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National Conference

Upcoming Events

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Middle powers and international influence
25
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
You Must Take Part in Revolution: A Graphic Novel
25
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
Diplomacy, Deterrence and Arms Control
26
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
The Péter Magyar Playbook: Inside the Campaign That Defeated Viktor Orbán
01
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
Vietnam: what are the opportunities and can Australia seize them?
01
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
20th International Careers Conference (ICC) 
07
Sep
20th International Careers Conference (ICC) 
Sep 7, 2026 09:00 - Sep 7, 2026 17:00
Level 1/78 Newquay Promenade Docklands, Melbourne
An Evening with Kevin Rudd
09
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
Save the date: AIIA National Conference 2026
16
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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Ep. 183: Hormuz–the new nuclear
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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AIIA National Conference 2026

Save the Date!

This year’s conference will take place at the Hyatt Canberra on November 16. Tickets to the general public are on sale on 26 August!

Conference
Join
2025 Highlights

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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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 […]

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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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