No images? Click here April 2023USSC hosts Indo-Pacific thought leaders at Sunnylands InitiativeComing off the back of the major AUKUS announcement last month, April has been a significant one not just for Australia and the alliance, but also for the United States Studies Centre (USSC). We welcomed a delegation of 25 thought -leaders from across the Indo-Pacific to discuss regional challenges and opportunities for advancing democratic norms and governance as part of the 2023 Sunnylands Initiative. As part of the initiative, the Centre hosted a public event where members of the delegation shared perspectives on the battle for democracy in their region. The event also featured a keynote address by Australian economist Professor Sean Turnell, who was arrested and held in prison for almost two years after Myanmar’s February 2021 military coup. You can view the event in full here. The Sunnylands Initiative participants released a joint statement emphasising the importance of supporting democratic norms and institutions in order to counter some of the great challenges this region faces, such as climate justice. The Sydney meeting of the Sunnylands Initiative occurred at a particularly consequential time for the US-Australia alliance — after the AUKUS announcement and right before the release of Australia's Defence Strategic Review. In an era of growing international fissures and strategic competition, working with friends and allies has never been more important. In May, some of the Centre's staff, including researchers, research fellows and program directors, will be visiting the United States to meet with key stakeholders in both New York City and Washington DC, including meetings at the White House and the Pentagon. In New York, the Centre and the American Australian Association will host an exclusive conference on the United States, Australia and the new geopolitics. In Washington, the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the USSC will host a half-day conference: ‘Allies and geopolitical competition in the Indo-Pacific region’. You can watch the broadcast here. EVENTS Allies and geopolitical competition in the Indo-Pacific regionIn collaboration with the United States Studies Centre, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is hosting an event in Washington DC on geopolitical dynamics in the Indo-Pacific and priorities for enhancing allied policy coordination across a range of economic and security challenges. The event will include opening remarks from CSIS CEO and Langone Chair in American Leadership Dr John J. Hamre, and USSC CEO Dr Michael Green. Please use the link to register for in-person or online attendance. COST NEWS The Sunnylands Initiative 2023 and the fight for democracy in AsiaThe United States Studies Centre and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) hosted a high-level event which provided the a stage for thought leaders across the Indo-Pacific to discuss how democracies in the region can work together. The event featured a keynote address by Australian economist Professor Sean Turnell and was moderated by USSC CEO Dr Michael Green , CEO, United States Studies Centre followed by a panel discussion with:
The full public event can be watched here. Defence industry roundtable series | Outcomes report 1A new report from the USSC summarises the first of three roundtables on defence industry and examines the implications AUKUS has for export controls in defence industries within Australia and the United States, underlining the work the Centre is doing to find solutions for the alliance. This series of three roundtables addressed Australian defence industry views on US export controls, with the outcomes report authored by Research Fellow Tom Corben and Research Associate Sophie Mayo, from the Centre's Foreign Policy and Defence Program. The resultant outcomes report distils 15 key issues from those discussions on topics including: the financial and human burden of export controls for Australian industry; different cultures of trust and risk within key decision-making bodies; sources of resistance to reform within the US system; the importance of information sharing and concerns over information security; and many more. Chaired by USSC CEO Dr Michael Green and Foreign Policy and Defence Program Director Professor Peter J. Dean, these roundtables were convened to bring the unique ideas, insights, and opinions of defence industry stakeholders to bear on key defence integration issues and to channel these behind the common goal of driving defence industrial
integration and technology collaboration to their fullest. Report examines US-Australia science and technology cooperationA report by the USSC, Integrating deterrence Into defence science and technology cooperation, looks at how Australia and the United States can reap greater returns on their investments in shared science and technology, by focusing more on their shared deterrent objectives. The report's author, Dr Frank L. Smith III, USSC Guest Contributor and Professor and Director of the Cyber and Innovation Policy Institute at the US Naval College, says that the relationship between deterrence and cooperation on defence science and technology between Australia and the United States is often implied, but rarely explained. The report was featured in Australian media, including on InnovationAus.com. Read the report here. USSC hosts ‘QUAD: Emerging Voices’ roundtable A select cohort of students from the QUAD countries studying at the University of Sydney got to meet USSC CEO Dr Michael Green and US Consul General Christine Elder. Supported by the US Consulate General Sydney, the roundtable was an opportunity for the students to explore, question, and exchange ideas on regional security, emerging technology, climate change, and infrastructure. USSC trivia night a roaring successApril was a great month for our USSC student events. We had our first student-focused USSC Cultural Competence Workshop, and our American Studies Trivia Night. Students and staff alike were lucky enough to witness the trivia expertise of our very own Associate Professor David Smith on Wednesday 19 April. Held at The Rose Hotel, Chippendale, the evening had everything including candy and other American treats, catering galore, and three rounds of American-themed trivia questions. A big thanks to all who came along, and please keep an eye out for more student events as the semester continues. In the newsAustralia's highly anticipated Defence Strategic Review, the ongoing ripples from the AUKUS announcement, and the Pentagon leaks were major news stories in April with USSC experts being asked to share their views on these significant events. Australia prepares more assertive military stance to deter conflict NATO calls PM to
summit Look closely, the
US intel leak is one of three bombshell disclosures Will Trump be
convicted? Republicans ‘far less
likely’ to win presidency if Donald Trump is nominated USSC perspectivesThe month of April has been a particularly busy one for USSC commentary, with ongoing coverage of AUKUS, the release of Australia's Defence Strategic Review and Donald Trump's legal woes dominating.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT Videos and podcastsThe latest recordings from our webinars are available on our YouTube channel and USSC Live podcast. Find all of the Centre’s podcast recordings here.
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