UWA Defence and Security Program Inaugural Event
This UWA Defence and Security Program inaugural event focused on unpacking the nuances and detail of the 2020 Australian Defence Strategic Update and Force Structure Review and will discuss Indo-Pacific maritime security issues, Defence Industry, and regional perspectives of Australia’s new Strategy.
Announced by the Australian Minister for Defence, Senator the Honourable Linda Reynolds, during her speech to the Perth USAsia Centre event at The University of Western Australia on July 6, the UWA Defence and Security Program, led by its Director Professor Peter Dean, is a UWA initiative supported by the Commonwealth Department of Defence.
The Program aims to bring new insights to Australian Defence and Security issues, with a particular focus on harnessing our local and regional Indo-Pacific expertise.
With the release of its 2020 Defence Strategic Update, the Australian Government committed to a $270 billion investment in defence capability to address rising concerns of Indo-Pacific instability and coercion, grey-zone competition and cyber-attacks.
Significantly, the Strategic Update outlined an end to the approach of previous Defence White Papers of a ten-year warning time in defence planning for major conflict. The Update re-emphasised the importance of the Indo-Pacific, refocused Defence’s strategy on denial and redefined Australia’s approach to deterrence and defence self-reliance.
Speakers included: The Honourable Kim Beazley AC, Governor of Western Australia, The Honourable Paul Papalia CSC, MLA, Minister for Tourism; Racing and Gaming; Small Business; Defence Issues; Citizenship and Multicultural Interests, Professor The Honourable Stephan Smith Expert panel discussion with The Honourable David Johnston, Former Defence Minister; Lt-Col Jasmin Diab, Co-founder, Defence Entrepreneurs Forum and Vice-President, Woman in Nuclear Australian; Natalie Sambhi, Executive Director and Founder, Verve Research; and Professor Peter J. Dean, Chair, Defence Studies, Director, UWA Defence and Security Program, final remarks from Professor Amit Chakma, Vice-Chancellor, The University of Western Australia.
