to financial innovation made him see potential in people and in deals. For many, his mentoring, nurturing, and inspiration set him apart. A person of insatiable curiosity, he was a master of diverse fields, including ancient history, politics, poetry, art and philosophy. He applied this same mastery to the establishment of a hugely successful TV company with life partner, Lyndey Milan. The inaugural John Caldon Provocation was delivered by David Baddiel in 2024.
We acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation - the custodians of the country on which we meet - and acknowledge their Elders, past and present.
The views and opinions expressed by the Festival participants are not necessarily the views of The Ethics Centre and our partners.