|
|
|
|
|
Frequently Asked Questions about the Australia Defence Association Questions about the ADA's public-interest guardian role and what we do to fulfill it: What is the Australia Defence Association (ADA)? Why is the ADA needed (as a public-interest guardian organisation)? How does the ADA contribute to informed public debate on defence and wider national security issues? What are perennial problems with Australian defence and national security policy? Questions about ADA membership: How does my company, organisation or institution join the ADA as a corporate member? How does my company, institution or organisation subscribe to Defender and Defence Brief? Do I have to have served in the defence force to be a member of the ADA? Can I belong to a political party and still be an ADA member? Questions about the ADA's structure and processes: How is ADA policy derived and implemented? How is the ADA structured (as a public-interest guardian organisation)? Who are the ADA's Board of Directors and how are they elected? How is the ADA financed (and how are the funds expended and accounted for)? Why does the ADA place so much emphasis on being independent? Can I belong to a political party and still be an ADA member? What are the ADA's policies on privacy, security, copyright and the provision of content? Questions about the ADA's origins, motivation and history: Why was the ADA founded and what is it's history? Questions about what the ADA is not: Does the ADA represent the interests of war veterans, ADF retirees or their dependents? Is the ADA an ex-Service organisation (ESO)? Do I have to have served in the defence force to be a member of the ADA? _________________________________________________________________________________ What is the Australia Defence Association (ADA)? Since 1975 the ADA has been Australia’s only truly independent, actively non-partisan, community-based, public-interest guardian organisation and ‘think-tank’ on defence and wider national security issues. Our origins and history can be found here. Our primary mission is to represent the long-term public interest in helping ensure Australia is adequately defended. The objects of the Association are explained and codified in articles 6-7 of our constitution. The ADA's public-interest guardian focus covers the responsibilities, capabilities, efficiency and accountability of the governmental organs and agencies responsible for defence and wider national security matters. In the broadest sense this means the Australian government as a whole, but it particularly includes the Australian Defence Force (ADF), the Department of Defence and Australia's six intelligence and security agencies. Our public-interest guardian role can best be compared to the independent, non-partisan, national community watchdogs monitoring other important areas of national governance and public administration. The best comparisons are Taxpayers Australia (previously the Australian Taxpayers Association) in tax matters, the Australian Consumers Association (Choice) in consumer matters, the National Trust in heritage matters and, to some extent (because it can appear less non-partisan at times), the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) in environmental matters. To fulfil our primary mission we seek to assist informed and effective public debate on defence and wider national security issues. This includes our efforts to help counter the inevitable ideological, political or sectional biases often prominent in such debates (see below), and in helping public debate strike an informed and practical balance between potentially competing community security and civil liberties requirements. We are not the representative professional body for the defence force, nor are we an ex-Service organisation representing former ADF members or war veterans. This is explained further in the answers to several questions below. We are entirely independent of the ADF, the Australian Government or indeed any other body. This is also explained further below. Our primary mission is to represent the long-term public interest in helping ensure Australia is adequately defended. Our secondary mission is to represent the long-term public interest by helping Australian governments to tackle their wider national security responsibilities adequately. We believe that a vigorous, healthy and informed public debate on defence and wider national security issues is a vital component of Australian democratic society ― including an informed, appropriate and practical balance between potentially competing public finance, community security and civil liberties requirements. How we try to represent the long-term public interest is explained in the detailed answers on this page. Why is the ADA needed (as a public-interest guardian organisation)? National defence is one of the three key roles of government traditionally (along with ensuring a sound currency and public law and order). It is commonly described as the first responsibility of government and is a matter requiring long-term planning and sustained national investment. In Australia’s democratic pluralist society, however, defence and wider national security matters are too often ignored or subsumed by shorter-term and often much less important issues that many of our politicians believe to be of more immediate economic and social concern to voters – no matter how transitory the voter interest or how politically expedient, at the cost of good governance, these other issues might be in contrast to the long-term importance of national defence matters. Few Australians change their vote on a defence issue alone. Rather than appropriately focus on our national defence as a long-term national governance responsibility, the usually minimal short-term electoral benefits of taking defence issues seriously mean political attention tends to chase votes elsewhere. This recurring comparative neglect of national security and its longer term consequences is exacerbated by the short-term and/or party-political focus of too many Australian politicians, opinion makers and media commentators. It is also a result of the trend for many, probably most, Australians to be inadequately aware of defence matters – and/or ignore them until it is too late to remedy the long-term complacency or neglect before a crisis occurs. The history, underlying causes and effects of this overall situation are discussed in more detail below. As a public-interest guardian organisation with a long-term focus we believe that effective public debate on defence and wider national security issues requires active input from more than the official and political sources involved in parliamentary, departmental and other governmental processes. This is especially so where genuine public consultations are usually non-existent or peremptory, and knowledge of such discussions or wider consultations is often filtered through, misunderstood or poorly interpreted by the generalist mass media anyway. Moreover, the conceptual and practical problems of defending our country do not miraculously disappear if ignored; indeed the reverse generally happens. Nor are they somehow someone else's responsibility. How we should and can defend Australia is instead a matter for all Australians and a fundamental responsibility of Australian citizenship. As well as governmental sources, proper public debate on defence and wider national security issues also needs informed and regular input from:
How does the ADA contribute to informed public debate on defence and wider national security issues? Since its foundation in 1975 the ADA has sought to fulfil it's long-term public-interest guardian role in informed public debate by:
Defending Australia is a universal civic responsibility of all Australians. It is not, for example, just the responsibility of serving or former members of our defence force. All Australians need to think about how we can be best defended and how our government should organise, resource and sustain this fundamental national responsibility. We are therefore a broadly community-based organisation. Our members are spread across all states and mainland territories and come from a wide range of ages, occupations and backgrounds. The main thing that motivates Australians to join the ADA is a belief in the importance of Australia adequately providing for its external defence and internal security. Another thing we share in common is recognition of the importance of an informed and vibrant public debate on defence and wider national security issues (including domestic security and associated civil liberties). Finally, ADA members do not believe that thinking about our common defence is somehow someone else's responsibility and they act on that belief. As we are a community-based organisation most of our members have never served in the defence force, nor with one of our intelligence or security agencies or a police force (although many have). As well as Australians from all walks of life our members do, however, include prominent and other Australians with significant experience or a strong interest in defence and wider national security issues. Our members include former ministers for defence, former attorneys-general and other ministers from both sides of politics, serving and former senators and members of federal parliament from both sides of politics, serving and former members of state and territory parliaments (again from both sides of politics), retired Chiefs of the Defence Force, Navy, Army and Air Force, serving and retired members of all ranks from all three Services and the various intelligence and security agencies, former Secretaries of the Department of Defence, former heads and senior members of Australian intelligence and security agencies, and current and retired government officials, diplomats, academics and scientists with an interest in defence and wider national security matters. The Australian Defence Force, the Australian Federal Police, the Australian Public Service and all the Australian political parties represented in federal parliament place no restriction on ADA membership. The provisions of the Defence Act, the Intelligence Services Act or the Public Service Act also do not preclude ADA membership. Defence is a universal civic responsibility of all Australians. You should join the ADA in particular if you believe that our defences against external threats, or our vulnerability to internal ones, are not receiving enough attention or a balanced approach from our government, the parliamentary opposition and your fellow Australians generally. You should also join the ADA if you believe that a vigorous, healthy and informed public debate on national security issues is a vital component of Australian democratic society ― including an informed, appropriate and practical balance between potentially competing community security and civil liberties requirements. The intellectual integrity of public debate on defence and wider national security issues greatly depends on real participation by as many conscientious, informed and patriotic Australian citizens as possible. At times, some of our members may not always necessarily agree with the ADA's stance on every issue ― as would be expected in any broadly constituted community organisation ― but we do all agree on the importance of an informed and robust national security debate overall. Our members are the type of public-spirited Australians who are not content to just sit back and let the common burden of defining, planning and supporting our defence and wider national security efforts be entrusted to governments alone or borne by only some of our fellow citizens (such as defence force members and their families). Nor do we think such a situation is ideal in a democratic society. You should also join the ADA if you feel the need to increase your understanding and knowledge concerning defence and wider national security matters, or wish to assist in raising the awareness of such matters among your fellow Australians. You should join the ADA in particular because it is the only truly independent and non-partisan community watchdog devoted to defence and wider national security issues in the broadest sense. The ADA is the only public-interest group that approaches national security matters from a broad, national and objective perspective. Our national security partly depends on the ADA being an effective and non-partisan advocate and guardian of the long-term public interest ― and the Association depends primarily on the participation and financial support of its members to sustain its operations. Finally, you may feel no apparent need to join the ADA because you already belong to an organisation with some actual, nominal or purported interest in national security, defence or related issues and think this is enough of a personal commitment. If this is the case, please read the FAQ below, what makes the ADA different from other public organisations with some interest in defence, wider national security and related issues?, as the ADA's role and reputation are clearly unique in this regard. Membership of the ADA is open to all Australians interested in our common defence and in effective public debate on defence and broader national security issues. The individual membership page of the ADA website provides details on how you can join the Association and includes an electronic application form. The responsibilities of membership are described below. We encourage members to declare their membership if they so desire but, in keeping with the principles and requirements of the Commonwealth Privacy Act, 1988, we do not confirm or otherwise provide individual membership details to anyone without the permission of the member concerned. How does my company, institution or organisation join the ADA as a corporate member? Corporate membership of the ADA is open to all Australian companies, organisations and institutions interested in Australia’s defence and in effective public debate on defence and broader national security issues. The corporate membership page of the ADA website provides details on how your organisation can join the Association and includes an electronic application form. There are three levels of corporate membership depending on the size of your organisation. In order to preserve our independence, integrity and public transparency we also cap donations from entities which have any commercial relationship with the Department of Defence or the ADF. This is explained further below. How does my company, institution or organisation subscribe to Defender and Defence Brief? Many companies, institutions and other organisations subscribe to our quarterly journal, Defender, and our electronic bulletin, Defence Brief in order to keep up with informed public debate on defence and wider national security issues (and to help support such debate). The corporate subscriptions page of the ADA website provides details on how organisations such as businesses, industry groups, professional associations, tertiary institutions, schools, libraries, clubs, Service messes or other groups can take out such a subscription. It also includes an electronic application form. In longevity, independence, structure, reputation and role the ADA has a unique position and responsibility in Australian society where public debate on defence and wider national security matters is concerned. There are several important differences between the ADA and other public organisations with some real, nominal or purported interest in defence, wider national security and related issues. In summary, these key differences primarily include our:
Our members reside all around Australia, come from a wide range of occupations, backgrounds and ages, with most of us never having served in the defence force, a police force or with one of our intelligence or security agencies (although many have). All other organisations with some real, nominal or purported interest in defence issues in particular are primarily comprised of serving or former defence force members. We are instead firmly community-based to help reflect and represent the public interest nationally. The ADA’s national community watchdog role is also greatly enhanced by our determinedly non-partisan structure and impartial approach to defence and wider national security issues. We adopt a long-term public-interest view and take great care to preserve our party-political neutrality, overall objectivity and practical commitment to preserving a balance between civil liberties and national security considerations. While some members or supporters of particular political parties, single-issue activist groups or other partisan bodies may disagree with the ADA from time to time, the Association is widely respected overall for its non-partisan, informed, impartial and measured comment – and the long-term focus and objectivity of its motivation and approach. Another key difference between the ADA and other interested public organisations is in our vision and focus. We approach national security issues in the broadest sense of that term rather than adopting a narrower focus on purely defence, strategic policy, domestic security or civil liberties matters. The Association considers external defence and internal security issues from a truly holistic and national perspective rather than any form of partisan, sectional, institutional or functional interest. In terms of defence issues, we take an integrated joint-Service (tri-Service) perspective rather than one based on individual navy, army, air force, bureaucratic, commercial or other interests. With regard to domestic security matters we employ a balanced and practical approach encompassing deep respect for both civil liberties and national security considerations. Finally, from time to time we also provide a trusted, reliable and discreet means for staff within Australia’s security and intelligence agencies to air national-interest matters of professional (rather than industrial-relations or personal) concern in an appropriate and responsible manner, and in ways that cannot always be achieved by the relevant internal process, agency staff association, servicing trade union or other such conduit. In summary, the ADA believes that national security is a major civic responsibility for all Australians. Such matters should not be regarded as being of sectional interest only or somehow solely the responsibility of war veterans. Nor should national security issues be regarded as professional matters affecting only those Australians who serve as full-time or reservist members of our defence force, or who work in one of our intelligence or security agencies. We approach our public-interest guardian role and activities based on this principle of universal civic responsibility. Based on this principle, and as a broadly community-based body, we offer the following comparisons with other organisations that have some interest in national security and related issues from time to time:
Some of our members also belong to one or more of the above organisations but most would not (because the ADA is predominantly community-based not ex-Service or profession-based). We do, however, work with each of the above organisations from time to time depending on the particular defence or wider national security issue involved. Our holistic focus and synergistic, public-interest guardianship role in national debate on defence and wider national security issues is widely acknowledged by all the above organisations. Do I have to have served in the defence force to join the ADA? No – as would be expected in a community-based national body most ADA members have never served in our defence force (although many have). The answers to the two following questions provide more detail on why our national security involves all Australians, not just current or former defence force personnel. Further detail on why the ADA is not an ex-Service organisation representing former ADF members or war veterans can also be found below. The ADA is a nationally-focused, community-based, independent, public-interest guardian organisation and 'think-tank'. Membership is open to all Australians concerned about our defence and wider national security ― and especially with an effective and informed public debate on such matters. Most of our members, however, have never served with our defence force or one of our intelligence or security agencies (although many have). As a community-based national organisation there are two categories of individual membership, ADA Fellows and Associate Members, with applicants choosing their level of membership commitment and agreeing to the associated responsibilities when joining or subsequently upgrading their participation. As with all truly independent 'think-tanks' and most national-level public-interest guardian organisations, for transparency and accountability purposes our corporate administrative structure is formally organised as a not-for-profit public company limited by guarantee under the Corporations Act, 2001. Our constitution may be found here. The Association's guarantors are all leading ADA members and include balanced numbers of former senators and members of parliament from both sides of politics; balanced numbers of senior figures from the commercial world and leading trade unionists; respected academics in international relations, strategic studies, history and related disciplines; and former defence force members, diplomats and intelligence officers with a continuing professional and intellectual interest in their respective areas of expertise. The guarantors also include a cross-section of Australians from all walks of life to preserve a broad national balance and appropriate geographic representation across Australia. The broad policies and strategies of the Association are set by the membership (see below) and their implementation is supervised by a board of directors elected at our annual general meeting as specified in the Association’s constitution. Day-to-day activities to fulfil this program are the responsibility of the executive director appointed by, and responsible to, our board of directors. The board also appoints the editor and editorial board of our respected quarterly journal, Defender, and approves all our submissions to parliamentary and official inquiries. To ensure consistency, transparency and accountability, only the executive director of the ADA is authorised to speak (on or off the record) on behalf of the Association (with another director authorised to do so by the board of directors if the executive director is unavailable). As discussed below, like many public bodies in Australia we were originally established and organised as a federation of state and territory branches but all members now belong to the national body directly. In most major cities and some larger towns the ADA has chartered local chapters so members (if they wish to do so) can gather together for information meetings and similar activities. Chapters also assist the Association to co-ordinate volunteers and action for the ADA's research, public advocacy or other public-interest guardianship efforts. Chapter meetings are generally held quarterly, and are invariably open to the public, although a nominal fee may be levied to meet venue rental, catering or other costs. Who are the ADA’s Board of Directors and how are they elected? The Board of Directors page of the ADA website introduces the Association’s directors. The seven elected members of the board are elected at our annual general meeting for a three-year term, with two or three retiring each year in rotation, and serve in an honorary capacity. As per our constitution (Articles 55-57), the Executive Director is appointed by, and responsible to, the board but may also be an elected director. None of our directors is a member of a political party or an organisation affiliated to a political party. By convention, no-one holding political office at federal or state level can be a director. How the board supervises the public-interest guardianship work of the ADA is detailed below. How is the ADA financed (and how are the funds expended and accounted for)? To preserve our independence, non-partisan integrity and institutional transparency the ADA is financed entirely by membership subscriptions; institutional and corporate subscriptions to our publications (Defender and Defence Brief); limited advertising in our journal Defender (to help cover the costs of its production and distribution); reproduction fees and copyright royalties from our publications; research, consultancy or teaching tasks undertaken by members voluntarily on the Association's behalf (and in keeping with our strict transparency rules); and personal and corporate donations from patriotic and concerned Australians who believe that vibrant and informed public debate on defence and wider national security issues is important. Furthermore, as a registered not-for-profit public company limited by guarantee under the Corporations Act, our accounts are fully audited, submitted annually to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and are publicly available. To reinforce our independence, accountability and transparency we do not accept other than standard membership fees and nominal donations (capped at $A5000 annually in total) from commercial entities seeking to sell weapons, equipment or services to the defence force or the Department of Defence. Our research and advocacy efforts are also not directed or otherwise influenced by our corporate members or donors. Our publications do not seek, accept or publish advertorial-type articles. Our public stances and lobbying on defence matters are undertaken on the objective merits of the issue concerned and are not influenced by the receipt or non-receipt of donations from any source. We do not seek or accept any grant or donor funding from the Australian Government, any political party or any type of overseas source. To further reinforce our independent integrity, we do not bid for, accept or otherwise undertake any paid consultancy work for the Australian Government. We are the only public think-tank in the defence and wider national security field in Australia that is sustained by our public membership and our public activities. We are also the only one not essentially reliant on direct or indirect federal government funding ― and/or on commercially-directed financing. We regard this strict degree of independence as essential to the integrity and transparency of our public-interest guardianship activities. The only funding we receive from Australian Government sources is quite limited, of the standard categories to be expected, and much less than that received by many other public organisations in Australian society. Such funding includes standard institutional subscriptions for Defender and Defence Brief by some government departments, agencies and libraries, standard visiting lecturer fees when our staff undertake occasional teaching at tertiary education institutions or other courses, and the occasional reimbursement of minor administrative and travel expenses when the ADA is invited (along with other organisations) to participate in consultative fora and similar activities convened by government departments or agencies. We do not make donations to any Australian or foreign political party, solicit such donations or accept donations from political parties. We do not pay affiliation fees to any Australian (or foreign) political party or political organisation. As a fully public organisation we recruit our members openly and directly and not through intermediaries. We reserve the right to refuse membership fees or donations if we consider this involves a conflict of interest with the impartial objectives and work of the Association as an independent, non-partisan, community-based, public-interest guardian organisation. We do not employ the services of professional fundraisers or agents. All donations are sought by the ADA directly and used to finance our research or advocacy activities except where a donor specifies it be invested in our endowment accounts as capital. The capital in our endowment accounts is preserved and invested only in long-term deposits with our bank. The interest earned on such sums is either reinvested as capital or used to fund our operations (depending on our cash flows at the time). We are not a charity, overseas aid fund, educational institution, environmental protection group or registered political party so donations to the ADA do not have deductible gift recipient status under the Taxation Act. However, because of our established status as an informed contributor to public debate on defence and wider national security affairs, ADA membership fees are recognised by the Australian Taxation Office as a legitimate professional or business expense for individuals or commercial entities who are academically, professionally or commercially involved in such matters. Public sponsorship of designated ADA activities can also be tax deductible for the sponsor as a business expense (but must still fit under our overall $5000 cap for commercial financing and comply with our rules preventing conflicts of interest). As a registered not-for-profit entity under the Corporations Act and the Taxation Act the Association does not pay dividends or distributions of any kind. This is also enshrined in our Constitution (Articles 13-14). The bulk of our annual expenditure (just over nine dollars in every ten) is devoted to our ongoing public-interest guardian activities, chiefly research, public education, oversight monitoring of relevant policies and activities by the Australian government and policy advocacy. Administrative and corporate expenses comprise the remainder and are traditionally under eight per cent of our expenditure. Members of our board of directors serve in an honorary capacity and receive no remuneration for their contributions of time, effort and expertise. The interstate travel and accommodation costs involved with their attendance at board meetings are met by the Association. How is ADA policy derived and implemented? The effectiveness of our public comment and broader activities is enhanced by the ADA's well-refined and speedy decision-making and consultative mechanisms supervised by the board of directors on behalf of our membership. More generally, it is also assisted by the long-term perspectives, balance, historical knowledge and professional interpretation we bring to discussions on issues of current (but often transient) public and media interest. The breadth, depth and motivation of our membership are key strengths in both regards. In terms of the broad guidelines needed, ADA policy is formally determined by our members at general meetings or by referenda. More detailed policy deliberations are generally delegated to the board of directors elected by the wider membership. Informal consultations with ADA Chapters and individual members are also a valuable mechanism for researching and formulating policy. We also use expert advisory panels of volunteers among our membership to help derive policy and formulate comment; research the technical, historical, financial or other specialist aspects of specific issues; and assist with our submissions to parliamentary and official inquiries. The day-to-day public comment sought from the ADA's official spokesman by the media is greatly assisted by his support from our expert panels. Our submissions to official and parliamentary inquiries are prepared by specially constituted expert working groups. All submissions involve wide consultation and are approved by the ADA board of directors before submission. In terms of helping keep the wider political process honest we also conduct workshops for political parties reviewing their policies on defence and wider national security issues. These have been undertaken, for example, at Liberal Party triennial national conventions and ALP biennial national conferences. They have also been offered to all the other parties currently represented in federal parliament (Nationals, Greens and Family First). Under our constitution (Articles 19-20) and executive processes the federal executive director of the ADA is our only representative authorised to speak on behalf of the Association (with another spokesperson appointed by the board of directors if the executive director is unavailable). This provision was instituted from the ADA's earliest days to reinforce the integrity, accuracy, consistency, speed and currency of our contributions to informed public debate. Our members are, of course, strongly encouraged to participate in public debate as individual citizens but cannot claim to act for, speak on behalf of, or otherwise represent the Association in doing so. Our members are also free, and encouraged, to declare their ADA membership should they so desire. In keeping with the principles and requirements of the Commonwealth Privacy Act, 1988, however, the ADA does not publicise, confirm or otherwise provide individual membership details without the permission of the member concerned. Why does the ADA place so much emphasis on being independent? As a national public-interest guardian body our independence (including our strict apoliticism in motivation, structure and activities) is essential to our role and operations. Our governance and financing arrangements (discussed in detail in several questions above) are designed to preserve our independence and the consequent integrity and transparency of our public-interest guardianship efforts. The ADA is an entirely independent and publicly transparent community organisation. We are not part of, or affiliated with, any government department or agency (including the defence force). We are also not subordinate to or otherwise affiliated with any other public organisation, political party or commercial grouping. We seek to represent the long-term public interest and take great care to avoid the potential for, or appearance of, conflicts of interest with the positions espoused by political, commercial, industrial, bureaucratic or other real and perceived vested interests. We do not pay affiliation fees or make donations to any Australian (or foreign) political party or political organisation (or indeed any other non-charitable body). Nor do we seek or accept donations or direction from such politically-partisan sources. As would be expected, in order to keep up with informed public debate on defence and wider national security issues a wide range of other 'think-tanks' and general Australian organisations consult with the ADA from time to time and/or subscribe to Defender and Defence Brief. This is their free choice and part and parcel of informed public debate. Similarly, to further our research efforts we also maintain informal liaison links and reciprocal information exchanges with counterpart public-interest guardianship organisations, and academic or profession-based research institutes, in several Asia-Pacific countries. We also keep in touch with our counterpart public-interest bodies in New Zealand, Canada and the UK. Our apoliticism and independence does not preclude us from assisting mainstream political parties with improving their policies on defence and wider national security matters. From time to time, and at the request of an Australian political party or other group, we provide our services as a neutral broker for the conduct of independently refereed national security workshops at party conferences, policy development fora or similar events. The administrative and travel costs of such workshops may be reimbursed by the grouping concerned but the ADA contributes its time, staff and expertise at no charge. We have, for example, undertaken such workshops for both the Labor and Liberal Parties on numerous occasions, including at their national conferences or councils, and we have made a standing offer to do so for all other parties represented in federal parliament. How does the ADA preserve its independence and objectivity? We preserve our independence and objectivity by a range of longstanding and well-tested measures that are explained in the detailed answers to several of the questions above (and in our constitution). This is particularly so in the above questions relating to our long-term public-interest guardianship approach, actively non-partisan stance and apolitical perspective, public and accountable structure, non-affiliated status and transparent finances. Furthermore, as noted above, our research and advocacy efforts are not directed by our corporate (or institutional) members or donors. In cases where our independence or objectivity is occasionally questioned, our experience over more than three decades is that such claims are usually made without those making them demonstrating an apparent knowledge or understanding of the ADA's public-interest guardianship role, our independent and non-partisan nature, and our well-tested institutional safeguards to protect the integrity and transparency of both aspects. In some cases, partisan or other biases behind the questioning of our status also seem to play a part, however consciously or unconsciously. Sometimes, for example, we are accused by either side of politics (usually from those towards the extremes of the political spectrum), or by single-issue activists or other types of polemicist, of somehow representing the views of their opponents – rather than the ADA being acknowledged as independent and broadly informed about the particular defence or wider national security issue concerned on its merits. Our experience again is that this type of partisan accusation tends to emphasise instead the particular biases, and often the extreme degree of them, of those making such an allegation. The ADA takes its responsibility to contribute to informed public debate seriously. This can involve us seeking to counter the unhelpful effects of uninformed, inaccurate, sensationalist or insensitive media coverage of defence and wider national security issues. It can also involve us criticising security breaches by the media that endanger the lives, general wellbeing or morale of Australian and allied forces. Such criticism and objective analysis is not always well received. We have therefore occasionally met with claims from the odd journalist, columnist or commentator that we are somehow not objective, for example, that we might be merely 'mouthpieces' or 'apologists' for the views of senior ADF officers or officials in the Department of Defence. Such allegations are invariably made as assertions only. In the few cases where supposed evidence has been offered, this is either where something we have said or done has been misrepresented and/or recounted out of context or, more rarely, has been a case where the purported evidence was simply concocted by our accuser. Moreover, our experience is that such allegations tend to reflect one or more of three phenomena involving the journalist, columnist or commentator concerned: sloppy research or other unprofessional lapses; their own political biases or other prejudices; or an unprofessional and at times even malicious personal or institutional reaction to reasoned ADA criticism of uninformed, sensationalist and/or insensitive reporting of defence issues. We confidently maintain that no respected and serious journalist, columnist or commentator covering defence or wider national security issues believes that the ADA is not truly independent and objective in its public-interest guardianship role and activities. Any honest and proper study of the ADA's public record clearly demonstrates our independence, objectivity and informed, long-term, views. Our submissions to parliamentary and official inquiries and the measured criticism in our publications and other public commentary, for example, provide numerous and consistent examples of our independence, non-partisanship and objectivity. We stand by our longstanding reputation in this regard and consider that allegations of supposed bias, especially from accusers who are themselves genuinely biased or otherwise compromised, simply bolster our well-established reputation for independence, non-partisanship and objectivity. Can I belong to a political party and still be an ADA member? Yes ― but because the ADA is staunchly apolitical you are required to declare your political affiliations to the Association if initiating, supporting or otherwise advocating proposals based on the policies or interests of a political party or an organisation affiliated to a political party. Failure to do so will mean expulsion from the Association. Due to our independence and long-term non-partisan approach the ADA is respected by all Australia’s mainstream political parties even if they might disagree with us from time to time over a particular issue. There are no restrictions on ADA membership by any Australian political party represented in federal parliament and no known restrictions by any Australian political party registered with the Australian Electoral Commission. No member of the ADA board of directors or our staff is a member of a political party. What are the ADA's policies for privacy, security, copyright and the provision of content? ADA policy on privacy, security, copyright and provision of content matters can be found here. No ― because ensuring Australia is adequately defended (and secure internally) is a universal civic responsibility of all Australians. It is not a responsibility solely or largely confined to former (or indeed serving) members of our defence force, one of our police forces or one of our intelligence and security agencies. The ADA is therefore a broadly based community organisation of Australians concerned about our defence and wider national security. Fewer than 25 per cent of our members, for example, have ever served in the Australian Defence Force (ADF), the Australian Federal Police (AFP), a state or territory police force, or one of Australia’s security or intelligence agencies. Even with this ratio, of course, we still have many members with such service. As explained above, our broad community membership (rather than an ex-Service, current-Service or profession-focused membership base) is one of the main differences between the ADA and other groups with an actual, nominal or purported interest in defence or wider national security matters. Our independence and strictly non-partisan basis are other key differences. It is also worth noting that the commonplace assumption that all or most war veterans are (or should be) actively interested in how Australia is currently defended is not a fair or valid expectation. Relatively few war veterans take such an active interest and there are many and varied reasons for this. Significant ones include the age and/or health problems of many veterans, other focuses in their post-war lives and, to some extent, a belief that 'they have done their bit' and it is now someone else's turn to worry about it. In general, the percentage of war veterans who are actively interested in current defence issues is not markedly larger than that of the population at large, nor should this be expected of them – although most veterans do tend to have a much better general understanding of many defence issues when they arise in public debate. Our common defence remains a universal civic responsibility of all Australians, not just war veterans or current members of our defence force. No ― because ensuring Australia is adequately defended is a universal civic responsibility of all Australians not just serving (or former) members of our defence force. This is why the ADA is broadly community-based rather than being an organisation comprised solely of serving or former members of our defence force (or of our intelligence and security agencies). As part of our public-interest monitoring and public advocacy concerning defence issues we are naturally focused on maintaining the levels of public support and budgetary resources needed to sustain ADF efficiency and professionalism. During public and political debates on defence matters our advocacy of an effective defence strategy for Australia, and appropriate equipment and operational employment for the ADF, also act as a disinterested public safeguard for defence force personnel to some extent, but that is not our prime role. As a community-based body ADA members are Australians from all walks of life who think our common defence is an important issue. While many former and serving defence force personnel are members of the ADA, they tend to be of sergeant-equivalent rank and upwards and be those individuals who are intellectually or professionally interested in defence and related issues beyond their own careers. Other ADF personnel who take an interest in public debate on defence issues also often contact us to thank the ADA for our stance on a particular current issue, our attempts to clarify media misinformation, bias or sensationalism, our efforts to provide historical or professional context to contemporary discussions (often otherwise lacking them), or our public-interest guardianship efforts concerning national security issues generally. Several members of our board of directors are former defence force personnel but this is not a requirement for election to, or service on, the board and the majority of the board have long and predominantly civil careers. Finally, while our executive director is invariably welcomed by personnel of all ranks when visiting defence force units in Australia and overseas, or meeting ADF personnel generally, we are not the ADF's representative professional body nor do we purport to be. Our public-interest guardianship responsibilities and efforts concerning defence issues do mean, however, that defence force personnel are generally not backward about directing our attention to matters of professional concern because they respect the Association's efforts in speaking truth to power and lobbying for an adequately resourced and equipped ADF. We also frequently receive favourable feedback from defence force personnel who express appreciation for our regular efforts to explain defence matters in their correct context publicly, or refute wild claims when the media, single-issue activists or political sources make uninformed, untrue, insensitive, sensationalist or other biased or unhelpful comments. Unless a major issue of public importance is involved, we generally leave comment on defence force employee relations, industrial relations, personnel management and conditions-of-service issues to defence force representative bodies, such as the Defence Force Welfare Association (DFWA) or the Defence Reserves Association (DRA). We are also a committed supporter of Defence Families of Australia (DFA), the Department of Defence consultative body set up to liaise with the families of ADF personnel. Does the ADA represent the interests of war veterans, ADF retirees or their dependents? No ― this is not our role, we are not an ex-Service organisation (see below) and we are not charged, resourced or staffed to assist with individual claims by war veterans or former ADF members. We therefore leave such representational and welfare matters up to the appropriate specialist organisation such as the Returned and Services League (RSL), the Defence Force Welfare Association (DFWA), the Federation of Totally and Permanently Incapacitated (TPI) Servicemen and Women, the various Vietnam veterans organisations or Legacy. Is the ADA an ex-Service organisation (ESO)? No ― see in particular the answers to the above three questions. The ADA is the national public-interest guardian organisation for current and future defence (and wider national security) matters. As a broadly drawn and community-based body the majority of our members have never served in the defence force (although many have). We leave comment on veterans and related issues up to the relevant specialist organisations (see above) although we publicly support them from time to time when needed and where we can. Where we do offer comment on such issues this is only in a general way and only where they are also major matters of public importance affecting the efficiency or sustainability of our current or future defence efforts. As an example, fair and adequate treatment of war veterans is not just a moral responsibility and social equity issue for all Australians. It is also a defence capability development and sustainment issue because treating veterans properly is essential to effective recruitment, morale and personnel retention in the current and future defence force. Furthermore, as discussed above, the commonplace assumption that all or most war veterans are actively interested in how Australia is currently defended is not a fair or valid expectation. Neither is the unfounded, and indeed irrational, belief that only war veterans are or need to be concerned with how Australia is defended now or in the future. Our common defence remains a universal civic responsibility of all Australians, not just veterans of past wars or current members of our defence force. Why was the ADA founded and what is it's history? Founding of the Association The ADA was founded in Perth in mid 1975 by three World War II veterans: Air Marshal Sir Valston Hancock, KBE, CB, DFC, who had ended his Service career commanding the RAAF from May 1961 to May 1965; Jim Harding, a leading Western Australian trade unionist and civil libertarian; and Peter Firkins, the director of the Perth Chamber of Commerce and a well-known military historian. Colonel Lawrie Clark, MC, a former commanding officer of the Special Air Service Regiment and a veteran of the Korean and Vietnam Wars, joined soon afterwards and was the foundation president in both Western Australia and subsequently the national body. The distinguished defence and foreign correspondent (and World War II, Korea and Vietnam veteran), Denis Warner, CMG, OBE, and World War II, Korea and Vietnam veteran (and noted artist), Commodore Dacre Smyth, AO, RAN, became patrons soon after. Our founders were from otherwise disparate backgrounds, interests and political inclinations, and had met through their common membership of the Royal United Services Institute. They were men well versed in Australian history and all came from backgrounds of active involvement in apolitical community service organisations and/or local government councils at the grass-roots. Although they approached it from different political and social perspectives, they were all individuals very experienced in the problems of Australian society and politics ― and of the benefit of separating them at times. Their forming of the Australia Defence Association in mid 1975 resulted from the founders coming to nine fundamental conclusions and consequent principles about defence issues in Australia, public debate about them and the need for fresh thinking without abandoning hard-won historical and enduring lessons:
Development of the Association From its founding in June 1975 the Association spread progressively to all states and mainland territories over the next few years and a full federal structure was adopted at the first national council meeting in Melbourne on 04 March 1981. On 16 June 1998 the state branches were integrated into a unified national body and the corporate administrative structure of the Association was re-organised as a not-for-profit public company limited by guarantee (as are most other national public-interest guardianship organisations). This reorganisation resulted from the continued growth, organisational maturity and growing public profile of the ADA, the increasing operational and transparency demands of an independent 'think-tank', and the effects of new federal and state legislation governing not-for-profit public organisations. The Association remains, however, a broadly-based national organisation comprising, and run by, its broad community-based membership. Our constitution was updated on 22 November 2009 to further reinforce our independence and non-partisanship. The first major public activity undertaken by the ADA was hosting a conference in co-operation with the 48th Annual Summer School conducted by the Extension Service of the University of Western Australia in January 1976. Chaired by ADA co-founder, Peter Firkins, the speakers included Sir Arthur Tange (Secretary of the Department of Defence), Rear Admiral Anthony Synnot (Director Joint Staff and later CDF), Dr Robert O'Neill (then Head of the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre (SDSC) at ANU) , Dr Max Teichmann, Dr Kevin Foley, Mr Geoffrey Jukes and Brigadier Ted Serong (Retd). The proceedings were published by the University as Australia's Defence in August 1976. As the ADA developed outside its original Western Australia base further conferences, seminars and publications followed. In late June 1978 a major ADA seminar was held in Melbourne on the topic Is Australia Defensible? The speakers included Dr Robert O'Neill (Head of the SDSC 1971-82), a retired senior diplomat, Malcolm Booker, and Bomber Command veteran and Chairman of Hawker de Havilland, Wing Commander Rollo Kingsford-Smyth (Retd). The proceedings of the seminar were published under the same title as the first of the ADA's Melbourne Paper series. Further early papers in this series were ANZUS in the 'Eighties (1979) and Resources for Australia's Defence (1980) which resulted from ADA public seminars conducted throughout 1978-1980. In 1980 the ADA began publishing its policy and discussion booklet, The Defence of Australia, with updated editions being published as Defending Australia in 1985, 1990, 1995 and 2000. Since 2000 the Association's primary policy and discussion documents and commentary have been published on the ADA website instead. In 1985 Melbourne University Press published then ADA Executive Director Michael O'Connor's well-received and detailed study of Australian defence issues To Live in Peace: Australia's Defence Policy. The Association's first quarterly publication was the ADA Quarterly Journal which was first published in Autumn 1979 with eighteen issues in five volumes appearing until Winter 1983. From the Spring 1983 issue the quarterly became Defender: National Journal of the Australia Defence Association, with issues continuing to be published every three months to the present day (2010 being Volume XXVII). Beginning in 1990, the ADA's bulletin, Defence Brief, is published when major public issues arise between issues of Defender. Following consolidation of the ADA as a national body, from 1983 the Association also became the organiser of Australia's participation in the biennial Pacific Rim Sea Lanes of Communication (SLOC) Conferences co-ordinated by various Australian, US, Singaporean, Japanese, South Korean and Taiwanese think-tanks. In 1988 the ADA hosted the 6th conference in the series in Melbourne with the proceedings published as Safely by Sea (Dr M.J. Kennedy and M.J. O'Connor, University Press of America, 1990). The RAN took over responsibility for Australian participation in the conferences in the early 1990s. In the 2002/03 New Year Honours list retiring executive director, Michael O'Connor, was invested as a Member of the Order of Australia for his long-standing services to Australia's defence, informed public debate and the development and operations of the Australia Defence Association. In his letter of congratulation then prime-minister, John Howard, noted "I know you value your independence and I respect the fact that from time to time you disagree with the policies of my Government. That is as it should be when serious issues are being debated". In a letter of congratulation from the then Chief of Defence Force, General Peter Cosgrove, he noted "on behalf of the Australian Defence Force, thank you for your service to the community through raising public awareness of defence, security and strategic issues". National Office The national office of the Association was located in Perth until March 1981 when it moved to Melbourne. The subsequent move of the office to Canberra in April 2003 was chiefly a result of four interdependent factors:
The Australia Defence Association is conscious, however, of the importance of retaining its broad community base and geographic spread throughout Australia and of avoiding capture by institutional and 'Canberra' perspectives. The move of the national office to Canberra was carefully considered by the ADA’s Board of Directors (who are themselves located across Australia) and was made only because the Board considered it in the best interests of the Association and its work. The ADA's hard-won reputation for informed commentary and independence of thought and action remains under continual observation by the Board. Officebearers The national presidents of the Australia Defence Association have been: March 1981 - June 1989 – Colonel Lawrie Clark, MC, (Retd) June 1989 - June 2001 – Commodore John Robertson, RAN (Retd) July 2001 - Present – Dr Brian Ridge The national executive directors of the ADA have been: 04 March 1981 - 30 April 2003 (full-time from 1989) – Michael O'Connor, AM 01 May 2003 - Present – Neil James The current members of the Association's board of directors may be found here.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Home
|
Latest Comment
|
Issues Index
|
Defender |
Defence Brief |
Membership |
Subscriptions
To preserve its independence and ensure transparency the corporate
administrative structure of the
Copyright
© 1997-2010
Australia Defence
Association.
All Rights Reserved. |
