Tasmania

The AIIA Tasmanian Branch report for November 2024- October 2025 covers an active year with many highlights. The Branch has clearly fulfilled its mission to provide a forum for discussion and engagement international affairs. Membership has remained healthy with the Council working to ensure that membership continues to grow. I wish to acknowledge Sir Guy Green, long term member and supporter of this Branch who died in July 2025. As Governor of Tasmania Sir Guy was Branch patron. In addition to his extensive contribution to Tasmania and Australia, Sir Guy retained an active interest in the Branch and attended Branch events. The Branch instituted its first master class program for TCE and University undergraduate students on Australian national security led by Professor Rory Medcalf and Antarctic geopolitics led by Dr Tony Press, Professor Jeff McGee and Dr Ind Hodgson-Johnston. It is planned to make this an annual event. In addition to Plimsoll Lecture and the Branch’s Flagship event the Government House Lecture, a range of events were held. We were fortunate to be able to host the Ambassador of China to Australia, the Ambassador of Indonesia, the Ambassador Georgia and the High Commissioner of Canada. A slightly different event was screening of the film The Correspondent and the opportunity to listen to Peter Greste and Richard Roxburgh on the making of the film based on Peter Greste’s book on his imprisonment in Egypt. Peter Greste also spoke on media freedom and current challenges for reporters. Professor Tim McCormack spoke on the challenges to international humanitarian law arising from tor the conflicts in Gaza at an event organised by the Friends of Palestine and supported by the Branch. Security and managing international affairs in a time of global turbulence was a common theme for many of the presentations to the Branch. These issues were highlighted in both the Government House Lecture delivered by Mr Michael (Mike) Noyes, Deputy Director-General of Security ASIO, in November 2024 and in the2025 Sir James Plimsoll Lecture from Professor Roy Medcalf of the National Security College. Professor Medcalf used the Plimsoll lecture to encourage a discussion within the Australian community of what security means to us. This theme was also addressed in several presentations from speakers addressing Australia-India defence linkages maritime security, Antarctica and climate change. At the national level the Branch had a small but active role at the 2024 National Conference. 2025 saw Zara Kiimptors retire as National Vice President. Zara was a strong supporter of the Tasmanian Branch, and we are fortunate that she will remain engaged with the AIIA. The work of the Branch Council members has also been significant. I wish to thank Professor James Chin and Dr Stephen Phipps as Vice Presidents, Dr Geoff Heriot as Branch Secretary and Ed Kremzer as Treasurer. James Chin and John Hayton facilitated communication with members. I thank, too, Kim Boyer, Immediate Past President for her support and counsel. As I stepped into the role as President. I would like to record the Branch’s thanks to the Tasmanian office of DFAT and to Ms Ruth Baird, Director and Sarah-Jane Sheehy for their support to ours program I wish to acknowledge, particularly, Ruth Baird’s strong supporter of the Branch and on behalf of the Branch I wish her well in her new position as Deputy High Commissioner to Sri Lanka. I also wish to thank the University of Tasmania, and particularly Vice-Chancellor Professor Rufus Black and Professor Nicholas Farrelly, Pro-Vice Chancellor Southern Tasmania, for their support of the Branch’s program. Professor Marcus Haward October 2025