At this event Professor Kadambot H.M. Siddique talked about Future Smart Foods and Global Food Security.  Professor Siddique's PowerPoint presentation can be downloaded here Asia and the Pacific continue to suffer from a high prevalence of malnutrition. An estimated 479 million undernourished people, 58 % of the worldwide total, live in this region. Chronic undernutrition is due to the persistent inability to meet minimum micronutrient and macronutrient requirements, or the frequent recurrence of acute malnutrition episodes, or a combination of both. Food-based approaches that address mal ..read more

At our March Event, Professor Samina Yasmeen (AM) talked about how Pakistan is passing through a critical juncture in its history as an independent state. Since the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government led by Imran Khan was removed by a coalition led by the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) in April 2022, the country has been sliding into a dysfunctional state. Economic decline with prospects of debt default, growing inequality, and the threat of renewed militancy, require serious thinking by Pakistan's political leaders. But politicians have engaged in a war of counter narratives ..read more

In partnership with AIIA Tasmania, AIIA WA was pleased to host a Webinar-only discussion on Malaysian politics following the elections held on 19 November 2022, which resulted in a hung parliament and a patchwork coalition led by long term opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim. The 2018 ground-breaking election, at which the Barisan Nasional (National Alliance) lost government for the first time since the nation's independence in 1957, heralded the start of a new form of politics in Malaysia. Shifting coalitions of members of parliament resulted in three different Prime Ministers during the parliam ..read more

As our first event in 2023, in collaboration with the Forrest Research Foundation, we had the pleasure to host Dato' Sri Saifuddin Abdullah, until recently the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia talking to us about the evolution of politics in Malaysia in an address titled "New Politics 2.0: Multiracial and Moderate Malaysian Democracy". In the discussion after his address he  also shared his reflections on his time as the Foreign Minister of this key regional country.  As a founding member, Malaysia continues to play a key leadership role in ASEAN and the country is very active ..read more

It is now clear that the fracture in US-China relations goes very deep. It is not driven by disagreements about trade, freedom of navigation, or even human rights. It is driven by fundamental and seemingly irreconcilable differences between Washington and Beijing about the nature of the international order and their respective roles in it. Washington seeks to preserve its place as the primary power globally, and in East Asia. Beijing seeks to take its place as the primary power in East Asia, and as at least an equal player in a multipolar global order.  There is little doubt about which s ..read more

At this event, Kamahl shared, through a discussion with the AIIA WA President Brendan Augustin, his reflections and perspectives on how Australia's image of itself - and how others have seen us - has changed in the nearly 70 years that he has lived here. Kamahl arrived in Adelaide as a 19-year-old student from Malaya (now Malaysia) in 1953. He was part of a first wave of students from Asia who were being allowed to come to study - but strictly not remain - in the country, which was still applying the White Australia policy which had been in place since Federation in 1901. His improbable journe ..read more

As head of Australia's consular service, Ian Kemish played a central role in the nation's response to some of the most dramatic events of the early twenty-first century, including the September 11 attacks and the Bali bombings. He led the small band of Australian consuls as they confronted the new challenges of global jihadism, supporting families who lost loved ones, and negotiated the release of Australians unjustly detained abroad. In The Consul, Kemish offers a unique and personal perspective on Australia's foreign affairs challenges of the last two decades, from hostage diplomacy to natur ..read more

At our July event Robbie Gaspar and Chris Ciriello, two sportsmen who have been involved in sports at elite levels in Indonesia, Malaysia and India, shared their views on Australian sports diplomacy Australia's recognition as a sporting nation has delivered soft power dividends over many years. But few of these dividends have been delivered in Asia.  Arguably, because Australia is focused on particular sports which, with the exception of cricket in South Asia, do not have a large spectator base in Asia.  Chris and Robbie will discuss  the prospects for Australia’s sporting brand ..read more

More than a decade ago, Michael Sheldrick helped co-found an Australian initiative known as Global Citizen after being one of the first recipients of the AIIA WA Bursary for Studies in Asia Program.  In March 2020, at the request of the World Health Organisation, Global Citizen turned its attention to supporting Covid-19 relief efforts worldwide. Within weeks, the organisation produced its biggest show ever reaching 150 countries, with over 100 musicians.  It raised $127 million for Covid-19 relief.  In the 2 years since, Global Citizen has raised billions of dollars t ..read more

At our May Event, AIIA WA  hosted a panel discussion to mark the 20th anniversary of the independence of Timor-Leste.  Less than 600km from Australia’s North, Timor-Leste has featured prominently in Australia’s foreign policy for many decades: from its annexation by Indonesia in 1975, its struggle for independence, and its development since. Two of AIIA WA’s past presidents, Sue Boyd and John Goodlad, and our current president, Brendan Augustin, have all had significant involvement in Australia’s relationship with Timor-Leste from the mid 70’s through to the present. Sue, John, and B ..read more