Tuesday 12 November: 2019 ACT Blamey Oration

The 2019 ACT Blamey Oration will be delivered by former Chief of Defence of the Netherlands,  General Peter Van Uhm AO (Retd).

This special event will be held at the National Arboretum Village Centre, Canberra, on Tuesday 12 November 2019 at 1900 for 1930 hours.

You can register here or by contacting our office (T: 02 6266 3446; E: support@rusi.org.au).

Ticket prices are:

USI/RUSI members: $98/head

Non-members: $148/head

If you are using direct debit to our bank account, please ensure you include your name and invoice number in the reference when paying.

Ticket prices include pre-dinner drinks, a three course dinner and wine at the table.

Members please note: partners and other guests are most welcome, but there is no "first guest at member price" discount for this event; your non-member guests will need to join USI of the ACT to secure the member price or be registered at the non-member price.

We regret that, due to protocols at this venue, we cannot offer refunds for cancellations after 4 November.

Dress for this event is lounge suit.

(Photo & bio: Van Uhm)

The 2019 ACT Blamey Oration is proudly sponsored by L3Harris, PwC, the Department of Home Affairs and the Department of Defence.

Thursday 17 October: Hon Dame Annette King

Our October speaker was the New Zealand High Commissioner to Australia, Hon Dame Annette King, who spoke on Christchurch - the Aftermath.  Her Excellency provided a range of insights into the challenges presented by the Christchurch mosque attacks and how New Zealand has responded. In question time, she ranged broadly and candidly across New Zealand issues and the bilateral relationship with Australia.

(Photo: USI; bio: NZ High Commission)

Our speaker program is proudly sponsored by pwc.

Air Vice Marshal Bill Henman AM (Retd)

I'm delighted to have been chosen as your new President and pleased to have the opportunity to get more involved in the USI of the ACT.

USI has made great strides in recent years and it will be important that we continue to build on that terrific work. We might do things a little differently, but we will continue to emphasise the benchmarks of presenting a compelling program, delivering value for stakeholders, and modelling best-practice governance. One thing is for certain: if we sit still, we'll die.

I'm very much looking forward to meeting members and working with you to take USI forward.

The United Services Institute of the Australian Capital Territory (USI of the ACT) is an independent, not-for-profit, incorporated association, part of a wider network of similar state and territory organisations operating under the umbrella of the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies - Australia. Our aim is to promote understanding of national security and defence issues. Membership is open to all who have an interest in national security and defence. We host a program of guest speaker presentations, usually once each month, and offer an annual bursary to an ACT-based doctoral scholar.  

Our Patron is Major General the Honourable Michael Jeffery AC, AO (Mil), CVO, MC (Retd).  You can read his biography here.

Our next speaker can be found at "What's On", and a record of previous presentations can be found under "Transcripts" and Past Events.