The Australian Institute of International Affairs is delighted to announce that the Hon Kim Beazley AC will become AIIA’s new President.

Outgoing President John McCarthy FAIIA will announce his successor at the AIIA’s National Conference in Canberra on 19 October in front of more than 350 attendees.

Mr Beazley will take up the post following his return to Australia, after serving for 5 years as Australia’s Ambassador to the United States.

“Kim Beazley will lend unique guidance to the outreach and operations of the AIIA, Australia’s oldest and most successful think tank and foreign policy association with a National Office in Canberra and state bodies in each state capital and the ACT. Our goal, to promote understanding of international issues, will be boosted by Mr Beazley’s wisdom and long experience”, Mr McCarthy said.

“Mr Beazley was a Minister in the Hawke and Keating Labor Governments from 1983 to 1996, holding the portfolios of Defence, Finance, Transport and Communications, Employment Education and Training, Aviation and as Special Minister of State. He was Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the Labor Party before retiring from politics in 2007”.

“Following his retirement, he pursued his interest in international affairs as the Winthrop Professor in the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Western Australia, before being appointed Chancellor of the Australian National University.”

“Mr Beazley’s dedication to the development of government policies on defence and international relations will add enormous value to the AIIA’s activities. His perspective on Australia’s place in the world, based on his tenure as Ambassador to the United States, will lend great insight and extend the AIIA’s considerable network of academics, diplomats, commentators and business people”.

“It is self-evident that I am leaving the AIIA in an experienced set of hands”, Mr McCarthy said.