Welcome

  Become a member and engage in debate about Defence matters

  Social opportunities with other RUSI members

  Attend presentations on the latest Defence policies 

About the RUSIDSS of Australia:

The Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies - Australia (RUSIDSS-A) aims to promote informed debate to improve public awareness and understanding of defence and national security.

The Institute is grateful to receive funding and other valued support from the Department of Defence in this mission.  We also receive financial support from our National Sponsor Rolls-Royce.

RUSIDSS-A is a federation of independently constituted state and territory chapters, headquartered in Canberra, ACT. It is a non-profit organisation registered with the ACNC and is a Company limited by Guarantee managed by ACNC and ASIC. It provides educational, research and related services through its library services, website, journals and periodicals, regular presentations, conferences and seminars and visits to military installations. It has a long tradition of serving the community by promoting a better understanding of defence and national security.  This includes an understanding of Australian defence strategy, contemporary and historic conflict, developments in military science and technology and all aspects of defence and security as they relate to Australia now and into the future. It has several thousand members in all states and the ACT and include serving and retired members of the Australian Defence Force and other interested in defence and national security.

RUSIDSS-A State Members and Directors at the Annual General Meeting 2017

L-R Ian Errington AM CSC, Peter Mapp OAM, Paul Irving AM PSM, Anker Brodersen CSC, Rob Atkinson AM RFD, Peter McDermott AM CSC, Mike O'Brien CSC, Alec Young RFD, Simon Cullen AM CSC, Neil James, Graham Bentley AM, Dr John Bruni, Mike Brennan, Herbert Michaelis, Steve Meekin AM

Membership is open to all who have an interest in national security and defence.  Members join one of the constituent Bodies, and can do so through this website, or directly with one of the state bodies.  State bodies conduct an extensive program of guest speaker presentations and other activities.

As National President of the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies-Australia, I am pleased to share the outcomes of our 2017 Annual General Meeting held in Canberra 27 October 2017. The meeting was attended by the members of the company, namely the Constituent Body (CB) Presidents (NSW, VIC, QLD, WA, SA, TAS and the ACT) or their nominated representatives, the National Board, our Company Secretary, the Company Treasurer and our Department of Defence Liaison Officer.

2016/17 marked the first full year of operation of the Institute as a company, with principal activities being to bed down new governance arrangements and develop a new relationship with the Department of Defence. Other activities included provision of support to CBs, especially the provision of services through the national website and the preparation and submission of bids for funding from the Department of Defence. All activities were undertaken to support our objective of promoting informed debate and improving public awareness of defence and national security issues.

We successfully implemented a new system of licencing with the Department of Defence which provides the CBs and the national office clearly defined and agreed access to the Defence Estate. This licence will remain in place until 2021.