The ANI runs a number of events of interest to the naval and maritime community. The ANI’s two flagship events are:
- the ANI Annual Dinner during which the McNeil Prize is awarded and the Vernon Parker Oration is delivered by an eminent Australian; and
- the Goldrick Seminar in which an issue of particular interest of the Chief of Navy is explored.
2026 ANI Goldrick Seminar
Maritime Power and National Resilience
The Australian Naval Institute will present the 2026 Goldrick Seminar, in Canberra on 4 November 2026.
The 2026 Seminar theme – Maritime Power and National Resilience – reflects a period of acute strategic uncertainty coupled with a population that has not had the lived experience of global upheaval as previous generations had. The re-emergence of great power competition, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the 2025–26 Iran conflict and associated disruption to Gulf shipping, Houthi missile and drone campaigns against commercial vessels in the Red Sea, and sustained pressure on freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific have together exposed the fragility of the systems and supply chains on which Australia’s national life depends. The Goldrick Seminar will examine how Australia and its allies and partners can strengthen maritime resilience across the spectrum from competition to crisis to armed conflict.Venue: Hotel Realm, 18 National Circuit, BARTON ACT
Date: 4 November 2026
Time: 08:30 – 17:30 followed by networking drinks until 18:30
Ticket Pricing
ANI Members – $280
Non ANI Members – $380
MIDN, OCDT & Junior Sailors – $115 (discount code required)
Registrations are Open
ANI Vernon Parker Oration and Dinner and 2026 McNeil Prize
19 May 2026
2026 Vernon Parker Orator
Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AO RAN – Chief of Navy
The Australian Naval Institute held its flagship event of the year, the 2026 Vernon Parker Oration and Annual Dinner, on 19 May 2026 at the National Ballroom, Hotel Realm, Canberra.
The event brought together representatives from defence, industry, academia and government for an evening of discussion, networking and professional engagement. The 2026 Vernon Parker Oration was delivered by Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AO RAN, Chief of Navy, who reflected on his four years leading the Royal Australian Navy and shared his perspectives on Australia’s evolving strategic environment. His address explored the nation’s enduring reliance on maritime security, the importance of diplomacy, deterrence and defence in an increasingly contested Indo-Pacific, and the need for continued investment in naval capability and international partnerships as Australia prepares for future security challenges.
As one of the Institute’s premier events, the Vernon Parker Oration continued its tradition of fostering informed discussion and strengthening connections across Australia’s naval and maritime community.
The evening also included the presentation of the 2026 McNeil Prize, recognising an individual or group who had made an outstanding contribution to the operational capability of the Royal Australian Navy.2026 ANI McNeil Prize
