The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is highly professional, well-trained and respected, both at home and abroad. The ADF is, however, at times stretched due to its limited size and capacity, and fluctuating levels of investment in defence capabilities. Moreover, the range of warfighting, peacekeeping, regional stability and disaster relief operations our defence force  has been committed to over the last 20 years, which includes, Somalia, East Timor, Solomon Islands, Iraq and Afghanistan have each presented substantial and often different challenges for which the ADF has not always been well prepared.

Australia’s geo-strategic position is largely immutable and our core sovereignty, economic and other international interests vary little over time. The future strategic environment in the Asia-Pacific is, however, likely to become increasingly complex. Foreign, strategic policy and defence force capability development to answer such challenges requires intellectually and institutionally robust intelligence assessments and policy processes. It also requires the balancing of the investment needed with the funding available by prudent risk management and well-thought through shaping and coping strategies regionally.

Difficult decisions continue to confront Australian governments in preparing for this uncertain future and very long-time planning cycles are involved. Public debate on national security issues often suffers from very low levels of background understanding of strategic and defence matters, indifferent media coverage, apathy, and low attention spans. In such an atmosphere, the motivation of Australians to maintain their pressure on governments to fulfil any government’s national security responsibilities is often subsumed by many other current and generally shorter-term issues.

This event is an opportunity to hear from one of Australia’s most prominent defence commentators, who will discuss these and other issues of critical importance to securing Australia in an uncertain and largely unpredictable future. Neil James has been executive director of the Australia Defence Association since May 2003. Before that he served for over 31 years with the Army in a wide range of regimental, intelligence liaison, planning, operational research and teaching positions, throughout Australia and overseas. As the Association’s official spokesman, he is a frequent and recognised participant in public debate on defence matters, believing that informed discussion is essential to Australia’s national security and to the development and retention of effective defence and related capabilities.