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National Conference

Upcoming Events

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Aug

Middle powers and international influence

Gary Quinlan, AIIA National President

Aug 25, 2026 18:00 - Aug 25, 2026 19:30

Glover Cottages, Kent Street, 124-134 Millers Point, New South Wales, Australia

Aug

You Must Take Part in Revolution: A Graphic Novel

Badiucao, two-time Walkley Award-winning Chinese Australian artist, activist, and political provocateur; Melissa Chan, Emmy-nominated Hong Kong and Taiwanese American foreign correspondent based between Los Angeles and Berlin.

Aug 25, 2026 18:00 - Aug 25, 2026 19:00

Level 13, 356 Collins Street 356 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia

Aug

Diplomacy, Deterrence and Arms Control

Jane Hardy, former Australian senior career diplomat

Aug 26, 2026 18:00 - Aug 26, 2026 20:00

The Ashburton Room, Forrest Hall 21 Hackett Dr., Crawley WA 6009 Crawley, Western Australia, Australia

Sep

The Péter Magyar Playbook: Inside the Campaign That Defeated Viktor Orbán

Ildi Amon, strategic communications professional and change advisor

Sep 1, 2026 18:00 - Sep 1, 2026 19:00

Hemmants List Centre Level 6/32 Santos Place 32 Turbot Street Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Sep

Vietnam: what are the opportunities and can Australia seize them?

Andrew Goledzinowski, Former Ambassador

Sep 1, 2026 19:00 - Sep 1, 2026 20:00

32 Thesiger Court Suite 1 Deakin ACT Australia

Sep

20th International Careers Conference (ICC)

Sep 7, 2026 09:00 - Sep 7, 2026 17:00

Level 1/78 Newquay Promenade Docklands, Melbourne

Sep

An Evening with Kevin Rudd

SOLD OUT. Waitlist only.

Sep 9, 2026 18:30 - Sep 9, 2026 21:30

The Marion Barrine Drive Parkes Australian Capital Territory Australia

Nov

Save the date: AIIA National Conference 2026

Nov 16, 2026 09:00 - Nov 16, 2026 17:00

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Video and Audio

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Podcast

22 Apr 2026

Ep. 183: Hormuz–the new nuclear

Play this Episode

Who’s Building the Subs? | Indo-Pacific Briefing

Video

09 Jul 2026

Who’s Building the Subs? | Indo-Pacific Briefing

Play this Episode

Ukraine at a Crossroads | A Panel Discussion

Video, Youtube

05 May 2026

Ukraine at a Crossroads | A Panel Discussion

50:44

Play this Episode

Michael J Green: Carney or Takaichi? How Allies are Managing the US

Video, Youtube

22 Apr 2026

Michael J Green: Carney or Takaichi? How Allies are Managing the US

38:58

Play this Episode

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Towards the AIIA Centenary

100 Years of International Affairs

The AIIA was founded in 1933 by member organisations that date back to the 1920s. The AIIA as a whole celebrates those founding branches as they reach 100 years of advancing knowledge and exchange on international affairs.

Australian Outlook

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21 August 2026: This Week in Australian Foreign Affairs

The Week in Australian Foreign Affairs

21 Aug 2026

21 August 2026: This Week in Australian Foreign Affairs

By Australian Outlook Editorial Team

This week in Australian Foreign Affairs, the Australian Government reached a major milestone in Pacific connectivity with all Pacific Islands Forum members, the Prime Minister welcomes Thailand’s Prime Minister and

What Should ASEAN Learn from the Strait of Hormuz Crisis?

Analysis

18 Aug 2026

What Should ASEAN Learn from the Strait of Hormuz Crisis?

The Strait of Hormuz is still shut, and the world continues to pay the price. As talk turns to tolls and defence pacts around the Strait of Malacca, ASEAN has

India Claims Neighbouring Country’s Opposition Party Is Behind Its Student Protests. But The Evidence Does Not Hold Up.

Analysis

13 Aug 2026

India Claims Neighbouring Country’s Opposition Party Is Behind Its Student Protests. But The Evidence Does Not Hold Up.

By Wayej Kuruni

India’s Cockroach Janta Party pressured the education minister to resign after nationwide protests over a leaked medical entrance examination. Attempts to connect the movement to Bangladesh’s Jamaat-e-Islami reveal how a

ASEAN’s Return to Myanmar: A Sovereignty Cartel at Work

Analysis

13 Aug 2026

ASEAN’s Return to Myanmar: A Sovereignty Cartel at Work

By Early Nalvi Hoata Sahureka

ASEAN’s renewed engagement with Myanmar may look like a pragmatic effort to revive dialogue, but it also exposes the limits of the bloc’s commitment to challenging member governments. The Myanmar

Can India Normalise Relations with China Without Border Stability?

Fresh perspectives

12 Aug 2026

Can India Normalise Relations with China Without Border Stability?

By Ashish Khanna

India-China relations are entering a new phase in which economic cooperation and diplomatic engagement are increasingly conditioned on stability along the disputed border. As New Delhi reassesses the strategy of

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Publications

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Publications

12 Mar 2026

Tides of Memory: Cultural Storytelling and Disaster Resilience in the Indo-Pacific

Authored by Rebekah Baynard-Smith, Illustrated by Rohit Rao

Australia in World Affairs

15 Nov 2024

Australia in World Affairs 2016-2020: A return to great power rivalry

Baogang He, David Hundt, Danielle Chubb (eds)

Diplomatic History

22 Nov 2023

Let’s Dance: A History of LGBTIQ Staff in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Rhonda Piggott

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Support Our Work

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AIIA News

Kevin Rudd to Headline AIIA ACT Branch Dinner

ACT Branch, Special Events

04 Aug 2026

Kevin Rudd to Headline AIIA ACT Branch Dinner

CANBERRA–The Australian Institute of International Affairs ACT Branch will welcome former prime minister, foreign minister and Australian ambassador to the United States the Hon Dr Kevin Rudd AC as guest […]

AIIA Fellows

03 Aug 2026

Vale Garry Woodard AO FAIIA, Former AIIA National President

The Australian Institute of International Affairs mourns the death of Charles Garrard “Garry” Woodard AO FAIIA, distinguished diplomat, scholar and former National President of the Institute. Woodard served at the […]

AIIA Victoria Study Tour Deepens Engagement with Sri Lanka

International Interaction, Study Tours, Victoria

19 Jul 2026

AIIA Victoria Study Tour Deepens Engagement with Sri Lanka

COLOMBO—A delegation from the Australian Institute of International Affairs Victoria has completed a study tour of Sri Lanka, meeting political leaders, policymakers, diplomats, economists, academics and industry representatives to gain […]

Major AIIA-Japan Foundation Network Explores Disaster Resilience in Fiji and New Zealand

Indo-Pacific Cooperation Network, Projects and Study Tours

02 Jul 2026

Major AIIA-Japan Foundation Network Explores Disaster Resilience in Fiji and New Zealand

SUVA, NADI, CHRISTCHURCH AND WELLINGTON—The third cohort of the Indo-Pacific Cooperation Network has completed a study tour through Fiji and New Zealand, examining how governments, communities, scientists, emergency managers and […]

AIIA at Major Central and Eastern Europe Security Conference

AIIA CEO, International Interaction

29 May 2026

AIIA at Major Central and Eastern Europe Security Conference

PRAGUE–Australian Institute of International Affairs Chief Executive Officer Dr Bryce Wakefield attended the GLOBSEC 2026 Forum last week, joining political leaders, policymakers, military officials, and strategic thinkers from across Europe […]

AIIA Welcomes Gary Quinlan as National President as Heather Smith Retires

AIIA National President

04 May 2026

AIIA Welcomes Gary Quinlan as National President as Heather Smith Retires

CANBERRA—The Australian Institute of International Affairs (AIIA) marks a leadership transition this month, with Gary Quinlan AO FAIIA assuming the role of national president as Dr Heather Smith PSM FAIIA […]

AIIA at ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific Working Group Conference in Bali

International Interaction

11 Mar 2026

AIIA at ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific Working Group Conference in Bali

BALI–Dr Bryce Wakefield, Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Institute of International Affairs (AIIA), has once again contributed to regional policy discussions at the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) […]

IPCN 2026 Cohort Completes Japan Study Tour on Disaster Resilience

Indo-Pacific Cooperation Network, Projects and Study Tours

10 Mar 2026

IPCN 2026 Cohort Completes Japan Study Tour on Disaster Resilience

TOKYO, ISHINOMAKI, MINAMISANRIKU, KOBE, and KYOTO–The 2026 cohort of the Australian Institute of International Affairs–The Japan Foundation Indo-Pacific Cooperation Network (IPCN) has completed the first stage of its program with […]

AIIA in the Media

19 August 2026

The Australian: Anthony Albanese inks security and economic deal with Vietnam

Australian Institute of International Affairs chief executive Bryce Wakefield said the visit “isn’t a dramatic realignment by Vietnam” but that “it does show that Australia and Vietnam increasingly see the regional strategic environment in similar terms, particularly on maritime security and the need to resist coercion”. “The main takeaway is how the relationship is becoming more practical and institutionalised, including through defence exercises, law-enforcement co-operation and regular high-level contact,” he said. “The fact that visits like this no longer need a flashy deliverable is itself a sign of how much more mature and normalised Australia’s regional diplomacy has become.”

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18 August 2026

news.com.au: ‘Very concerned’: Australia breaks with Donald Trump on North Korea

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has shown some flexibility by green-lighting intelligence deployments in the Middle East, but Australian Institute of International Affairs chief executive Bryce Wakefield cautioned against reading too much into it. “Although what constitutes a ‘survival-threatening situation’ remains a bit up in the air at the moment, Takaichi’s willingness to contemplate limited SDF deployments to the Middle East does not suggest that Japan’s constitutional constraints have fallen away,” he told NewsWire. “When Trump pressed her over the Strait of Hormuz, she explicitly invoked the legal and constitutional limits on what Japan could do.”

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18 August 2026

The Courier-Mail: Albanese rejects calls to apologise over Japan melon podcast remarks

Australian Institute of International Affairs chief executive Bryce Wakefield said if “we take the leaked diplomatic communication and ambassador Suzuki’s comments at face value, Japan does not appear to regard this as a diplomatic problem”. “Albanese’s detractors are entitled to criticise his conduct,” he said, adding that “they are on much shakier ground if they present that criticism as evidence of Japanese diplomatic offence”.

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16 August 2026

The Nightly: Shinzo Abe adviser blasts Anthony Albanese over crude joke about Japanese PM’s melon gift

“Albanese’s comments were poorly considered, but the Australia–Japan relationship under his government has moved well beyond warm rhetoric and strategic intent into a much denser, more practical partnership across defence, security and regional diplomacy,” AIIA CEO Dr Bryce Wakefield said. “An off-colour joke on a podcast is not going to derail a relationship of that depth. Whatever his critics might wish, this has gained no real traction in Japan and is unlikely to resonate beyond a narrow Australian audience already predisposed to dislike the Prime Minister.”

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9 July 2026

NewsX (India): Bryce Wakefield on Modi Visit: India-Australia Ties Need Action, Not Just Words

Watch AIIA CEO Dr Bryce Wakefield discuss Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Australia, including the proposed uranium supply arrangement, CECA negotiations, defence cooperation, maritime security, supply chains, education, and the future of India-Australia strategic ties.

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23 June 2026

GLOBSEC: Indo-Pacific Power Plays

Watch a video podcast with AIIA CEO Dr Bryce Wakefield in discussion with Roger Hilton, Media Presenter and Research Fellow at GLOBSEC

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27 May 2026

ABC Global Roaming: Springtime in Prague: Why is Europe feeling optimistic?

At a leading European security and policy conference in Prague, Latika buttonholes one of Australia's top political scientists to interrogate an unusually upbeat, even optimistic, mood. Is it that Europe's leaders are getting used to dealing with Donald Trump? Or could it be Ukraine fending off the Russians, with increasing success? The answer is worth a listen.

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20 May 2026

Australia off G7 invite list as French President Emmanuel Macron snubs Anthony Albanese

Bryce Wakefield, CEO of the Australian Institute for International Affairs said the difference in Mr Macron’s position then and now was notable. “Australia’s absence is striking because Canberra had effectively become a regular invitee to recent G7 summits alongside countries like India and South Korea, reflecting its growing role in Indo-Pacific strategy and economic security,” he said. "Given the summit’s focus on critical minerals and online child safety, two issues where Australia sees itself as a policy leader, the omission is diplomatically awkward. "Critics may well interpret this as a sign that Macron has lingering doubts about Australia after France was dumped for AUKUS. The bigger question, however, is whether the trans-Atlantic powers are losing focus on the Indo-Pacific.”

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11 May 2026

The Australian: Anthony Albanese set to attend G7 in France

Australian Institute of International Affairs chief executive Bryce Wakefield said an in-person meeting with Mr Trump could be a hazardous undertaking, particularly given the crisis in the Middle East... Dr Wakefield said the US’s major allies had responded in their own way to Mr Trump’s “confrontational approach to foreign policy”. “In the Indo-Pacific, Canada’s Prime Minister (Mark) Carney has tended to confront Trump directly, Japan’s (Prime Minister Sanae) Takaichi has cautiously embraced Trump, while Australia’s Albanese has largely tried to stay off Trump’s radar,” Dr Wakefield said. “That is a wise approach. The challenge for Canberra is to remain in Washington’s good graces without drawing attention to its discomfort with the current US position in the Middle East.”

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5 May 2026

The Nightly: Anthony Albanese hosts Sanae Takaichi in Canberra as Australia-Japan deals criticised as weak

Bryce Wakefield, CEO of the Australian Institute for International Affairs who has lived in Japan and is fluent in Japanese, said Ms Takaichi’s trip appeared time to coincide with Japan’s week of national holidays known as Golden Week. “Takaichi’s visit was more about convenience and relationship management than coming up with anything new. It’s the typical mode of diplomacy favored by Japanese politicians at this time of year, when a series of national holidays at home gives them space to travel abroad,” Dr Wakefield told The Nightly.

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17 April 2026

The Nightly: France to back EU-Australia trade deal saying brutal global shifts forced the mindset change

Bryce Wakefield, CEO of the Australian Institute for International Affairs, welcomed the change in France’s influential position... “If France cannot build domestic support for prioritising the strategic value of cooperation with like-minded partners over narrower sectoral pressures, its ambitions for greater global influence will remain out of reach. This shift in attitude is therefore as good for France as it is for Australia.”

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