RUSI VIC: Home

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Aim

The aim of the Royal United Services Institute of Victoria (RUSI of Victoria) is to encourage the discussion of National Security and Defence matters, and to improve public awareness and understanding of such matters.

The RUSI of Victoria publishes a bi-monthly newsletter. Click here to download the latest version

You can join RUSI of Victoria through the website, or can join offline. Click here to download an application form

FORMER Events at RUSI of Victoria

Melbourne Branch

25 June Lunchtime Address at Defence Plaza by Dr Peter Dean, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, ANU

28 May 2015, Lunchtime Address at Defence Plaza by Professor LTGEN Peter Leahy AO, University of Canberra

  (Photo: University of Camberra)

24 February 2015, MAJGEN Paul McLachlan AM CSC, Head Land Systems Division spoke on: Land Forces materiel update - what is planned for the next 10 years and what is different in our approach to acquisition and sustainment

  (Photo: RUSI Vic)

Major General (MAJGEN) Paul McLachlan, AM, CSC has been the Defence Materiel Organisation’s Head of Land Systems since January 2013. In this capacity he is responsible to oversee the acquisition and sustainment of designated land systems for the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

27 November - LTCOL (USMC Rtd) Dan Mori presented on: Drones and Targeted Killings

30 October, GPCAPT Carl Schiller OAM CSM presented: Plan Suakin Update

18 November, we had our Annual Lunch, with speaker CAPT Stephen Bowater OAM, Senior Naval Officer – Victoria and Commanding Officer HMAS CERBERUS

25 September: Professor Marilyn Lake spoke on: The Militarisation of Australian History

28 August 2014, Dr. David Wright-Neville spoke on: Terrorism and the Threat to Australia

Dr. David Wright-Neville is Senior International Risk Analyst at Globe Communications, a Melbourne-based consultancy firm specialising in domestic and international risk and risk perceptions where he monitors different types of violent political extremism and the threat they pose to governments and the private sector.

On 31 July 2014, Commander Michael Oborn CSM, gave a presentation on: Future of the RAN

  RUSI Vic Photo

President Warren Kemp thanks CDR Oborn after his presentation

On 3 June 2014, Colonel Richard Iron CMG OBE (Retd), Visiting Fellow at Oxford University spoke on: The Changing Character of War

On 24 April, SQNLDR Hugh Dolan spoke on: Gallipoli’s Air War

On 27 March 2014, Professor Peter Edwards, AM spoke on: Australia and the Vietnam War

Peter Edwards is a writer, historian and biographer, who has published extensively on Australian and international history and politics. Peter is currently an Adjunct Professor at the Alfred Deakin Research Institute of Deakin University, Melbourne.

On 25 October 2013, we held our AGM. This was followed by an address by Brigadier Mike Annett on the Army’s ‘Plan Beersheba’ and its implications for the 4th Brigade (see photo below).

On 12 November 2103, the Annual Luncheon was held at the Anglis Restaurant.

On 23 September 2103, Dr Jim Woods spoke on: Problems of PTSD amongst soldiers from the First World War to Afghanistan.

Click here to listen to his presentation  (you will be re-directed away from this site).

On 29 August 2013, MAJGEN Mark Kelly AO DSC, The Repatriation Commission, Department of Veterans Affairs, spoke to the Institute.

Click here to listen to his presentation (you will be re-directed away from this site).

On 25 July 2013 BRIG Michael Arnold, CSC, ADC gave a glipse into the future of warfare when he spoke on: The Battle of Basra (2008).

Click here to download his presentation

On 28 March 2013, Professor Damien Kingsbury, Deakin University spoke on Australia’s Strategic Considerations: Some Recommendations to the 2013 Defence White Paper. Professor Kingsbury is an expert on SE Asian politics. He teaches Approaches to Political Development and Conflict Resolution and Development.

On 28 February 2103, Dr Peter Dean, Fellow, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, ANU College of Asia and the Pacific spoke on:Amphibious Operations, LHDs and Regional  Engagement

On 29 November 2012, Chief of Staff to Chief of Army, BRIG Simone Wilkie spoke on Command in Australia and on Operations – a Woman’s Perspective

On 25 October 2012 Dr John Blaxland, ANU, spoke after our AGM on: The Evolution of Australia's Security and Intelligence Organisations

  Photo provided by RUSI Vic

On 7 September 2012 LTCOL Denis Bagule, CEO of The Shrine of Remembrance spoke on: Galleries of Rembrance - preparing the Shrine of Remembrance for the Centenary of ANZAC.

On 30 August 2012 Squadron Leader Stephen Young spoke on:The C27J Spartan. Steve is charged with the operational task of introducing the 'Spartan' into service on the ground.

On 26 July 2012 Air Marshal Geoff Brown AO, Chief of Air Force told us that the concept of Australian military strategy within a Grand National maritime strategy is an appropriate and sensible approach to discussion of the role of the RAAF in Australian national security.

  Photo RUSI Vic

On 31 May 2012 Mr Jon Metrikas spoke on: A glimpse at the Hermit Kingdom- a layman's assessment of economic and military capacity of North Korea.

In April 2012 Dr Ross McMullin spoke on his book: The Remarkable Pompey Elliott.

In March 2012 Major General Jim Barry AM, MBE, RFD, ED (Retd), National President, Defence Reserves Association, spoke on: ADF Reserves Capability - Where to now?

Click here to download his presentation

Geelong Branch Notes

As the year moves towards conclusion it is time to reflect on the events that have taken place in the Branch this year.

There has been a generational change in leadership for at the Annual General Meeting, in July, Jon Metrikas was elected President of the Branch taking over from the retiring President Major Ian Barnes OAM RFD ED who was passing the baton due to health problems; having served as Branch President for over 20 years in total over differing periods of time. We all wish Ian well and note that he was elected as Branch Vice President which will maintain his close and valuable contribution. The vision and enthusiasm demonstrated by Jon, as President, has already had an inspirational effect in the Branch and we look forward to a most successful period under his stewardship.

The Branch final Dinner Meeting was held on November 17 where the Guest Speaker was Captain Stephen Bowater OAM RAN, the Commanding Officer HMAS CERBERUS and Senior Naval Officer Victoria. Captain Bowater gave a most interesting presentation highlighting the many changes that have occurred and are to take place in HMAS CERBERUS. To those present who had had past service in the Navy it was quite a revelation to learn how change is taking place in the Senior Service.

Brief History

The Royal United Services Institute of Victoria (RUSI Vic) is an educational organisation that aims to promote the discussion of Defence and National Security matters by our Members and Visitors and through them, by the Public at large, in order to improve the level of awareness and understanding of National Security throughout the general population of Australia.

The Institute was formed in 1890 by Major General Alexander Tulloch, a British officer, who was the Military Commandant of the Colony of Victoria at that time. It was based on the Royal United Service Institution in London, of which he was a member, and had similar aims, namely to educate junior military officers and to increase public awareness and understanding of defence issues. Similar Institutes were started in the other Colonies and States, subsequently federated as a National Institute with the formation of RUSI of Australia in 1974. The constituent entities, however, continue as independent sovereign bodies and are the principal part of the organisation.

Our main activity is the regular monthly address on an aspect of Defence or National Security by a speaker who is an expert on that subject and often pre-eminent in his or her field of knowledge. These addresses are arranged to cover a variety of interesting topics, both military and civil, pertaining to the land, sea and air environments, with emphasis on the subject chosen, whether it be on policy, equipment, science, strategy, tactics, personnel or perhaps, history. As an Institute, we do not hold a position on any matter, but aim to provide our speakers with a platform from which to explain and promote their subjects, in order to interest and inform our Members and their Visitors.

We have an excellent Library on Defence and National Security, with about 12,000 publications, many of which are rare or unavailable elsewhere. The Library is fully catalogued using the Dewey system, but is not yet on line. Our Newsletter is posted to members each quarter and we also distribute ‘United Service’, the Journal published by RUSI of New South Wales.   

Our Rooms and Library are open to both Members and Visitors. We always welcome non-members who may wish to use the Library, or to attend any of our regular lunchtime addresses from 1200 until 1300, usually held in the Ground Floor Auditorium, Defence Plaza, 661 Bourke Street, Melbourne, on the last Thursday of the month.  Please telephone the Secretary for an appointment and to arrange access to the building, where a photo ID card, such as a driving licence, will be required.

An early Secretary of the Victorian Institute was Captain John Monash, later General Sir John Monash (Click here for more information).

RUSI of Victoria Publications

The RUSI of Victoria publishes a bi-monthly newsletter. Click here to download the latest version:

Previous Newsletters are available here Click below to download

2000 Vol 1 Issue 1 Jun, Issue 2 Aug, Issue 3 Dec   

2001 Vol 2 Issue 1 Mar, Issue 2 May,  Issue 3 Jul,  Issue 4 Sep,  Issue 5 Dec

2002 Vol 3 Issue 1 Mar, Issue 2 May, Issue 3 Jul, Issue 4 Sep, Issue 5 Dec

2003 Vol 4 Issue 1 Mar, Issue 2 May, Issue 3 Jul, Issue 4 Oct, Issue 5 Dec

2004 Vol 5 Issue 1 Mar, Issue 2 May, Issue 3 Jul, Issue 4 Sep, Issue 5 Dec

2005 Vol 6 Issue 1 Mar, Issue 2 May, Issue 3 Jul, Issue 4 Sep, Issue 5 Dec

2006 Vol 7 Issue 1 Mar, Issue 2 May, Issue 3 Aug

2007 No newsletters published this year

2008 Vol 7 Issue 4 Dec

2009 Vol 8 Issue 1 Mar, Issue 2 May, Issue 3 Aug, Issue 4 Nov

2010 Vol 9 Issue 1 Mar, Issue 2 Jul, Issue 3 Sep, Issue 4 Nov

2011 Vol 10 Issue 1 Mar, Issue 2 Jul, Issue 3 Sep, Issue 4 Dec

2012 Vol 11 Issue 1 Mar, Issue 2 May, Issue 3 Aug, Issue 4 Dec

2013 Vol 12 Issue 1 Mar, Issue 2 May, Issue 3 Sep, Issue 4 Dec

2014 Vol 13 Issue 1 Mar, Issue 2 May, Issue 3 Sep, Issue 4 Dec

2015 Vol 14 Issue 1 Mar