Mr Loosley is the nominee of the Prime Minister. In 2000 he was a member of The Government's Community Consultation Team for the Defence White Paper. Mr Loosley was elected to the Australian Senate in 1990 and retired in 1995. He is a former partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers Legal and held a senior executive role involving strategic and corporate advice at Babcock and Brown. Mr Loosley is a Special Counsel with Minter Ellison Lawyers.

Peter Abigail joined ASPI as Director in April 2005. Prior to that he spent 37 years in the Army before retiring in 2003. Following promotion to Major General in December 1996, he served in a range of senior leadership appointments in the Defence Organisation. He was appointed to the ASPI Council in March 2007.

 Professor Alison Jones has an international reputation in medicine and clinical toxicology, with 8 years experience (3 years as Director)at the National Poisons Information Service in London.

In 2006, Professor Jones was appointed as Professor of Medicine and Clinical Toxicology at the University of Newcastle, NSW and has provided confidential professional advice to government departments in Australia and the UK.

Professor Jones was appointed to the ASPI Council in April 2009 and assumed the role of Dean of the School of Medicine at the University of Western Sydney in September 2009.

 Senator Russell Trood is the nominee of the Leader of the Opposition. He is a Liberal Senator for Queensland, Chair of the Senate References Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, a member of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, and a member of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security.

Prior to his election Senator Trood was an Associate Professor of International Relations at Griffith University. He has published extensively on Australian foreign policy and security, has been a visiting fellow at the Lowy Institute, and has been a member of a number of foreign affairs committees and institutes. Senator Trood joined the ASPI Council in September 2009.

Professor Samina Yasmeen is Director of the Centre for Muslim States and Societies, and lectures in Political Science and International Relations at the University of Western Australia (UWA), Perth.

She is a specialist in political and strategic developments in South Asia especially Pakistan, the role of Islam in world politics, and citizenship among Australian immigrant women. Her current research focuses on the role of Islamic militant groups in Pakistan’s foreign policy.

Professor Yasmeen was a member of the National Consultative Committee of International Security Issues (2005-2008). She is currently Member of the Australian Multicultural Advisory Council (AMAC), a member of the National Consultative Committee of the National Centre of Excellence for Islamic Studies, University of Melbourne, a Vice-President of the Australian Institute for International Affairs (WA Branch), and a member of the Red Cross WA International Humanitarian Law Committee. She was appointed to the ASPI Council in April 2009.

Dr Allan Hawke was the Secretary of the Department of Defence from 1999-2002. He was also Chancellor of the Australian National University from 2006-2008.

Dr Hawke is currently the Chair of the Civil Aviation and Safety Authority Board, a Director of Datacom Australia and ACTEW Corporation, Chairman of the Motor Trades Association Superannuation Fund and Chairman of the Prime Ministerial Advisory Council on Ex-Service Matters. He is a former Australian High Commissioner to New Zealand (2003-2005) and was Secretary of the Federal Departments of Transport and Regional Services (1996-1999) and Veterans Affairs (1994-1996). Dr Hawke was appointed to the ASPI Council in March 2010.

Air Vice-Marshal John Blackburn (Retd) holds a strong background and professional knowledge in defence strategy and policy planning. He is a consultant in the defence and security domain, member of the NSW Defence Industry Advisory Council, member of the Williams Foundation Board and Treasurer and Board member of the Kokoda Foundation.

Air Vice-Marshal Blackburn is a former Deputy Chief of Air Force (2005-2008), Commander Integrated Air Defence System in Malaysia (2004-2005) and Head Policy Guidance and Analysis Division (2002-2004). He was appointed to the ASPI Council in March 2010.

The Hon Robert Ray was a Senator (ALP) for Victoria from 1980-2008. During this time he served as Minister for Home Affairs (1987-88), Minister for Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs (1988-90) and Minister for Defence (April 1990 to March 1996). He was appointed to the ASPI Council in March 2010.

Ryan Stokes is CEO of Australian Capital Equity Ltd (ACE) and Executive Director of Seven Group Holdings (SGH).  Mr Stokes is Director of WesTrac, CMH, Yahoo!7, Iron Ore Holdings, an alternate Director of Seven West Media and Chairman of vividwireless.  He is also a Director of the Perth International Arts Festival and the Australian Institute of Management, WA.