The ANI held our annual Goldrick Seminar at the Australian Defence Force Academy on Thursday, 3 October 2024. This annual seminar is named after the late Rear Admiral James Goldrick, AO, CSC, who passed away in March 2023. James was one of Australia’s foremost strategic thinkers and had a global reputation as a naval historian and strategist. He was also a former President of the ANI and a life member.
The 2024 Goldrick Seminar was very well attended, with over 200 registrations. It was particularly encouraging to see many Midshipmen from the Academy attending sessions throughout the day when their programs allowed.
The scene for the day was set by the Chief of Navy and our patron, Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AO, RAN and Dr Ross Babbage AM. CN provided his view on the vital nature of our Sea Lines of Communication and why issues in the South China and West Philippine Seas are of direct interest to us. Dr Babbage explored global economic trends and how Australia has fared over recent decades, concluding that Australia has some serious decisions to make that will have ramifications for decades ahead.
We were lucky to have all three of the navy’s current serving Vice Admirals attend, with CN joining a panel with the Chief of Joint Operations, VADM Justin Jones AO, CSC, RAN and Mr Jim McDowall, Deputy Secretary Naval Shipbuilding and Sustainment Group to discuss how the National Defence Strategy and the status of the naval shipbuilding enterprise will impact the navy. Later in the day, VADM Jon Mead, AO, RAN, joined Her Excellency Mrs Victoria Treadall CMG, MVO, the British High Commissioner, and CAPT Kevin Quarderer, USN, US Naval Attaché, to discuss the state of AUKUS Pillar 1 (conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines), and what it means to all three countries.
In between, we had presentations on the importance of undersea cables and mobilisation, including Australian and US lessons from the interwar period, plus an international panel with officers from India and Fiji.
In addition to the Indian and Pacific Ocean perspectives, we also covered Asia. In conjunction with the Navy and the National Security at ANU (who both provided funding assistance), the ANI brought CDRE Jay Tarriela from the Philippines Coast Guard to speak at the conference. Jay is the Philippines spokesman for the West Philippine Sea and runs their transparency initiative, highlighting various Chinese maritime forces’ illegal and aggressive behaviour within the Philippines EEZ. (If you don’t follow Jay on Twitter / X, you should!). There has been a lot of activity over the last few months around Second Thomas Shoal and, more recently, around Sabina Shoal, so it was very generous of Jay to give us a whole week in Australia. In addition to speaking at the Goldrick Seminar, the ANI arranged for him to spend a day at ANU, including two hours with some Masters students, and give a presentation to the National Press Club. He also held talks and round table discussions with Joint Operations Command, Navy Headquarters, and International Policy Division within the Department of Defence. He also spent a day at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for a series of events.
Given his unique position in the Philippines, particularly his first-hand experience facing Chinese aggression within the Philippines EEZ, his insights and views proved extremely valuable to Australian operators, policymakers, and diplomats.
This type of interaction is precisely what the ANI aims to achieve – promoting discussion and dialogue around naval and maritime affairs. If you are not yet a member, why not join today and help in this vital mission and gain some great member benefits, including having our journal delivered to your door twice a year?
I would like to thank everyone who attended this year’s Goldrick Seminar for helping make it such a success. Finally, I would also like to send a special thanks to all those involved in the planning and execution of the day. Much work is involved in organising and managing all the logistics during the day, so thank you. BZ!
