Speakers and participants

Our participant list is growing. Check for updates.

  • The Honourable Dr Jim Chalmers MP

    Treasurer of Australia

  • Dr Heather Smith PSM FAIIA

    Secretary of the Department of Industry Innovation and Science (2017-2019)

    AIIA National President

  • Dr Shashi Tharoor

    Former United Nations Under-Secretary General

    MP in the Lok Sabha for Thiruvananthapuram

  • Senator the Honourable Simon Birmingham

    Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs

  • Jon Apted

    Partner at Munro Leys

    Former Parliamentary Counsel, Supervisor of Elections

    Former Fiji's Permanent (Industrial) Arbitrator

  • Latika Bourke

    London-based writer-at-large

    The Nightly

  • Professor James Chin

    University of Tasmania

  • Dr Danielle Chubb

    Associate Professor

    Deakin University

  • Graeme Dobell FAIIA

    Senior Fellow

    Australian Strategic Policy Institute

  • Dr Connie Cai Ru Gan

    Lecturer in Planetary Health

    Griffith University

  • Professor Baogang He FASSA

    Alfred Deakin Professor at Deakin University

    Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia

  • Christopher Heard

    Christopher Heard

    Associate Director, Security and Emergency Management

    Department of Premier and Cabinet, Tasmania

  • Dr David Hundt

    Associate Professor of International Relations at Deakin University

    Incoming President of the Asian Studies Association of Australia

  • Dr Kiriloi Ingram

    Research Fellow

    Australian Graduate School of Policing and Security at Charles Sturt University

  • Dr Henry Ivarature

    Deputy Director

    Pacific Security College, ANU

  • Dr Amy King

    Associate Professor in the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre and Westpac Research Fellow at the Australian National University

  • Zara Kimpton OAM FAIIA

    AIIA National Vice President

  • Maualaivao Maima Koro

    Pacific Research Fellow (Geopolitics, Pacific Security, Development), University of Adelaide

  • Helen Mitchell

    Sir Roland Wilson Scholar at the Australian National University’s National Security College

    Economic Security Non-Resident Fellow at the US Studies Centre

  • Daweena Tia Motwany

    Senior Policy and Advocacy Advisor,

    PowerHousing Australia

  • Mike Pezzullo

    Former Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs

  • Nanthini Sambanthan

    Associate Research Fellow

    S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies

  • Professor Shirley Scott

    Deputy President of the Academic Board of UNSW Sydney

    Professor of International Law and International Relations at UNSW Canberra

  • Dr Emma Shortis

    Senior Researcher, International & Security Affairs Program

    Australia Institute

  • Salote Tagivakatini

    Lawyer and Former Fijian Career Diplomat; Recipient of the 2022 Gaddes Gavel Award, Australian War College

  • Ryōya Tasai

    Programme Policy Officer

    United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)

  • Margaret Twomey AM

    Former High Commissioner of Australia to Fiji; Former Australian Ambassador to Russia, Ukraine, Italy and East Timor

    Former Assistant Director-General, Office of National Intelligence, Former Head of Policy Planning Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

  • Cynthia Veliko

    South East Asia Representative

    Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

  • Dr Bryce Wakefield

    Chief Executive Officer

    Australian Institute of International Affairs

  • Hon Dr Penelope Wensley AC FAIIA

    Former Governor of Queensland

    Former Ambassador of Australia to the United Nations in Geneva and New York, Ambassador to France, Ambassador for the Environment, and High Commissioner to India

  • Professor Hugh White AO FAIIA FASSA

    Emeritus Professor

    Australian National University

  • Tim Yeend

    Former Associate Secretary at Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Former Chief of Staff the World Trade Organisation

Keynote speakers could feature during the main section of the conference or the gala dinner or AIIA President’s breakfast. Details about speaking arrangements will be announced closer to the conference.

Past Speakers at the AIIA National Conference

  • Taro Aso

    Former Prime Minister of Japan

  • Egils Levits

    Egils Levits

    President of Latvia (2018-2023)

  • Senator the Honourable Penny Wong

    Senator the Honourable Penny Wong

    Current Minister for Foreign Affairs

  • Senator the Honourable Simon Birmingham

    Current Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs

  • David McAllister MEP

    David McAllister MEP

    Chair, Foreign Affairs Select Committee, European Parliament

  • Dr Heather Smith PSM FAIIA

    Secretary of the Department of Industry Innovation and Science (2017-2019)

    AIIA National President

  • Allan Gyngell AO FAIIA

    Director General, Office of National Intelligence (2009-2013)

    AIIA National President (2017-2023)

  • James Crabtree

    IISS-Asia Executive Director and organiser, Shangri-La Dialogue (2021-2023)

    Author of The Billionaire Raj

  • The Honourable Tim Watts MP

    Current Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs

  • Senator the Honourable Marise Payne

    Minister for Foreign Affairs (2018-2022)

  • The Honourable Penelope Wensley AC FAIIA

    Former Governor of Queensland

    Former High Commissioner to India and former Ambassador to France and to the United Nations.

  • The Honourable Kim Beazley AC

    The Honourable Kim Beazley AC FAIIA

    Leader of the Opposition (1996-2001, 2005-2006),

    AIIA National President (2016-2017)

  • Senator the Honourable Julie Bishop FAIIA

    Minister for Foreign Affairs (2013-2018)

  • John McCarthy AO FAIIA

    Former Ambassador to Vietnam, Mexico, Thailand, the United States, Indonesia and Japan and former High Commissioner to India.

    AIIA National President (2010-2015)

  • Warwick Smith AO FAIIA

    Chairman of the Global Engagement Committee, Australian Business Council

  • Stephanie Fahey FAIIA

    CEO, Ausrtrade (2017-2020)

  • Professor Pal Ahluwalia FAIIA

    Vice Chancellor, University of the South Pacific

  • Professor Hugh White AO FAIIA

    Emeritus Professor, Australian Natonal University

  • Professor Rory Medcalf AM FAIIA

    Head, National Security College, ANU

  • Stan Grant FAIIA

    Veteran Foreign Affairs Journalist

  • Geraldine Doogue AO FAIIA

    Renowned Australian journalist and broadcaster, ABC

  • Latika Bourke

    London-based Writer-at-Large The Nightly

  • James Curran

    International Editor, Australian Financial Review

  • Natalie Kyriacou OAM

    Founder and CEO, My Green World

    Forbes 30 under 30 (2018)