Note from the AIIAV President

Program
In coming months we will be focusing on some defence and security related issues, beginning with a discussion on 15 May of the newly released Defence White Paper with Cameron Stewart of The Australian.  This will be complemented by a discussion on “Defending Australia in an Age of Austerity” with Dr Mark Thompson, senior analyst in Defence Economics at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute on 5 June, followed by a look at “Transitioning to a New World Order” with Prof. Alan Dupont, Director of the Institute for International Security and Development at the University of New South Wales on 22 May.
 
On 19 June, Brigadier Gary Hogan, recently head of the Australian Defence Section at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta, will discuss the Australian Indonesia defence relationship.  While on the subject of Indonesia, we will hold a lunch on 12 June (to be held at Dyason House) to honour Prof John Legge AO, who has recently been appointed a Fellow of the AIIA.  Bill Farmer AO, a former Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, will speak at that event on “Contemporary Indonesia”, in recognition of John Legge’s long association with that country.

Along with China, Russia, and India, Brazil is the fourth member of the BRIC grouping of rapidly developing nations.  On 23 May, the Ambassador of Brazil (a country which in a decade has cemented its place as a regional leader in Latin America with a rapidly developing economy) will discuss Brazil’s aspirations and development. 

 To round off our program for June we will have a report from our very own Myanmar study tourists on developments in that fascinating country. 

And there’s more.  Lots more, so keep an eye out for flyers and make diary notes early.