The AIIA National Conference 2015 was an opportunity to engage and promote understanding of Australia foreign policy. Building on the success of previous years, the AIIA’s 2015 National Conference brought together some of Australia’s leading international affairs experts to discuss Australia’s foreign policy objectives and priorities in world affairs, and to address the question “Australian Foreign Policy: Regional or Global?”.

Videos of the Seminar:

Highlights:

The Hon Julie Bishop MP:

The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP: 

John McCarthy AO FAIIA: 

Enhancing Australia’s Prosperity:

A panel discussion at the Australian Institute of International Affairs’ National Conference 2015 on Enhancing Australia’s prosperity.

This panel includes: Justin Brown PSM, Acting Deputy Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Mukund Narayanamurti, Chief Executive Officer, Asialink Business and Professor Mark Beeson, Professor of International Politics, University of Western Australia.

The panel was chaired by Jennifer Conley, Executive Director, Australian Advanced Manufacturing Council.

Interview with Mark Beeson on China-Australia-US Relations:

Professor Mark Beeson, Professor of International Politics, University of Western Australia, focused on China’s role in international trade, the declining power of the United States, and China’s decision to establish the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank, despite US pressure.

Strengthening Australia’s Security:

A panel discussion at the Australian Institute of International Affairs’ National Conference 2015 on Strengthening Australia’s security.

This panel includes: the Hon Gareth Evans AC QC FAIIA, former Minister for Foreign Affairs and Chancellor of the Australian National University, Professor Linda Jakobson, Visiting Professor, United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney, Professor Ramesh Thakur, Director, Centre for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament, Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU and former Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations.

The panel was chaired by Dr Sue Boyd, former diplomat and Immediate Past President of WA for AIIA.

Interview with Ramesh Thakur on Global Governance:

Professor Ramesh Thakur, Director of the Centre for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament at the ANU, told the Conference that the institutions of global governance, including the UN Security Council, were becoming less fit for purpose and could not keep up with global challenges.

Senator Scott Ludlam:

Senator Scott Ludlam Spoke on foreign policy and international relations in the age of climate change on the Australian Institute of International Affairs 2015 National Conference, 19 October, 2015

Contributing to Global Issues:

A panel discussion at the Australian Institute of International Affairs’ National Conference 2015 on contributing to global issues.

This panel includes: Professor Brian Schmidt AC, Nobel Prize in Physics and incoming Vice-Chancellor of the Australian National University; Tim Wilson, Australia’s Human Rights Commissioner; Dr Sara Davies, School of Government and International Relations at Griffith University and author of Global Politics of Health; Michael Sheldrick, Senior Manager, Global Policy and Advocacy at the Global Poverty Project, New York and Young Australian of the Year Finalist 2013.

The panel was chaired by Erika Feller FAIIA, Former Assistant High Commissioner of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.

Interview with Tim Wilson on Human Rights

Tim Wilson, Australia’s Human Rights Commissioner, addressed the issue of increasing radicalism and Islamism, and the perennial challenge of managing the tensions between the rights of individuals and the desires of the collective.

Concluding Remarks and Presentations:

The Australian Institute of International Affairs prides itself on providing a neutral platform for informed debate on international affairs. The views expressed in the above videos are not necessarily held by the AIIA.