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The Lowy Institute is an independent think tank founded in April 2003 by Frank Lowy to conduct original, policy-relevant research regarding international political, strategic and economic issues from an Australian perspective.
It is based in Sydney, Australia, at 31 Bligh Street in the Central Business District. The Institute is housed in a heritage-listed historic building that formerly served as the New South Wales Club premises and sits adjacent to the Hunter Street and Martin Place driverless Sydney Metro train stations.
The institute has been described as falling on the centre-right of the political spectrum.Barro, Christiane, "The think tanks shaping Australia The Lowy Institute," The New Daily, retrieved 26 December 2019 It states that its research and analysis aim to be non-partisan, and its programme of conferences, seminars and other events are designed to inform and deepen the debate about international policy in Australia and to help shape the broader international discussion of these issues. "What We Do," Lowy Institute. Retrieved 26 December 2019
As of 2025, it is the most cited think tank based outside of the US and UK across the world.
In 2003, Lowy endowed the institute with a donation sufficient to fund the first eight years of its operation. His family continues to play a key role in the institute, with at least four "Lowy"-named people on the Board of Directors.
The institute has also been funded by donations from the investment management firm, Manikay Partners; from a global accounting and professional services firm: Ernst & Young; and from a former Australian diplomat and cabinet secretary, Michael Thawley (with his wife Deborah).
The institute registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission, in 2012, as the "Lowy Institute For International Policy", and by 2019 was reporting over $12 million in revenues (including over $2 million from government), and over $9 million in expenses. "Lowy Institute For International Policy," Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission. Retrieved 26 December 2019
The institute has hosted presentations by every Australian prime minister since 2003, as well as the NATO Secretary General, U.S, Vice-President Joe Biden, United Kingdom prime minister Boris Johnson, and various other Australian and foreign leaders.Stoltenberg, Jens (NATO Secretary General: "Remarks by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the Lowy Institute (Sydney)," , 7 August 2019, North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Retrieved 26 December 2019
The institute commonly meets and interacts with Australian officials, and with visiting international leaders, and is a source of influence on Australian government. The resulting internal and external computer activity, including email traffic, which could be of interest to foreign powers, is credited with attracting information-harvesting on the institute, during and before 2012—comparable to similar attacks against U.S. think tanks. The attacks were generally attributed to China.Grigg, Angus and Nick McKenzie, "Lowy Institute hit by Chinese hackers," 3 December 2018, Australian Financial Review, retrieved 26 December 2019
In 2019, Richard McGregor published a Lowy report entitled "Xi Jinping: The Backlash", which looked at how the world is dealing with China's rise to global power.
A cable dated 17 December 2010 sent from the US embassy in Australia was released to Italian investigative journalist Stefania Maurizi in December 2023 under freedom of information. The US cable concerned reactions in Australia to the United States diplomatic cables leak. The cable revealed that US officials monitored pro-Julian Assange protests in Australia for "anti-US sentiment" and warned that there was "increasing sympathy, particularly on the left" for Assange. It described the institute's Michael Fullilove as a "moderating voice" who, "while calling the leaks 'fascinating', also termed WikiLeaks' conduct reckless in a blog post. But for the most part, sensationalist headlines are drowning out Fullilove and other reasonable observers."
The Lowy Institute launched a blog The Interpreter in November 2007. According to former Executive Director Allan Gyngell: "it aims to provide you with fresh insights into international events and a new way to engage with the Institute." Lowy Institute also developed analytical tool Asia Power Index. This tool allows changes in the global distribution of power. Countries can be compared on the basis of which measures eight types of power: military capability, defence networks, economic resources, economic relationships, diplomatic influence, cultural influence, resilience and future resources.
In April 2023, the Lowy Institute poll indicated that one in five Chinese-Australians were called offensive names in 2022, down 10 points from 31% in 2020, highlighting that Chinese-Australians face fewer racist insults than at height of diplomatic tensions with Beijing.
In 2012, the institute was criticised by Jim Green, national nuclear campaigner of Friends of the Earth Australia, alleging that the institute ran "a disgraceful propaganda campaign" to advocate for Australian uranium sales to India, in contravention of Australia's longstanding policy of refusing to sell uranium to nations who did not join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).Green, Jim, "The Lowy Institute's dangerous nuclear propaganda," 28 December 2012, "Online Opinion" Friends of the Earth Australia. Retrieved 26 December 2019
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