Reflecting on three years in the portfolio, Wong highlighted the week’s major diplomatic milestone—the conclusion of negotiations on a Treaty on Common Security with Indonesia, which she called “the biggest step in the strengthening of our partnership since the Soeharto-Keating Agreement.” She also emphasised Australia’s strengthened relationships across Southeast Asia and the Pacific, its stabilising work with China, and the role of middle powers in shaping a balanced regional order.

Wong warned of a global environment marked by disinformation, economic coercion and strategic competition, underscoring the need for domestic and regional resilience. “These serious times require serious leadership,” she said.

AIIA CEO Dr Bryce Wakefield praised the address:

“Minister Wong delivered one of the most comprehensive articulations of Australian foreign policy we have heard at the AIIA,” he said. “Her command of complexity and her emphasis on resilience demonstrate the depth of strategic thinking required in this moment.”

Prior to the keynote, Wong met privately with AIIA National President Dr Heather Smith PSM FAIIA, National Vice President the Hon Paul Lucas, Dr Wakefield, the Ambassador of Peru Mr Vitaliano Gaspar Gallardo Valencia—who hosted a reception for young professionals and VIPs the night before—and the Sabina Woelkner, Director of the Australian and New Zealand Office of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, the conference’s principal sponsor.

A link to the foreign minister’s speech, as well as to other conference keynote speeches, is available on the AIIA website.

Reflecting on the meeting, Dr Smith said: “It is great to see Chatham House fostering such deep knowledge on our region. Their analysis adds real value to the international conversation and helps strengthen understanding of the Indo-Pacific’s central role in global affairs.”

The AIIA and Chatham House share a deep historical connection, with AIIA branches founded from 1924 as part of the original network of institutes of international affairs headquartered at the London-based Royal Institute of International Affairs. The meeting served as another point of contact in this long-standing relationship, with both institutes dedicated to promoting informed debate and analysis on international affairs.

In addition to its important work informing Australians about international affairs, the AIIA works tirelessly to ensure Australian perspectives are present in the discussion of international affairs overseas.

Paul brings to the role experience gained from a career of substantial service in public life, particularly in the fields of governance and public administration. As president of AIIA Queensland since 2019, he has been instrumental in growing the branch’s outreach, enriching its programming, and mentoring emerging and diverse voices in international policy.

A respected lawyer and former state attorney-general and minister for portfolios including transport, infrastructure, planning, energy & health, Paul is also a champion of transparent governance and institutional resilience and has designed, led or lectured on scores of Australia Awards courses for the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He has served on as an independent director of several first nations boards, currently PKKP Aboriginal Corporation in the West Australian Pilbara region. He serves on the board of ASX listed bauxite miner, Metro Mining Ltd.

His leadership on the AIIA Queensland council has modelled the kind of foresight, integrity, and engagement that will serve the national organisation well.

“Paul has been a rock of strength and insight for AIIA Queensland,” said Dr Heather Smith PSM FAIIA, national president of the AIIA. “He brings to the national executive his extraordinary record of governance and a clear vision for the future of the AIIA in an evolving geopolitical landscape. We’re fortunate to have his wisdom and commitment.”

Dr Bryce Wakefield, AIIA chief executive officer, echoed this sentiment: “In his existing role on the AIIA board, Paul has already been an excellent mentor to me, particularly in areas of governance. I look forward to working with him in shaping the AIIA’s direction as we continue to build our national and international presence.”

Paul Lucas succeeds Zara Kimpton OAM, who has served as national vice president with distinction for over a decade. Zara’s contribution to the AIIA has been transformative—from leading delegations overseas to deepening ties with foreign policy communities across the globe. One of her most notable achievements is her stewardship of the institute’s online publication, Australian Outlook, about which she recently wrote a detailed retrospective.

“Zara is and will remain a towering figure in the life of the AIIA,” said Heather Smith. “Her passion, intellect, and tireless work in promoting Australia’s voice in international affairs have been an inspiration to so many of us. Her leadership has strengthened the institute’s reputation for independence and excellence in thought leadership. We honour her with gratitude and affection.”

Wakefield added: “Zara’s dedication to the AIIA is unparalleled. Her work laid the foundation for much of our success today. It’s not just her contribution we will miss on the board, but her gracious and insightful presence.”

Paul also praised Zara, noting that “If I can do 50 percent of what she has done as National Vice President, I will be a great success.”

Paul will continue to serve simultaneously in his position as AIIA Queensland President, until he steps down from that role on 12 August. Zara will continue her work on the finance, Euan Crone scholarship, and national conference committees of the institute and as patron of the Friends of the AIIA.

In recognition of her prominent role as second-in-charge of the institute, AIIA National President Heather Smith PSM FAIIA presented Kimpton with a framed copy of issue 2 (1947) of “the Australian Outlook” on behalf of the board. The publication later became the Australian Journal of International Affairs, the hemisphere’s leading academic journal in the IR field. Kimpton was later instrumental in setting up the AIIA’s weekly online publication that took the name “Australian Outlook” in 2014 and served on the board of Outlook’s commissioning editors committee ever since.

In a letter presented to Kimpton the following day, Smith thanked Kimpton personally for being a wonderful vice president and stressed “once more that your wisdom and guidance have been crucial for me as I have continued in my role as national president.” 

According to AIIA CEO Dr Bryce Wakefield: “Zara’s contribution to the board and the energy and generosity she has brought to the institute over many many years has been immense. The institute has benefitted greatly from her keen sense of detail, financial acumen, institutional knowledge, and dedication.”

The presentation occurred after a Chatham House in-conversation session between Smith and AIIA Victoria President Richard Iron CMG OBE, on the evening prior to the board’s six-monthly strategy meeting.

Smith’s comments focused heavily on the state of global order. She noted in particular that “The fragmentation of the international economic system is now a fact. The post-cold war order isn’t collapsing, it has collapsed. The US is dismantling the foundations of its global hegemony, along with the norms and values that have underpinned the US-Australia relationship. And this dismantling cannot be reversed by a change of administration … To say that Australia is not well positioned is an understatement. It’s a dog-eat-dog world. But our political and some of our bureaucratic class are largely admiring the problem. So the biggest challenge to overcome is the inability of our political class to position Australia for this new world.”

Turnbull has released the full conference as a series of podcasts, to hear Smith’s comments in full, click here.

The Australian Institute of International Affairs (AIIA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Llewelyn Hughes to the position of its research chair.

Dr Hughes, an expert on energy policy,  is professor at the Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University, where he also serves as director of the Japan Institute at the ANU College of Asia & the Pacific.

In addition to his academic roles, Dr Hughes serves on the Energy Transition Subcommittee of the Australia Japan Business Co-operation Committee (AJBCC), is Australia Focal Point for the Energy Research Institute Network (ERIN) of the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), and serves on the Executive Committee & Council for the International Society for Energy Transition Studies (ISETS). He earned his doctoral degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and holds a Masters’ degree from the Graduate School of Law and Politics, University of Tokyo.

In his role as research chair, Dr Hughes will work to support collaboration between the AIIA and the academic community in Australia and beyond. In announcing the appointment AIIA Chief Executive Officer Dr Bryce Wakefield stated “Professor Hughes’ passion and commitment to research on the cutting edge of issues that the Australian public care deeply about make him a perfect addition to our team. I look forward to his leadership, both as a director on our board, and in our efforts to help Australians know more, understand more, and engage more in international affairs.”

The AIIA would like to thank the search committee, as well as Professor Brendan Taylor, who held this position previously.