From the President:
We received some great news from the Sea Power Centre last week – their interim website is now up and running. You can find it at https://seapower.navy.gov.au/spc-a and if you haven’t checked it out in a while, it’s well worth a look. It is a fantastic resource, and judging by the discussion over the period it was unavailable, it continues to be viewed globally as one of the best sites of its kind.
In due course a more modern website will replace the interim one.
Can I also remind everyone that bookings are now open for the annual Vernon Parker Oration in Canberra on 15 May. (Event details and booking link in the next item. This is one of the Institute’s key events, and we are very fortunate to have this year’s oration delivered by Professor Rory Medcalf AM from the National Security College at ANU. Rory was one of the earliest proponents of the “Indo-Pacific,” which has now taken off globally, and is one of our nation’s most knowledgeable and respected scholars and commentators on strategic affairs. His 2017 book, “Contest for the Indo-Pacific” was extremely well received globally, and a second edition was recently published.
Our Navy operates in a demanding and dynamic strategic environment, and we all need to understand that context if we are to contribute meaningfully to the nation’s maritime and naval debate. Rory will be discussing the place of AUKUS in our Indo-Pacific strategy, so this will be an extremely worthwhile event.
I’d also like to remind those not yet members of the ANI that there is a special “VPO Deal” of reduced membership if you also attend the dinner, so I ask you to consider doing so. The national maritime debate has never been more critical, and the ANI continues to gain traction as a vehicle for that debate, but we need your assistance to do so. We rely on sponsors and members for our financial viability. While there are some great personal benefits to joining, I ask you also to view membership as a broader investment in facilitating the ongoing national discussion of maritime affairs. Many of us complain about “Sea blindness” in our population, and a big part of the ANI’s mission is to educate the public to rectify that. Your support is important. After all, the ANI is our Navy’s key independent professional association, and pubic support for the significant investments in naval capability in coming years is vital.
If you are a member, please encourage your friends to join up if they have any interest or affiliation with Australia’s maritime security. We have branched into podcasts and webinars, which are becoming very popular, but they have increased our costs. Those running these events do so for free, but there are production costs that, while small compared to the events’ impact, must still be funded. Every new membership helps!
For members and non-members alike, I ask that you log onto the website and register for the Vernon-Parker Oration if you haven’t already done so. It promises to be a great night and will help us all better understand the strategic environment we are operating in. I look forward to seeing you there.
Kind Regards
Pete Leavy, President ANI
