ASPI launches Washington DC office

13 July 2022

Australia’s first overseas think tank presence was officially opened today by Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of Australia, the Hon Richard Marles MP.

The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) has gained global attention for its research and today launched its office in Washington DC.

The Deputy Prime Minister said, 'in so many ways, the product of ASPI is critically important, not only in informing the Australian public, but those of us in government who seek to play a role in this space.'

On the importance of think tanks, Marles stated: 'for those of us who believe in democracies, it's really important that the value of modern democracies is advocated.'

ASPI Executive Director, Justin Bassi, said 'as one of the most important US allies, it’s important Australia is competing in this marketplace, and providing US decision makers and the US public with a perspective from the most critical part of the world.'

ASPI’s Washington presence will be led by Mark Watson, a former lawyer and diplomat with over thirty years experience in international relations and national security.

ASPI’s DC office will build on its existing great reputation in the United States by serving a unique role as an authoritative Australian voice in the American capital for think tank perspectives on Australian security, defence and foreign policy.

For updates on ASPI Washington DC's research and analysis, follow @ASPI_DC on Twitter.

 

 

ASPI appoints inaugural director of Washington DC office

29 November 2021

ASPI is delighted to announce the appointment of Mr. Mark Watson as the inaugural director of ASPI’s Washington DC office.

With more than 30 years’ experience in national security and international relations, Mark comes to ASPI with expertise in policy analysis, stakeholder mapping and engagement, strategic planning and business management, and public-private partnerships in the national security community.

Mark is a trained Chinese linguist, holding degrees in Law and History from the University of Sydney, an Honours degree in Strategic Studies from Deakin University and a Masters degree in Public Policy from the University of New England. He also completed post-graduate studies in the Economic and Civil Law of the People’s Republic of China at the University of Hong Kong, and is a graduate of the Senior Executives Leadership Program at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.

During his time as a diplomat, Mark had postings to Port Moresby, Hong Kong, Singapore, London and, most recently, at the Australian Embassy in Washington DC. In that role, Mark was responsible for maintaining and developing partnerships with US Defence, national security and policy analysis communities, as well as with the private sector companies supporting those communities.

Most recently, Mark established Sydney Avenue Consultants; a strategic advice consultancy specialising in national security and defence community issues. He is also currently the National Security Strategic Adviser at Bondi Partners.

ASPI's Executive Director Peter Jennings welcomes the new appointment and said Mark would reinforce ASPI’s commitment to become a more active participant in United States think tank debates about defence and national security, and to strengthen the US-Australia relationship. Mark’s knowledge of the Washington DC stakeholder environment and leadership experience will be invaluable for establishing ASPI’s presence in DC.

'I really feel a great of sense of responsibility in opening ASPI's first overseas office, particularly one located in a city I know well - Washington DC. It is a unique opportunity for ASPI and for me personally, and I am looking forward to getting to the US as soon as possible to get the office up and running,' comments Mark on his appointment.

'This move comes at a time when the US-Australia alliance has never been more integral to Australia’s strategic planning than it is following the announcement of the AUKUS agreement. As President Biden said at the launch of AUKUS: "This is about investing in our greatest source of strength — our alliances — and updating them to better meet the threats of today and tomorrow."

'That is a sentiment that I think applies equally well to ASPI and the reason we are opening an office in Washington at this time. To help Australia better meet the threats of today and tomorrow.'

We are excited to welcome Mark to the ASPI leadership team and look forward to working with him. Mark will join us in Canberra until January 2022, when he is anticipated to be on the ground in DC.

 

 

Establishing an ASPI Office in Washington DC

17 September 2021

To mark the 70th Anniversary of the signing of the ANZUS Treaty, I am pleased to announce that the Government has decided to fund the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) to establish an office in Washington DC.

ASPI has recently marked its 20th Anniversary, having been founded by the Howard Government in 2001. Over this time ASPI has developed a highly successful business model, providing independent contestability in policy advice on defence and strategic policy issues, deepening public understanding of these issues and helping to shape the next generation of strategic policy thinkers.

ASPI is well respected in Washington for the calibre of its research, particularly on Indo-Pacific security matters, cyber security and on the US-Australia alliance.

The key aim of the ASPI Washington DC Office will be to provide a distinctive Australian voice in the US strategic policy debate; lift the profile of strategic regions and issues of vital interest to Australia; and to ensure that where vital policy debates are taking place Australian perspectives can inform these discussions.

I hope that ASPI Washington will become the go-to place in Washington for think tank perspectives on Australian defence and security policy ASPI Washington will also act as a conduit for bipartisan Australian political engagement in the Washington think tank world.

To support the foundation of the office the Government has provided a grant to ASPI of $5 million, which is to fund the initial two years of operations.

Australia has excellent government and people-to-people relations with the United States. No two countries are closer. Our more than one hundred years of defence cooperation is testament to our shared values, support for democracy and the rule of law and a closely aligned strategic outlook.

ASPI can further strengthen our relationship by becoming a more active participant in the lively Washington DC think tank debate about defence and national security.

It remains an essential part of the ASPI business model that the organisation is independent in its research, judgements and public engagement.

I congratulate ASPI in its achievements to date and look forward to working with the Institute into the future.

Source: defence.gov.au

 

 

ASPI to open an office in Washington DC

17 September 2021

Today, the Minister for Defence, the Hon Peter Dutton, MP announced that the Australian Government will support the Australian Strategic Policy Institute to open an office in Washington DC.

Chair of the ASPI Council Lt Gen (Ret'd) Ken Gillespie said “The whole ASPI team is delighted at the Government's decision to support the opening of a Washington DC Office.

We are particularly pleased that this comes at the time of the 70th Anniversary of the US-Australia alliance and also in ASPI’s 20th year of operations.

Australia has a deep interest in contributing to strategic policy thinking in Washington DC through that city’s lively think tank community.

I am grateful to Mr Dutton for his endorsement of the quality, depth and value of ASPI’s work in contributing to contestability of policy advice.”

How the United States of America engages with the Indo-Pacific region, with China, with America’s regional friends and with treaty allies matters profoundly to Australia and to global security.

ASPI will seek to further strengthen the bilateral relationship by becoming a more active participant in United States think tank debates about defence and national security. 

These think tanks are often the source of new policy ideas and are designed to be able to experiment, develop and explain innovative policy ideas.

The Executive Director of ASPI, Peter Jennings said: “ASPI’s Washington DC office will operate as a branch and be an integral part of ASPI in Canberra, as such, the business model will mirror ASPI’s which has been successfully developed over twenty years.

ASPI’s work focuses on non-partisan empirically grounded original research, a capacity for policy innovation and an ability to shape real-world policy outcomes.

We are proud of the achievements of the organisation over the past twenty years and look forward to the next twenty.

We thank the Minister for Defence for his support to ASPI as well as for the continuing support the Institute receives from Parliament, the Defence organisation and the wider public service, our sponsors and supporters.”

Source: ASPI

 

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