Ramsay Lectures
Australian Self-Reliance: The Task for Our Defence Review
An exclusive lecture by Kim Beazley
Kim Beazley
What must Australia do to counter the rising military presence of China on Australia’s doorstep? How can we best position ourselves to meet the nation’s security challenges through to 2033 and beyond? In August this year, Prime Minister, the Hon. Anthony Albanese MP, and Minister for Defence, the Hon Richard Marles MP, announced a major review into Australia’s Defence Force capabilities and structure, to better understand where to prioritise investment.
In the seventh Ramsay Lecture for 2022, the Hon Kim Beazley AC outlines what he sees as ‘the task for our defence review’. With expert knowledge on past defence reviews, Australia’s military history, and our strategic alliance with the US, Mr Beazley argues that in the face of increasing Chinese aggression, Australia is out of warning time. He posits that a serious, wide-ranging reprioritisation of defence needs must take place to ensure that Australia has sufficient capability to deter and defeat attacks with its own forces.
Mr Beazley is considered one of Australia’s leading defence experts, having served as Australian Defence Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, and Australia’s Ambassador to the US. His views on defence capabilities will be carefully considered by the Australian government, and by policy-makers world-wide.
Please join us for this compelling lecture with Kim Beazley.
Kim Beazley
Mr Beazley served as an esteemed Ramsay Centre Board Director from 2017 until his appointment in 2018 as the 33rd Governor of Western Australia. Prior to being installed as Governor, he dedicated almost three decades to a career in Federal Parliament, representing the WA seats of Brand and Swan.
He was a Minister in the Hawke and Keating Labor Governments (1983-1996) holding, at various times, the portfolios of Defence, Finance, Transport and Communications, Employment Education and Training, Aviation, and Special Minister of State. From 1995 to 1996, Mr Beazley was Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the Australian Labor Party, and he was Leader of the Opposition from 1996 to 2001, and 2005 to 2006.
After his retirement from politics in 2007, Mr Beazley was appointed Winthrop Professor in the Department of Politics and International Relations at The University of Western Australia. In July 2008 he was appointed Chancellor of the Australian National University, a position he held until December 2009.
Mr Beazley took up an appointment as Ambassador to the United States of America in February 2010. He served as Ambassador until January 2016. Upon returning to Australia from Washington in 2016, Mr Beazley was appointed as President of the Australian Institute for International Affairs (2016-17), Co-Chairman of the Australian American Leadership Dialogue (2016-18), Distinguished Fellow at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, and a Director and Distinguished Fellow at the Perth USAsia Centre.