The Sir James Plimsoll Lecture

The second Trump Administration is inflicting chaos amid what was already a dangerous decade. Yet the 2025 Australian election campaign has been largely indifferent to the scale of the challenge: a world where authoritarian ambition does not relent yet America seems set on self-sabotage. The next Australian Government will need to be upfront in readying the nation for risk. This lecture will explore a strategy of resilience and preparedness reaching well beyond Canberra to involve the concerns and capabilities of the wider community. In parallel, Australian statecraft will need to engage the new multipolarity with a clear sense of the nation’s contemporary interests, values and identity.

About the expert

Professor Rory Medcalf AM FAIIA is Head of the National Security College at the Australian National University. His career spans diplomacy, academia, intelligence analysis, journalism and think tanks, including with the Lowy Institute. Professor Medcalf was a senior strategic analyst with the Office of National Assessments, Australia’s peak intelligence agency, and a diplomat with service in India, Japan and Papua New Guinea. He has played a lead role in Australia's informal diplomacy with India and a range of other countries. Professor Medcalf is recognised globally as a thought leader on the Indo-Pacific strategic concept, as articulated in his book Contest for the Indo-Pacific (published internationally as Indo-Pacific Empire). In June 2022 he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to international relations and tertiary education. In 2023 he was appointed a Fellow of the Australian Institute for internal affairs for contributions to understanding of the Indo-Pacific.

Hosted by Professor Nicholas Farrelly

Professor Farrelly is the Pro Vice-Chancellor for Southern Tasmania at the University of Tasmania. He previously served as Head of Social Sciences, leading a multidisciplinary team across multiple campuses. With a distinguished academic background, including First Class Honours from ANU and a Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford, Nicholas specialises in political and cultural issues in rapidly evolving Asian societies. He also collaborates with Australian government, industry, and community organisations. He currently serves on the Board of the Australia-ASEAN Council and is a Director of the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters.

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Pre-event refreshments

Head to the venue early and enjoy complimentary refreshments from 5.30pm.

Sir James Plimsoll Lecture

The Sir James Plimsoll Lecture is a prestigious annual event jointly presented by the University of Tasmania, the Australian Institute of International Affairs, and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Named in honour of Sir James Plimsoll, a distinguished diplomat in Australia's history, the lecture series was established in 2005 to feature influential figures in the field of international relations, both from Australia and beyond.

Partners

This event is hosted in collaboration with the Australian Institute of International Affairs, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the University of Tasmania.

Parking

Free parking is available at the venue.

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