Australian Strategic Policy Institute

The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) is a government-funded think tank, based in Canberra, Australia. The members of its governing council are appointed by the Minister of Defence. Its website states that:

"In appointing Council members, the Government has observed the following principles:
 * The Chairman should be an independent person of significant public standing.
 * The membership would include one nominee from each of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, to ensure that ASPI retains its non-partisan character.
 * The Secretaries of Defence and of Foreign Affairs and Trade should be members of the Council ex officio.
 * The Council should include at least one member with experience at senior levels in the ADF (Australian Defence Force).
 * Other members should bring experience from a range of backgrounds including business."

Governing Council

 * Mark Johnson (Chairman)
 * Adrian Clunies-Ros (Deputy Chairman)
 * Jim Carlton
 * Alan Dupont
 * Michael L'Estrange
 * Stephen Loosley
 * Paul McClintock
 * Des Moore
 * Jocelyn Newman
 * Ric Smith
 * Jim Wallace
 * J. Roland Williams

Former Personnel

 * Hugh White (First director of the ASPI. Former Defence adviser to Kim Beazley and Bob Hawke, then Deputy Secretary for Strategy in Defence from 1995 to 2000)

Research Staff
Accessed March 2008:


 * Executive Director - Major General Peter Abigail (Retd)
 * Director of Research Programs - Anthony Bergin

Program Directors
 * Andrew Davies - Program Director for the Operations and Capability Program.
 * Mark Thomson - Program Director for the Budget and Management Program.
 * Rod Lyon - Program Director for the Strategy and International Program.
 * Carl Ungerer - Project Director – Australian National Security

Contact details
Website: www.aspi.org.au

Related Sourcewatch articles

 * Think tanks/Australia
 * Think tanks
 * Elsina Wainwright