The Buntine Oration is a biennial invited presentation and speech made at the conference of the Australian College of Educators (ACE).
[4] Dr Walter Buntine (1866–1953)[1] had a significant role in the development of education in the Australian state of Victoria from his position as headmaster of Caulfield Grammar School (1896–1932).
[3] His son, Dr M. Arnold Buntine (1898–1975), was an Australian rules footballer who played with St Kilda[5] before studying education and earning a PhD from the University of Edinburgh.
[6] Arnold was married to Gladys (Jim) Buntine (1901–1992), who was the Chief Commissioner of the Australian Girl Guides from 1962 until 1968 and an advocate for the importance of education.
[14] Two High Court justices have given the oration (Robert French and Michael Kirby), as has the Chancellor of the Australian National University ("Nugget" Coombs) and the inaugural President of the ACE, James Darling.