The Norman Cowper Oration, established in 1982, is an annual event of the Australian Institute of Policy & Science which commemorates Sir Norman Cowper, a foundation director and Chairman of the Institute. Previous Orations in recent years have been given by Mr John Fahey (then Premier of New South Wales), Dr Carmen Lawrence; Dr Michael Wooldridge (Federal Minister for Health & Aged Care), and Mr Martin Walker, European Editor of The Guardian. It is intended that future Orations will be given by international speakers who can provide overseas perspectives on issues relevant to Australia. 
In 1999 the oration was delivered by the Governor of Oregon, USA, Dr John A. Kitzhaber, who spoke on The Moral Basis of Politics.
In 2000, the guest speaker was  Evan Thornley, CEO of LookSmart.
In 2003 Tony Abbott, Minister for Health & Ageing presented the Oration.

Sir Norman Cowper

Sir Norman, descendant of a distinguished Australian pioneer family, was a Senior Partner of the legal firm of Allen Allen & Hemsley, and was President of the New South Wales Law Society Admission Board and a Foundation Director of the Solicitors' Superannuation Pty Ltd.

In addition to his role in the AIPS, Sir Norman was also founder of the United Australia Party; a councillor and later President of the Australian Institute of International Affairs; President of the Sydney University Arts Association; council member of the Australian National University; member of the first "Committee of Enquiry into the Salaries and Allowances of Members of the Commonwealth Parliament (1959); chairman of the Council on New Guinea Affairs (1964; which prepared the way for independence); and a member of the National Committee and Editorial Board of the Australian Dictionary of Biography. Additionally, Sir Norman was a director, and frequently a chairman, of a number of public companies.

Sir Norman's published writings over 50 years spanned political, constitutional and financial issues, the law, book reviews and biography. During the 1930s he also contributed special articles to The Sydney Morning Herald.

Sir Norman Cowper died on 9 September 1987, just six days short of his 91st birthday. In his obituary of Sir Norman in The Sydney Morning Herald, Francis James described him as being "surpassed by none in his breadth and liberality of mind, integrity and undeviating, selfless care for the public interest. Through the growing pains and uncertainties of our nation in this century, he had few equals".