In her new book, Errol Flynn: The true story of Australia’s Hollywood icon, author Patricia O’Brien examines Flynn’s larger-than-life persona and reveals the story behind the well-cultivated Hollywood myths.

Who was Errol Flynn behind the silver screen? How did he pave the way for other Australians in Hollywood? How should we think about his legacy?

To discuss these questions, USSC was delighted to host a special book launch event featuring Dr Patricia O’Brien, an adjunct professor at Georgetown University, in discussion with United States Studies Centre Senior Lecturer in American Studies Dr Aaron Nyerges.

• What does this mean for the Iranian people?
• What are the key US objectives and how may this end?
• What are the implications for Australia and the Indo-Pacific?

To answer these questions, USSC hosted a panel discussion with CEO Dr Michael Green, Founding Director of Australian United Solidarity for Iran Dr Rana Dadpour, and Barrister and member of the National Assembly of Iranian Jurists Faraz Maghami, in conversation with USSC Director of Research Jared Mondschein.

The United States Studies Centre hosted this public event following a day of closed-door discussion at the second Quad Leadership Track-1.5 Dialogue. The panel discussed the regional challenges facing the four Quad countries and outlined key areas for cooperation, including on economic security, transnational security and critical technologies — as well as how to deepen the agenda beyond the Quad amongst other regional partners.

Panel of experts:

• USSC CEO Dr Michael Green
• USSC Director of Foreign Policy and Defence Dr Lavina Lee
• Center for Strategic and International Studies Senior Advisor and Australia Chair Dr Charles Edel
• Observer Research Foundation America Executive Director Dhruva Jaishankar

Moderated by Sydney Morning Herald Foreign Affairs and National Security Correspondent Matthew Knott.

As the two largest maritime democracies in the Indian Ocean Region, Australia and India share a stake — and responsibility — in its stability and resilience. Both countries are well-positioned to assist littoral and island states in building their governance capacities to address common maritime security challenges. They can accomplish more by working together than alone, but this is easier said than done. Key questions to address include:

• What are the most pressing maritime security challenges facing the Indian Ocean region?
• How well are India and Australia currently engaging with littoral and island states and for what purpose?
• What practical steps can they take to help partners build sustainable governance capacity?
• And ultimately, what would a truly well-coordinated India-Australia capacity-building partnership look like?

To unpack these issues, the United States Studies Centre hosted a fireside chat with Rushali Saha, USSC Maitri Fellow and Dr Lavina Lee, Director of Foreign Policy and Defence at the United States Studies Centre.

After a historic year in US politics, Australia faces key questions about its most important ally.

• What have we learned from the year in US politics?
• How has the second Trump administration measured up to expectations?
• Which of the administration's actions matter most for the future?

To answer these questions and to discuss the full results of the 2025 Allies and partners poll, USSC hosted a panel of experts: Chas Licciardello, co-host of “Planet America” on ABC TV, USSC Lecturer in American Studies Dr Kathryn Robison and Director of Research Jared Mondschein, in conversation with Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck.

Moderator Dr Lavina Lee, Director of Foreign Policy and Defence at the USSC, was joined by leading voices from India and Australia, including ORF’s Sayantan Haldar and Pratnashree Basu, USSC’s Maitri Fellow Rushali Saha, and ANU National Security College’s Dr David Brewster.

The panel explored the progression of the Australia-India relationship towards increased operational maritime cooperation, including in areas such as maritime domain awareness, undersea cable security and the role of the Quad in shaping regional outcomes.

The discussion also considered where deeper collaboration may be needed to support a stable, resilient Indian Ocean region.

About the Sydney International Strategy Forum

President Donald Trump’s first 100 days featured norm-breaking policies at a breakneck pace, often to be overturned days or weeks later. At the same time, the wars in Ukraine and Gaza have entered new eras with high-level negotiations, on-again off-again fighting and a new world order forming in real time to adapt to a changing strategic landscape. The 2024 trend of turfing incumbents has given way to foreign elections that many perceive to be a referendum on US politics.

What is the future of the United States’ role in the world? How can governments and businesses plan in the midst of constant change? How should allies and partners approach security challenges in 2025 and beyond?

These are the questions we tackled with international experts across government, business and academia at SISF 2025. They shared their insights on the discussions happening in Washington, Canberra and Tokyo, and what they meant for US allies and partners around the world.

https://www.ussc.edu.au/sydney-international-strategy-forum-2025

About the Sydney International Strategy Forum

President Donald Trump’s first 100 days featured norm-breaking policies at a breakneck pace, often to be overturned days or weeks later. At the same time, the wars in Ukraine and Gaza have entered new eras with high-level negotiations, on-again off-again fighting and a new world order forming in real time to adapt to a changing strategic landscape. The 2024 trend of turfing incumbents has given way to foreign elections that many perceive to be a referendum on US politics.

What is the future of the United States’ role in the world? How can governments and businesses plan in the midst of constant change? How should allies and partners approach security challenges in 2025 and beyond?

These are the questions we tackled with international experts across government, business and academia at SISF 2025. They shared their insights on the discussions happening in Washington, Canberra and Tokyo, and what they meant for US allies and partners around the world.

https://www.ussc.edu.au/sydney-international-strategy-forum-2025

About the Sydney International Strategy Forum

President Donald Trump’s first 100 days featured norm-breaking policies at a breakneck pace, often to be overturned days or weeks later. At the same time, the wars in Ukraine and Gaza have entered new eras with high-level negotiations, on-again off-again fighting and a new world order forming in real time to adapt to a changing strategic landscape. The 2024 trend of turfing incumbents has given way to foreign elections that many perceive to be a referendum on US politics.

What is the future of the United States’ role in the world? How can governments and businesses plan in the midst of constant change? How should allies and partners approach security challenges in 2025 and beyond?

These are the questions we tackled with international experts across government, business and academia at SISF 2025. They shared their insights on the discussions happening in Washington, Canberra and Tokyo, and what they meant for US allies and partners around the world.

https://www.ussc.edu.au/sydney-international-strategy-forum-2025

About the Sydney International Strategy Forum

President Donald Trump’s first 100 days featured norm-breaking policies at a breakneck pace, often to be overturned days or weeks later. At the same time, the wars in Ukraine and Gaza have entered new eras with high-level negotiations, on-again off-again fighting and a new world order forming in real time to adapt to a changing strategic landscape. The 2024 trend of turfing incumbents has given way to foreign elections that many perceive to be a referendum on US politics.

What is the future of the United States’ role in the world? How can governments and businesses plan in the midst of constant change? How should allies and partners approach security challenges in 2025 and beyond?

These are the questions we tackled with international experts across government, business and academia at SISF 2025. They shared their insights on the discussions happening in Washington, Canberra and Tokyo, and what they meant for US allies and partners around the world.

https://www.ussc.edu.au/sydney-international-strategy-forum-2025

About the Sydney International Strategy Forum 

President Donald Trump’s first 100 days featured norm-breaking policies at a breakneck pace, often to be overturned days or weeks later. At the same time, the wars in Ukraine and Gaza have entered new eras with high-level negotiations, on-again off-again fighting and a new world order forming in real time to adapt to a changing strategic landscape. The 2024 trend of turfing incumbents has given way to foreign elections that many perceive to be a referendum on US politics. 

What is the future of the United States’ role in the world? How can governments and businesses plan in the midst of constant change? How should allies and partners approach security challenges in 2025 and beyond? 

These are the questions we tackled with international experts across government, business and academia at SISF 2025. They shared their insights on the discussions happening in Washington, Canberra and Tokyo, and what they meant for US allies and partners around the world.

https://www.ussc.edu.au/sydney-international-strategy-forum-2025

About the Sydney International Strategy Forum 

President Donald Trump’s first 100 days featured norm-breaking policies at a breakneck pace, often to be overturned days or weeks later. At the same time, the wars in Ukraine and Gaza have entered new eras with high-level negotiations, on-again off-again fighting and a new world order forming in real time to adapt to a changing strategic landscape. The 2024 trend of turfing incumbents has given way to foreign elections that many perceive to be a referendum on US politics. 

What is the future of the United States’ role in the world? How can governments and businesses plan in the midst of constant change? How should allies and partners approach security challenges in 2025 and beyond? 

These are the questions we tackled with international experts across government, business and academia at SISF 2025. They shared their insights on the discussions happening in Washington, Canberra and Tokyo, and what they meant for US allies and partners around the world.

https://www.ussc.edu.au/sydney-international-strategy-forum-2025

About the Sydney International Strategy Forum

President Donald Trump’s first 100 days featured norm-breaking policies at a breakneck pace, often to be overturned days or weeks later. At the same time, the wars in Ukraine and Gaza have entered new eras with high-level negotiations, on-again off-again fighting and a new world order forming in real time to adapt to a changing strategic landscape. The 2024 trend of turfing incumbents has given way to foreign elections that many perceive to be a referendum on US politics.

What is the future of the United States’ role in the world? How can governments and businesses plan in the midst of constant change? How should allies and partners approach security challenges in 2025 and beyond?

These are the questions we tackled with international experts across government, business and academia at SISF 2025. They shared their insights on the discussions happening in Washington, Canberra and Tokyo, and what they meant for US allies and partners around the world.

https://www.ussc.edu.au/sydney-international-strategy-forum-2025

About the Sydney International Strategy Forum

President Donald Trump’s first 100 days featured norm-breaking policies at a breakneck pace, often to be overturned days or weeks later. At the same time, the wars in Ukraine and Gaza have entered new eras with high-level negotiations, on-again off-again fighting and a new world order forming in real time to adapt to a changing strategic landscape. The 2024 trend of turfing incumbents has given way to foreign elections that many perceive to be a referendum on US politics.

What is the future of the United States’ role in the world? How can governments and businesses plan in the midst of constant change? How should allies and partners approach security challenges in 2025 and beyond?

These are the questions we tackled with international experts across government, business and academia at SISF 2025. They shared their insights on the discussions happening in Washington, Canberra and Tokyo, and what they meant for US allies and partners around the world.

https://www.ussc.edu.au/sydney-international-strategy-forum-2025

About the Sydney International Strategy Forum

President Donald Trump’s first 100 days featured norm-breaking policies at a breakneck pace, often to be overturned days or weeks later. At the same time, the wars in Ukraine and Gaza have entered new eras with high-level negotiations, on-again off-again fighting and a new world order forming in real time to adapt to a changing strategic landscape. The 2024 trend of turfing incumbents has given way to foreign elections that many perceive to be a referendum on US politics.

What is the future of the United States’ role in the world? How can governments and businesses plan in the midst of constant change? How should allies and partners approach security challenges in 2025 and beyond?

These are the questions we tackled with international experts across government, business and academia at SISF 2025. They shared their insights on the discussions happening in Washington, Canberra and Tokyo, and what they meant for US allies and partners around the world.

https://www.ussc.edu.au/sydney-international-strategy-forum-2025

About the Sydney International Strategy Forum

President Donald Trump’s first 100 days featured norm-breaking policies at a breakneck pace, often to be overturned days or weeks later. At the same time, the wars in Ukraine and Gaza have entered new eras with high-level negotiations, on-again off-again fighting and a new world order forming in real time to adapt to a changing strategic landscape. The 2024 trend of turfing incumbents has given way to foreign elections that many perceive to be a referendum on US politics. 

What is the future of the United States’ role in the world? How can governments and businesses plan in the midst of constant change? How should allies and partners approach security challenges in 2025 and beyond? 

These are the questions we tackled with international experts across government, business and academia at SISF 2025. They shared their insights on the discussions happening in Washington, Canberra and Tokyo, and what they meant for US allies and partners around the world.

https://www.ussc.edu.au/sydney-international-strategy-forum-2025

With democratic trust and resilience under increasing strain, this event will explore:

• The tactics and narratives commonly used in Russian disinformation campaigns.
• The impact of these campaigns across different regions.
• How governments, civil society, and communities can strengthen resilience against foreign influence.

To discuss these questions, USSC hosted an expert discussion featuring Ukrainian Ambassador to Australia, His Excellency Vasyl Myroshnychenko, ex-career diplomat and strategic communications specialist, Natalia Solieva, and University of Sydney Senior Lecturer in Digital Cultures, Dr Olga Boichak, moderated by USSC Director of Strategic Technologies, Olivia Shen.

Few countries have done more to reorganise themselves for a new era of strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific than Japan. Building on the strategic vision of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Japan’s 2022 National Security Strategy, National Defense Strategy, and Defense Build-Up Plan provided a new framework for Japan to assume a more active and assertive role in regional security affairs. Since then, successive Japanese leaders have introduced new pieces of legislation, strengthened key national security institutions, increased national defence spending, and expanded Japan’s defence partnerships with the United States and Australia, including trilaterally, to address an increasingly volatile regional and global security environment.

The logic of such cooperation remains sound even with the second coming of Donald Trump. Yet even trusted US allies like Japan and Australia are facing difficulties and uncertainty in their relationships with Washington. The threat of tariffs, demands for increased defence spending, reviews of marquee initiatives like AUKUS, and the dismantling of key US national security and diplomatic agencies all pose challenges to Australia, Japan and trilateral cooperation.

How have Japan’s security policies developed in recent years? What more must be done to fully implement those changes? How are Australia and Japan navigating their relationships with Trump 2.0? Where is the trilateral defence partnership headed?

To discuss these questions, USSC hosted a panel discussion featuring Yuki Tatsumi, Senior Director at the Institute for Indo-Pacific Security; Hirohito Ogi, Senior Research Fellow with the Institute of Geoeconomics at the International House of Japan, and Tom Corben, Research Fellow in the Foreign Policy and Defence Program at the USSC, moderated by USSC Professor and CEO Dr Michael Green.

This event was part of the United States Studies Centre’s Assessing Implementation of Abe’s National Security Strategy supported by the Smith Richardson Foundation.

• Beyond budget pledges, how will European states respond to US demands for them to step up their defence contributions to Ukraine?
• What role should Australia play in the ongoing conflict?
• What will the second Trump administration mean for Ukraine’s future?

To discuss these questions, the USSC hosted a panel discussion featuring USSC Senior Lecturer Dr Gorana Grgić, University of Sydney Senior Lecturer Dr Olga Boichak, and Griffith Asia Institute Associate Professor (Adjunct) Dr Matthew Sussex, moderated by USSC Director of Research Jared Mondschein.

The event began with a virtual address by Ukrainian Ambassador to Australia His Excellency Vasyl Myroshnychenko.

Competing pressures — between isolationism and interventionism, reassurance and burden-sharing with allies, and fiscal restraint versus demands for force modernisation and advanced capabilities like ‘Golden Dome’ — are creating uncertainty around how the US will deter what Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has called China’s “imminent threat” to Taiwan.

These tensions raise urgent questions: How has (and hasn’t) the US approach to deterrence in the Indo-Pacific changed under the new Administration? Are US forces adequately postured to support US regional interests and alliance commitments? Where are the major fault lines in US regional strategy, and what do they mean for the future of regional security and US influence in the Indo-Pacific?

To unpack these issues, the United States Studies Centre hosted a fireside chat with Kelly Magsamen, former Chief of Staff to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Senior Advisor at The Asia Group. The conversation was moderated by Professor Peter Dean, Director of Foreign Policy and Defence at the United States Studies Centre.

This event is part of the United States Studies Centre's ‘Next Generation Leaders in the Australia-US Alliance’ project which is supported by funding from the US State Department.

The last decade, though, has seen a sharp increase in tensions and a complete reorientation of US policies toward China — from “engagement” to “competition.” Australia, too, has changed its approach to its largest trading partner.

What happened? Where is strategic competition heading? And what should US allies like Australia know?

This United States Studies Centre event featured Professor David Shambaugh, a world-renowned China scholar and author of “Breaking the Engagement: How China Won and Lost America”.

In this era of unpredictability, critical questions arise:

• Where are Trump's tariffs heading and how will they impact US economic relations and the United States as a place to do business?
• Are the US and China heading for economic decoupling?
• How should countries like Australia, Japan, South Korea, and India navigate great power competition and economic pressure?
• What is the impact on alliance relations?
• What role will minilateral and regional groups play in shaping a post-tariff global order?

These questions were discussed by leading expert in diplomacy and economic affairs in East Asia, Ambassador Kurt Tong and USSC CEO, Dr Michael J. Green, at a public event moderated by USSC Director of Economic Security Hayley Channer.

Prior to the US Supreme Court’s 1967 ruling in Loving v. Virginia, most American states prohibited interracial marriages at one time or another. But as Dr Schumaker reveals in Tangled Fortunes, such laws did not effectively prevent interracial marriages. Indeed, enforcement of such laws was inconsistent when it came to relationships between white men and Black women. In some Southern communities, such unions were tolerated – though often subject to social disapproval. The book offers a new narrative of the rise and fall of racial segregation from the perspectives of ordinary people whose primary goal was to keep their families together in the face of great difficulty.

• Read the Wall Street Journal review of Tangled Fortunes.

Countries have developed new tools and cultivated norms to improve traffic management and space sustainability. However, amid a proliferation of space stakeholders; the absence of binding international agreements; and challenges in monitoring activities in space, significant gaps remain.

How are public and private actors navigating the challenges of growing congestion in space? How can international frameworks like the Outer Space Treaty be strengthened to address these risks? And how can space sustainability be integrated into the national security policy debate?

To address these questions, the United States Studies Centre was pleased to host a webinar with Audrey M. Schaffer. Ms Schaffer is an internationally recognised expert in space policy, currently serving as Vice President of Strategy and Policy at Slingshot Aerospace and Non-Resident Senior Associate with the Aerospace Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. She previously served in the US government for over 15 years, holding positions in the Executive Office of the President, Department of Defense, Department of State, and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Ms Schaffer led the US delegation that negotiated the UN Guidelines for Space Sustainability and, from 2021–23, served as Director for Space Policy on the National Security Council of the Biden-Harris Administration.

This webinar was hosted by Dr Kathryn Robison, Lecturer in American Studies at the United States Studies Centre and Senior Research Fellow at the Australian Centre for Space Governance.

This event was made possible with funding from the US State Department.

What are the strategic implications of the militarisation of space? How have space threats evolved since the Cold War ‘Space Race’? What measures exist to safeguard critical space infrastructure and to manage space traffic? And how are space-based threats reflected in Australian policy and strategic thinking?

To discuss these issues, the United States Studies Centre hosted a panel featuring the following experts:

• Audrey Schaffer, an internationally recognised expert in space policy and former Director for Space Policy on the National Security Council staff. Ms Schaffer is currently the Vice President of Strategy and Policy at Slingshot Aerospace and a Non-Resident Fellow with the Aerospace Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
• Professor Melissa de Zwart, Deputy Director and Chief Investigator of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plants for Space, and Professor of Space Law and Governance at the University of Adelaide. Professor de Zwart is a prominent legal scholar, working in the areas of commercial and military uses of outer space, encompassing both domestic and international space law.
• Aude Vignelles, Director of Vignelles Space and former Chief Technology Officer of the Australian Space Agency. At the Australian Space Agency, Ms Vignelles was a core contributor in the development of the technical roadmaps of the Australian Civil Space Strategy.

The event was moderated by Dr Kathryn Robison, Lecturer in American Studies at the United States Studies Centre and a Senior Research Fellow at the Australian Centre for Space Governance. The panel will be followed by audience Q&A.

This event was made possible with funding from the US State Department.

April 30 marked 100 days of the second Trump administration. While many expected the return of an unconventional administration, the speed and degree of actions thus far have surprised even the most seasoned of analysts.

What do the first 100 days tell us about the next four years? Is this an aberration or the new normal? How should Australia navigate this administration?

The Sydney Morning Herald's foreign affairs and national security correspondent Matthew Knott unpacked the key issues of the second Trump administration with political and international editor Peter Hartcher and world editor Catherine Naylor.

They were joined by USSC experts, Chief Executive Officer Dr Michael Green, who previously served on the National Security Council at the White House from 2001 to 2005, and Director of Research Jared Mondschein.

These developments raise critical questions for Australian stakeholders. What is the state of play for export controls in the United States, and what can we expect under a second Trump Administration? Will we see alignment on export controls between the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia? And what does this all mean for Australia and the AUKUS enterprise?

To address these questions, the United States Studies Centre hosted a webinar with Kevin J. Wolf, Partner at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld and a former Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration under the first and second Obama Administrations (2010–17). Mr Wolf has more than 30 years’ experience advising on export controls, sanctions, and international trade, with expertise in US Export Administration Regulations (EAR), International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).

This conversation was hosted by Tom Corben, Research Fellow in the Foreign Policy and Defence Program at the United States Studies Centre. Mr Corben is the co-author of Breaking the barriers: Reforming US export controls to realise the potential of AUKUS and AUKUS enablers? Assessing defence trade control reforms in Australia and the United States.

This event is made possible with funding from the US State Department.

What impact will the new Trump administration have on US-China competition? Are the controls around semiconductor chips and AI models a sustainable approach? How can governments coordinate their export controls, investment screening and other regulation efforts? Will we gradually see international alignment on these issues – what are the current barriers?

To unpack these questions, the United States Studies Centre brought together an esteemed panel:

• Kevin J. Wolf is Partner at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP and former Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) under the first and second Obama administrations (2010–17). Kevin has more than 30 years of experience advising on export controls, sanctions and other international trade issues, with particular knowledge across the US’ Export Administration Regulations (EAR), International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and regulations administered by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). Kevin J. Wolf’s trip to Australia is made possible by the generous support of the US Department of State.
• Dr Alan Dupont AO is founder and CEO of geopolitical risk consultancy the Cognoscenti Group. He is also Defence and National Security Advocate for the Northern Territory Government. One of Australia’s best-known strategists he has an international reputation for his expertise on geopolitical risk, defence and national security having worked extensively at the interface of security, politics, business and technology in government, the private sector and academia. 

Moderating the discussion was Hayley Channer, the Director of the Economic Security Program with the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney. Hayley has a diverse background having worked as an Australian Government official, Ministerial adviser, think tank analyst, and represented global non-profit organisations.

What sort of impact would Trump’s economic, trade, and technology policies have on Australian businesses? How do the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East impact the Indo-Pacific? What are the key international watch points for Australia in 2025?

To discuss these issues and provide a briefing on geopolitical trends and what they mean for government and business, United States Studies Centre (USSC) CEO Dr Michael Green and Director of Economic Security Hayley Channer hosted a public briefing followed by audience Q&A.

The partnership has become a key pillar of diplomatic architecture in our region. But despite this goodwill and strong foundation, the Quad has sometimes struggled to articulate a clear mission, and its future agenda will need to deliver meaningful impact in the Indo-Pacific.

The United States Studies Centre hosted a public panel event following a day of closed-door discussions at the Quad Leadership Track-1.5 Dialogue. Panelists answered key questions facing the Quad on topics such as critical technology, climate and the energy transition, and maritime security, and discussed the future of the Quad partnership itself as a new US presidential administration prepares to take office.

The event featured leading experts on the Quad, including USSC CEO Dr Michael Green, USSC Non-Resident Senior Fellow Dr Lavina Lee, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Nonresident Scholar, South Asia Program Darshana Baruah and Aoyama-Gakuin University Lecturer Dr Takuya Matsuda in conversation with Matthew Knott, Foreign Affairs and National Security Correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age discussing the Quad's challenges, possible solutions, opportunities for collaboration and the Quad's future agenda.

This event featured inaugural Maitri Fellow Riya Sinha in conversation with USSC Economic Security Director Hayley Channer, discussing opportunities for India and Australia to collaborate on Indian Ocean port linkages, supply chains and sustainable development.

They discussed practical ways to create a competitive edge that not only advances each country’s interests but also benefits the broader regional landscape.

Riya Sinha's Maitri Fellowship is generously supported by the Centre for Australia-India Relations (CAIR).

On 24 October 2024, the United States Studies Centre hosted an exclusive event in partnership with The Sydney Morning Herald. SMH editor Bevan Shields, political and international editor Peter Hartcher and columnist and senior writer Jacqueline Maley were joined by USSC experts, Chief Executive Officer Dr Michael Green, who previously served on the National Security Council at the White House from 2001 to 2005, and Director of Research Jared Mondschein.

What could cyber and national security policy look like under a first Harris administration or second Trump administration and what could this mean for the region? What implications do the major cyber incidents of the last two years — from the Russia–Ukraine conflict to the Volt Typhoon campaign — have for countries around the world and for Australian businesses? How has US cyber, intelligence and technology policy evolved?

The USSC held an event featuring Admiral (ret) Mike Rogers, a senior US expert on cybersecurity and geopolitics. Admiral Rogers is the former Director of the US National Security Agency and former Commander of US Cyber Command. Admiral Rogers brings deep knowledge and experience, having served both President Obama and President Trump in shaping US cyber, intelligence and technology policy between 2014 and 2018.

Admiral Rogers was joined by John Barron, renowned ABC journalist and co-host of Planet America.

The discussion considered how to tackle some of the most pressing cyber and national security challenges of our time.

This event was run in collaboration with CyberCX.

Through rare video clips, news clippings, and declassified files obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, Leonard uncovered the intense surveillance and suppression these artists faced.

Aaron J. Leonard, author of Heavy Radicals: The Secret War on America’s Maoists and The Folk Singers and the Bureau, brought these stories to life in a compelling presentation. The event concluded with a conversation led by Associate Professor Charles Fairchild (Sydney Conservatorium of Music), giving participants the chance to engage directly with these powerful narratives.

Topics discussed:

• How the Electoral College works
  Featuring: Dr Kathryn Robison and Professor Brendon O’Connor
  The intricacies of the Electoral College and its crucial role in American elections.
• The Impact of the US Election in Australia and the Indo-Pacific
  Featuring: Dr Kathryn Robison and USSC CEO, Dr Michael Green
  How the 2024 US Election will shape political dynamics in Australia and the broader Indo-Pacific region.
• Public opinion and polling
  Featuring: Dr Kathryn Robison and Associate Professor David Smith
  The essential role of public opinion and polling in influencing electoral strategies.

The event was attended by high school teachers, educators, and anyone keen to deepen their understanding of the US election process. Attendees received a resource sheet aimed at high school students and teachers.

The final session featured opening remarks by Jan Adams AO PSM, Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, followed by a panel discussion moderator by Professor Peter Dean, Director, Foreign Policy and Defence, United States Studies Centre, with panellists Jan Adams AO PSM, Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; =Yasuo Takamura, Cabinet Councillor, National Security Secretariat, Government of Japan
Senator Dave Sharma, Senator for New South Wales; and Dr Elizabeth Economy, Hargrove Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University.

In session 8, opening remarks were provided by Dr Daniel Yergin, Vice-Chairman of S&P Global (by video-link) with further remarks given by Paul Everingham, Chief Executive Officer, Asia Natural Gas & Energy Association. Then followed a panel discussion moderated by Matthew Warren, Principal, Boardroom Energy, and featuring Tania Constable PSM, Chief Executive Officer, Minerals Council of Australia; Meg McDonald, Non-Resident Senior Fellow, United States Studies Centre and Member of the NSW Net Zero Emissions and Clean Economy Board; and Paul Everingham, Chief Executive Officer, Asia Natural Gas & Energy Association.

In session 7, opening remarks were provided by Emily Kilcrease, Senior Fellow and Director of the Energy, Economics and Security Program, Center for a New American Security. Further remarks were given by Mike Yeh, Regional Vice President, Corporate External and Legal Affairs, Microsoft Asia. Then followed a panel discussion, moderated by Helen Mitchell, Non-Resident Fellow, United States Studies Centre; Professor Kazuto Suzuki, Director, Economic Security, Institute of Geoeconomics at the International House of Japan and Professor of Science and Technology Policy, Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Tokyo; and Emily Kilcrease, Senior Fellow and Director of the Energy, Economics and Security Program, Center for a New American Security
Mike Yeh, Regional Vice President, Corporate External and Legal Affairs, Microsoft Asia.

The conference dinner featured a discussion between Andrew Shearer, Director-General, Office of National Intelligence; Meghan Quinn PSM, Secretary, Department of Industry, Science and Resources; and David Fredericks PSM, Secretary, Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water. The discussion was moderated by Dr Michael Green, Chief Executive Officer of the United States Studies Centre. Welcome remarks were provided by Mark Baillie, Chairman of the United States Studies Centre.

Session 6 was delivered in four parts:

• A keynote address by The Honourable Mathias Cormann, Secretary-General, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (by video-link);
• An address on "A view from East Asia" by Professor Myung-hee Yoo, Visiting Professor at the Graduate School of International Studies, Seoul National University and former Minister for Trade, Republic of Korea;
• A panel discussion moderated by Dr John Kunkel, Senior Economics Adviser at the United States Studies Centre. with expert comments from George Mina, Deputy Secretary, Trade and Investment Group, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Alan Beattie, Senior Trade Writer, Financial Times; and Professor Myung-hee Yoo, Visiting Professor at the Graduate School of International Studies, Seoul National University and former Minister for Trade, Republic of Korea; and
• An address on "Europe’s economic security strategy: A view from Brussels" by Denis Redonnet, Deputy Director-General and Chief Trade Enforcement Officer, Directorate-General for Trade, European Commission (by video link).

Session 5 featured a keynote address from Tadashi Maeda, Chairman of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, followed by a discussion between Tadashi Maeda and Dr Michael Green, Chief Executive Officer of the United States Studies Centre.

Session 4 was moderated by The Honourable Arthur Sinodinos AO, Partner at The Asia Group and former Australian Ambassador to the United States, and featured panellists Ziad Haider, Global Director of Geopolitical Risk, McKinsey & Company; Dr Sally Auld, Chief Investment Officer, JBWere; and Neville Power, Chairman of Future Battery Minerals, Deputy Chairman of Strike Energy and former Chair of the Australian Government’s National COVID-19 Coordination Commission.

A keynote address was provided by Dr Steven Kennedy PSM, Secretary to the Australian Treasury.

Session 3 featured a keynote address by Dr Elizabeth Economy, Hargrove Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University. A panel discussion followed, moderated by Dr John Kunkel, Senior Economics Adviser at the United States Studies Centre, and featuring experts Richard McGregor, Senior Fellow for East Asia, Lowy Institute and Dr Elizabeth Economy, Hargrove Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University.

Session 2's opening remarks were provided by Professor Kazuto Suzuki, Director, Economic Security, Institute of Geoeconomics at the International House of Japan and Professor of Science and Technology Policy, Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Tokyo. This was followed by a panel discussion moderated by Hayley Channer, Director of the Economic Security Program at the United States Studies Centre, and featuring Dr Yunjong Wang, Deputy National Security Advisor for Economic and Cyber Security in the Office of the President of the Republic of Korea; Jonathan Fritz, Chief of Staff to the Undersecretary for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment, US Department of State; and Professor Kazuto Suzuki, Director, Economic Security, Institute of Geoeconomics at the International House of Japan and Professor of Science and Technology Policy, Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Tokyo.

In session 1, Alan Beattie, Senior Trade Writer for the Financial Times delivered a keynote address. This was followed by a panel discussion moderated by Dr Michael Green, Chief Executive Officer of the United States Studies Centre, and featuring Ziad Haider, Global Director of Geopolitical Risk, McKinsey & Company; Emily Kilcrease, Senior Fellow and Director of the Energy, Economics and Security Program, Center for a New American Security; and Alan Beattie, Senior Trade Writer, Financial Times.

USSC CEO Dr Michael Green provided welcoming remarks for the conference. Gina Raimondo, US Secretary of Commerce, then provided remarks via video.

Do Australians believe their alliance with the United States should continue if Donald Trump is re-elected? How would all three countries react to an invasion of Taiwan? Is support for AUKUS growing or in decline?

The event featured two panel discussions with USSC experts dissecting the latest public opinion findings from Australia, the United States and Japan ahead of a historic election.

1. How do Australia, the United States and Japan think about the future of alliance cooperation, economic security and AUKUS?

• Dr Michael Green, Chief Executive Officer
• Professor Peter Dean, Director of Foreign Policy and Defence
• Hayley Channer, Director of Economic Security
• Jared Mondschein, Director of Research

2. How do Australia, the United States and Japan think about the future of US democracy and a second Trump presidency?

• Bruce Wolpe, Non-Resident Senior Fellow
• Barbara Comstock, Non-Resident Senior Fellow
• Professor Benjamin Reilly, Non-Resident Senior Fellow
• Mari Koeck, Director of Engagement & Impact

At last month’s NATO’s Washington Summit, the allies doubled-down on a commitment to engage and work with partners in the Indo-Pacific, particularly on cyber defence, countering disinformation, and technology.

What lessons can we learn about cyber threats and the role of technological innovation from the war in Ukraine? What do these trends tell us about cyber threats and opportunities in the future? How can NATO and partners in the Indo-Pacific apply these lessons in the ongoing technological race against potential adversaries and strategic competitors?

To discuss these issues, the USSC hosted a public forum featuring NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Innovation, Hybrid and Cyber James Appathurai in conversation with Dr Michael Green.

Roughly ten per cent of all soldiers in the American Civil War were underaged. As Clarke and her co-author Rebecca Jo Plant reveal in Of Age, these boys and young men not only contributed vitally to the Union Army, but they also challenged the scope of American federal authority. As boys ran off to join the war effort, their parents often sought to bring them back home. The point at which a father’s authority ended and the United States Government’s began became the subject of intense conflicts over the meanings of childhood, parental rights, and state power in America.

For Of Age, Clarke and Plant received the prestigious 2024 Lincoln Prize, awarded by the Gilder Lehrman Center for the best book on the Civil War, and the Grace Abbott Prize, awarded by the Society for the History of Children and Youth for the best English-language book on the history of children, childhood or youth published in 2023. 

But Trump’s selection of a younger running mate in Ohio Senator JD Vance has ignited discussion about the future of the Republican party, the America First movement and American democracy itself. With a resurgent Democratic Party under Vice President Kamala Harris looking to maintain control of the White House for another four years, the world is watching to see whether the Republican Party will remain in lockstep with the former president or begin to move out of Trump's shadow.

Former Republican Congresswoman Barbara Comstock served as the US representative for Virginia’s 10th Congressional district in the House of Representatives between 2015 to 2019, and was named as one of the ‘Top Ten Most Effective Lawmakers’ in the 115th Congress by the Center for Effective Lawmaking. As an ABC News political contributor and regular guest on CNN, PBS and MSNBC, she has spoken extensively on the state and future of the modern Republican Party. She also co-chairs the bipartisan National Council on Election Integrity, which is dedicated to combatting election disinformation.

Can Trumpism outlive Trump himself? What is the future of the Republican Party? How can election integrity be preserved in a time of deep political polarisation? What should Australians be watching for in the lead-up to the election?

To answer these questions, the USSC hosted a live event with former Congresswoman Barbara Comstock, in conversation with Australian Financial Review senior editor Emma Connors.

What are the key takeaways from the 2024 Democratic National Convention? What is the Democrats’ strategy for executing the shortest presidential campaign in modern US history? How is the transformed Democratic ticket reshaping the presidential race? What should Australians be watching for in the lead-up to the election?

To answer these questions, USSC hosted a live panel featuring co-host of popular television show “Planet America” on ABC TV Chas Licciardello, USSC Senior Lecturer in American Studies Dr Kathryn Schumaker, and USSC Director of Research Jared Mondschein, in a conversation moderated by USSC Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck.

How did export control debates within Australia and the United States unfold over the last 18 months, and what were the consequences? What sorts of revisions might be required in order to ensure that these reforms truly enable AUKUS projects, especially those under Pillar II? Is this the first step in a wider project of wider AUKUS regulatory reform?

In a new report, AUKUS enablers? Assessing US and Australian defence export control reforms, non-resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, Dr William Greenwalt and USSC Research Fellow in the Foreign Policy and Defence program Tom Corben assess progress towards the creation of an AUKUS “defence free trade zone,” and the challenges – old and new – posed to its full realisation. This report is the successor to the authors’ highly influential May 2023 report, Breaking the Barriers: reforming US export controls to realise the potential of AUKUS. For this webinar event, the authors spoke about defence export control reforms in Australia and the United States, and what these might mean for the future of AUKUS.

Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times journalist David Sanger was one of the few journalists selected to ask President Biden a question in his press conference following the NATO Summit in Washington DC and has reported on Washington during the last seven US presidential administrations. His latest book, New Cold Wars: China’s Rise, Russia’s Invasion, and America’s Struggle to Defend the West, considers America’s global position in this pivotal time.

What might the 2024 election mean for global powers? What is the future of US-China relations? What should Australians be watching for in 2024?

To answer these questions, the USSC hosted a live event with New York Times White House and National Security Correspondent David Sanger, in conversation with United States Studies Centre CEO Dr Michael Green.

What are the key takeaways from the 2024 Republican National Convention? What is the diverse Never Trump coalition’s strategy for taking him on amid growing questions about President Biden’s viability? What should Australians be watching for in the lead up to the election?

To answer these questions, USSC hosted a live panel featuring co-host of popular television show “Planet America” on ABC TV Chas Licciardello, former Assistant Press Secretary for President Ronald Reagan Kim Hoggard, and USSC Director of Research Jared Mondschein, in a conversation moderated by USSC Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck.

Why are governments so keen to develop generative AI and foundation models? What are governments doing to encourage generative AI? How might that backfire? What controls could be put on the data used to train AI?

To answer these questions and many more, the Emerging Technology Program at the United States Studies Centre was pleased to host Professor Susan Ariel Aaronson, Research Professor from George Washington University and Director of the Digital Trade and Governance Hub. Susan is also co-principal investigator with the NSF-NIST (National Science Foundation and National Institute of Standards and Technology) Institute for Trustworthy AI in Law & Society, TRAILS, where she leads research on data and AI governance.

Hayley Channer, Director of the Economic Security Program with the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney hosted the discussion. Hayley has a diverse background having worked as an Australian Government official, Ministerial adviser, think tank analyst, and represented global non-profit organisations.

Professor Susan Ariel Aaronson’s trip to Australia was made possible by the generous support of the US Department of State.

At this event, panellists Dr Zack Cooper, Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute; Professor Peter Dean, Director, Foreign Policy and Defence, United States Studies Centre; Jennifer Parker, Expert Associate at the National Security College, Australian National University and an Adjunct Fellow in Naval Studies at the University of New South Wales Canberra, and Professor Alessio Patalano, Professor of War and Strategy in East Asia discussed the potential for widening AUKUS participation to other likeminded states, including Japan, South Korea, Canada, the Philippines, and New Zealand. 

Panellists discussed the case for and against expanding participation in AUKUS and what expanded participation in AUKUS would look like in practice. Hayley Channer, Director, Economic Security at the United States Studies Centre moderated the discussion.

This event was part of the United States Studies Centre's "Next Generation Leaders in the Australia-US Alliance initiative" and was supported by funding from the US State Department.

Which policies will be most impacted by a change in leadership? What will a second Biden or Trump term mean for Australia? What should Australian decision-makers know and do under President Trump vs. President Biden?

The event featured authors of the report across two panel discussions.

Panel 1: How will a second President Trump or President Biden term impact AUKUS, relations with China and alliances in Asia?

• Dr Michael Green, Chief Executive Officer
• Professor Peter Dean, Director of Foreign Policy and Defence
• Hayley Channer, Director of Economic Security

Panel 2: How will political dynamics in Congress and the White House affect trade policy and relationships with the White House?

• Dr John Kunkel, Senior Economic Adviser
• Bruce Wolpe, Non-Resident Senior Fellow
• Victoria Cooper, Non-Resident Fellow
• Jared Mondschein, Director of Research

Which policies will be most impacted by a change in leadership? What will a second Biden or Trump term mean for Australia? What should Australian decision-makers know and do under President Trump vs. President Biden? The event featured a number of the report's authors in a panel discussion:

• Dr Michael Green, Chief Executive Officer, United States Studies Centre
• Hayley Channer, Director of Economic Security, United States Studies Centre
• Professor Peter Dean, Director of Foreign Policy and Defence, United States Studies Centre
• Dr John Kunkel, Senior Economic Adviser, United States Studies Centre
• Jared Mondschein, Director of Research, United States Studies Centre

No issues have aligned Japan and Australia more than the multi-faceted challenges China poses, particularly in the Pacific and Southeast Asia. Yet as Japan and Australia have drawn closer than ever in areas of security, trade and regional aid, there remains far more work to be done in response to China’s erosion of democratic norms.

How can Australia and Japan — two of the largest regional development partners — better support democracy in the region? How can they align their strategic priorities with the needs of a complex and emerging region? What role should the United States have in their efforts?

To answer these questions, USSC CEO Dr Michael Green moderated a discussion with report editor USSC Non-Resident Senior Fellow Dr Lavina Lee and report author Dr John Lee, Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute.

Australia and the United States must navigate the simultaneous challenges of decarbonising, building their domestic industrial bases, supporting the energy transition across their region, and competing with China for new sectors.

Are Australia and the United States competing when it comes to the clean energy transition? What has Australia-US climate cooperation promised and can it deliver? How can Australia and the United States balance their international climate efforts with boosts to manufacturing at home?

To answer these questions, USSC hosted a live event with Australia’s Ambassador for Climate Change Kristin Tilley, USSC Women in the Alliance Visiting Fellow Jane Nakano, and USSC Non-Resident Senior Fellow Meg McDonald in conversation with USSC Director of Economic Security Hayley Channer.

This event was hosted by the United States Studies Centre’s Women in the Alliance initiative.

Can President Biden cut through the noise around the Trump campaign? Do any GOP challengers have a shot at dethroning Trump? What should we expect in the lead up to Super Tuesday?

To discuss these issues, USSC hosted a panel discussion with US politics USSC experts Associate Professor in American Politics and Foreign Policy David Smith, Director of Research Jared Mondschein and Research Editor Victoria Cooper who provided a readout on the Iowa caucus results and what it portends for the year ahead.

How might the election affect cross-strait relations? What are the possible implications of the election for Australia? How could the election shift Taiwan policies in Washington and other allied capitals?

To answer these questions, USSC hosted a panel discussion with Lowy Institute Senior Fellow for East Asia Richard McGregor, USSC Non-Resident Senior Fellow Dr Lavina Lee and USSC CEO Dr Michael Green in conversation with USSC Research Director Jared Mondschein, with opening remarks from Taiwanese Representative to Australia Douglas Hsu.

Douglas Hsu is Taiwan’s Representative to Australia. He was previously Director General of North American Affairs within Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and served in the Political and Congressional Liaison divisions of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States.

Richard McGregor is a Senior Fellow for East Asia at the Lowy Institute and a Senior Associate (Non-resident) at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in the United States. He is a former Beijing and Washington bureau chief for the Financial Times and the author of numerous books on East Asia.

Dr Lavina Lee is a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the United States Studies Centre and a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Security Studies and Criminology at Macquarie University, Sydney. Prior to joining Macquarie University in 2007, she was a political risk consultant with Control Risks Group.

Dr Michael Green is Chief Executive Officer at the United States Studies Centre. Previously Dr Green was Senior Vice President for Asia, Japan Chair, and Henry A. Kissinger Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and served on the staff of the National Security Council from 2001 through 2005.

What are the key issues and trends to watch as we head into an election year? What happens if Donald Trump wins his party’s nomination, but is convicted of a crime? What does the future of US politics look like?

To answer these questions, USSC hosted a live event with Politico Chief Washington Correspondent Ryan Lizza, and New York Magazine Washington Correspondent Olivia Nuzzi in conversation with USSC Director of Research Jared Mondschein.

Ryan Lizza is Politico’s Chief Washington Correspondent. He was formerly Senior Political Analyst for CNN and The New Yorker’s Washington correspondent from 2007 to 2017.

Olivia Nuzzi is Washington Correspondent for New York Magazine. She has also written for Politico Magazine and The Washington Post. She was named in Forbes’ 2018 “30 under 30” list.

Jared Mondschein, Director of Research and Victoria Cooper, Research Editor at the United States Studies Centre discussed findings of the poll during a presentation to the Sydney International Strategy Forum. This is the second of two presentations. 

The Sydney International Strategy Forum brought together prominent thought leaders, policymakers and industry experts to tackle the big issues confronting Australia, the United States and the Indo-Pacific. From bolstering supply chain resilience to turning AUKUS into reality, the forum discussed the enormous opportunities and risks posed by such cross-cutting challenges and what they mean for the future of our region. 

The forum was held at the Four Seasons Sydney on 1 November 2023.

The Sydney International Strategy Forum brought together prominent thought leaders, policymakers and industry experts to tackle the big issues confronting Australia, the United States and the Indo-Pacific. From bolstering supply chain resilience to turning AUKUS into reality, the forum discussed the enormous opportunities and risks posed by such cross-cutting challenges and what they mean for the future of our region.

The forum was held at the Four Seasons Sydney on 1 November 2023.

The Sydney International Strategy Forum brought together prominent thought leaders, policymakers and industry experts to tackle the big issues confronting Australia, the United States and the Indo-Pacific. From bolstering supply chain resilience to turning AUKUS into reality, the forum discussed the enormous opportunities and risks posed by such cross-cutting challenges and what they mean for the future of our region. 

The forum was held at the Four Seasons Sydney on 1 November 2023.

The Sydney International Strategy Forum brought together prominent thought leaders, policymakers and industry experts to tackle the big issues confronting Australia, the United States and the Indo-Pacific. From bolstering supply chain resilience to turning AUKUS into reality, the forum discussed the enormous opportunities and risks posed by such cross-cutting challenges and what they mean for the future of our region. 

The forum was held at the Four Seasons Sydney on 1 November 2023.

The Sydney International Strategy Forum brought together prominent thought leaders, policymakers and industry experts to tackle the big issues confronting Australia, the United States and the Indo-Pacific. From bolstering supply chain resilience to turning AUKUS into reality, the forum discussed the enormous opportunities and risks posed by such cross-cutting challenges and what they mean for the future of our region. 

The forum was held at the Four Seasons Sydney on 1 November 2023.

Ms King is the Minister for Resources and the Minister for Northern Australia. She has been the federal member for Brand since 2016 and in 2019 she was promoted to the role of Shadow Minister for Trade. She has also held positions as Shadow Minister Assisting for Small Business and Shadow Minister for Consumer Affairs. 

The Sydney International Strategy Forum brought together prominent thought leaders, policymakers and industry experts to tackle the big issues confronting Australia, the United States and the Indo-Pacific. From bolstering supply chain resilience to turning AUKUS into reality, the forum discussed the enormous opportunities and risks posed by such cross-cutting challenges and what they mean for the future of our region. 

The forum was held at the Four Seasons Sydney on 1 November 2023.

The Sydney International Strategy Forum brought together prominent thought leaders, policymakers and industry experts to tackle the big issues confronting Australia, the United States and the Indo-Pacific. From bolstering supply chain resilience to turning AUKUS into reality, the forum discussed the enormous opportunities and risks posed by such cross-cutting challenges and what they mean for the future of our region. 

The forum was held at the Four Seasons Sydney on 1 November 2023.

The Sydney International Strategy Forum brought together prominent thought leaders, policymakers and industry experts to tackle the big issues confronting Australia, the United States and the Indo-Pacific. From bolstering supply chain resilience to turning AUKUS into reality, the forum discussed the enormous opportunities and risks posed by such cross-cutting challenges and what they mean for the future of our region. 

The forum was held at the Four Seasons Sydney on 1 November 2023.

The Sydney International Strategy Forum brought together prominent thought leaders, policymakers and industry experts to tackle the big issues confronting Australia, the United States and the Indo-Pacific. From bolstering supply chain resilience to turning AUKUS into reality, the forum discussed the enormous opportunities and risks posed by such cross-cutting challenges and what they mean for the future of our region. 

The forum was held at the Four Seasons Sydney on 1 November 2023.

The Sydney International Strategy Forum brought together prominent thought leaders, policymakers and industry experts to tackle the big issues confronting Australia, the United States and the Indo-Pacific. From bolstering supply chain resilience to turning AUKUS into reality, the forum discussed the enormous opportunities and risks posed by such cross-cutting challenges and what they mean for the future of our region. The forum was held at the Four Seasons Sydney on 1 November 2023.

Does anyone stand a chance to dethrone frontrunner Donald Trump? Who were the winners and losers of the expectation game? As the dust settles, what did the debate tell us about what to expect in the road to the 2024 presidential election?

To explore these questions, USSC hosted a public forum featuring politics experts Associate Professor David Smith, Senior Lecturer Dr Gorana Grgic and Research Editor Victoria Cooper in conversation with Director of Research Jared Mondschein.

To discuss this, USSC hosted a discussion with Adam Smith, a world-leading international trade compliance lawyer and former advisor to President Obama, in conversation with Hayley Channer, Director of Economic Security at the United States Studies Centre.

Adam Smith is a partner and co-chair of the International Trade Practice at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, based in Washington DC. He served as a senior advisor in the Obama Administration, providing guidance for strengthening sanctions (Russia and Syria) and easing measures (Burma and Cuba), and on enforcement actions following sanctions violations. He frequently chaired the US Treasury delegation to EU/G7 consultations regarding Russia sanctions and worked on Iran sanctions in conjunction with the nuclear deal. He is the author of three legal texts and dozens of articles and book chapters, and has testified on sanctions before the US Congress and the UK Parliament.

How should Australia balance relations with its largest trading partner, and its most important ally? What is the outlook for economic disruption in China and spillovers to the Indo-Pacific region? How can Australia best navigate economic relations with China in the age of strategic competition? 

To discuss these questions, the United States Studies Centre hosted a discussion with Rhodium Group founding partner and USSC Visiting Fellow, Daniel Rosen in conversation with USSC Economic Security Program Director, Hayley Channer.

Daniel Rosen is a former White House staffer on the National Economic Council and National Security Council, Daniel is an internationally recognised expert on China’s economy and global interactions in an age of strategic competition, and a trusted adviser to corporations, investors and policymakers. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and a board member of the National Committee on US-China Relations.

To discuss these issues, the United States Studies Centre hosted a webinar with White House National Security Council Indo-Pacific Coordinator Dr Kurt Campbell, White House National Security Council Senior Director for East Asia and Oceania Edgard Kagan and White House National Security Council Director for Indo-Pacific Strategy Dr Mira Rapp-Hooper in discussion with USSC CEO Dr Michael Green.

To discuss these questions, the United States Studies Centre hosted an in-person event featuring USSC Visiting Fellow Dr William Inboden, Executive Director and William Powers, Jr. Chair at the Clements Center for National Security at the University of Texas-Austin, and author of The Peacemaker: Ronald Reagan, The Cold War, and the World on the Brink, in conversation with USSC CEO Dr Michael Green.

How might ITAR provisions hamper the implementation of the AUKUS agreement? Why did previous efforts to reform US export controls for Australia and the United Kingdom fall short? What sorts of revisions are being considered across the US system? Is the best route to enduring ITAR reform through legislative action or an executive order?

In a report released prior to this webinar, non-resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, Dr William Greenwalt and USSC Research Fellow in the Foreign Policy and Defence program Tom Corben tackled these questions and provided a roadmap towards reforming ITAR to realise the full potential of AUKUS. The Centre hosted a webinar with the authors, along with USSC non-resident fellow Jennifer Jackett, for a discussion on reforming US export controls to realise the potential of AUKUS.

To discuss these questions, the United States Studies Centre held a public forum featuring CEO Dr Michael Green, Director of Foreign Policy and Defence Professor Peter Dean, non-resident Senior Fellow Dr Lavina Lee, and Research Fellow Tom Corben.

Keynote address

Australian economist Professor Sean Turnell spent much of his professional career studying the Myanmar economy and moved there to advise the State Counsellor of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi. After the February 2021 coup d’état toppled the democratically-elected government and the military assumed control of the country, Turnell was detained and imprisoned for nearly two years along with almost 6,000 others while more than 800 people were killed in the violent uprising.

Panel discussion: Regional approaches to supporting democracy

• Ambassador Yukio Takasu, Chair, Future of Democracy Study Project and Former Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations
• Dr Sook Jong Lee, President Emeritus, Senior Fellow and Professor of Public Administration, Sungkyunkwan University
• Dr Henry Ivarature, Deputy Director, Strategic Engagement, Australia Pacific Security College, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
• Moderated by Dr Michael Green, CEO, United States Studies Centre 

The panel reported on the Sydney round of the Sunnylands Initiative co-sponsored by the NED and USSC to assess the state of democracy in the Indo-Pacific and identify pathways to strengthen democratic partnership. Other participants in the conversation included representatives of Freedom House, the International Republican Institute, the National Democratic Institute, and thought leaders from across the Indo-Pacific.

The United States Studies Centre hosted a discussion featuring The Hon Dr Andrew Leigh MP, Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury and Dr Robert Atkinson, President of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) moderated by Dr Miah Hammond-Errey, USSC Emerging Technology Program Director. 

Now, 18 months since the original surprise announcement, the highly-anticipated AUKUS report shares the “optimal pathway” to acquire the nuclear-powered submarines. But the pathway is fraught with challenges and aligned intentions do not guarantee delivery. Where is the greatest daylight between the three countries in terms of the nuclear submarine production? What role will the advanced capabilities pillar play during the long lead-up to acquisition of the submarines? How should, or shouldn’t, we read the AUKUS report?

To discuss these issues, USSC hosted a webinar discussion with United States Studies Centre CEO Dr Michael Green, Director of Foreign Policy and Defence, and lead author of the 2023 Defence Strategic Review, Professor Peter Dean and Director of Economic Security Hayley Channer.

As Sydney welcomes WorldPride 2023, the United States Studies Centre was honoured to welcome Qantas CEO Alan Joyce AC and former US Ambassador to Australia John Berry in conversation with the ABC’s political commentator Annabel Crabb.

Alan Joyce AC was appointed Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Qantas in 2008. Most recently he has led the Group’s recovery from the COVID-19 crisis, which had a devastating impact on the global aviation industry. As a senior business figure in Australia, Alan is well known for championing inclusion and diversity. He was named a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in the Queen’s Birthday 2017 Honours List for his contributions to gender equity, inclusion and diversity, and a supporter of Indigenous education, as well as for his contribution to tourism and aviation. He is a Patron of the Pinnacle Foundation, providing educational scholarships, mentoring and opportunities for young LGBTQ+ people, and is a founding member of Pride in Diversity.

Ambassador John Berry is President of the American Australian Association. He served as United States Ambassador to Australia under President Obama from 2013 to 2016, the first openly-gay person to be appointed and confirmed as US Ambassador to a G20 Nation. Berry led former President Obama’s successful LGBT strategy and was the first openly-gay person confirmed by a Republican-controlled Senate as well as the highest-ranking openly-gay person in US history at the time when he was confirmed as Director of the Office of Personnel Management in 2009.

To discuss these questions the United States Studies Centre was delighted to host foreign policy expert and esteemed academic, Walter Russell Mead in conversation with USSC Professor of US Politics and US Foreign Relations, Brendon O’Connor.

Walter Russell Mead is the Ravenel B. Curry III distinguished fellow in strategy and statesmanship at Hudson Institute, the James Clarke Chace professor of foreign affairs and humanities at Bard College, and the "Global View" columnist at the Wall Street Journal. From 1997 to 2010, Mr Mead was a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, serving as the Henry A. Kissinger senior fellow for US foreign policy from 2003 until his departure. He is a member of Aspen Institute Italy. Mr Mead writes on a wide variety of subjects ranging from international affairs to religion, politics, culture, education and the media. He has contributed to a wide variety of leading American journals ranging from Mother Jones to GQ and frequently appears on national and international radio and television programs.

How will President Biden present his legislative roadmap to a divided Congress? Will any messages cut through beyond the focus on classified materials and the 2024 election? Will any foreign policy priorities get a mention beyond Ukraine?

To explore these issues ahead of President Biden's address, the United States Studies Centre hosted a webinar featuring USSC politics experts Associate Professor David Smith and Research Associate Victoria Cooper in conversation with Director of Research Jared Mondschein.

What are the similarities and differences in the American and Australian founding stories? How did the Australian performance differ from other locations? How did the cast rehearse with the Hamilton creative team in the midst of the pandemic?

To discuss these questions, the producer and members of the Hamilton joined USSC CEO Dr Michael Green, Non-Resident Senior Fellow Bruce Wolpe and Research Associate Victoria Cooper for a conversation about the Hamilton Australia experience.

This month’s US Politics and Policy Web Series featured Annelise Nielsen, the first dedicated Washington Correspondent for Sky News Australia, in conversation with United States Studies Centre CEO Professor Simon Jackman and Perth USAsia Centre CEO Professor Gordon Flake.

Annelise Nielsen

In 2020, Washington DC-based political reporter Annelise Nielsen was announced as Sky News Australia’s first Washington Correspondent. She is currently on the ground in the US reporting live for Sky News Australia. Previously, Annelise was Sky News Australia’s Canberra based political reporter and co-anchor of AM Agenda with Tom Connell.

A journalist with a wide range of experience covering stories across Australia, Asia, the US and the Middle East, she holds a bachelor’s degree in law and experience working in a professional services firm. Her work as a journalist is often driven and informed by a strong interest in justice, the Australian legal system and politics. Annelise is also the author of Money Spinners which explores the Banking Royal Commission and the financial services sector in Australia.

Dr Charles Edel is Senior Fellow at the United States Studies Centre. Previously, he was Associate Professor of Strategy and Policy at the US Naval War College, and served on the US Secretary of State’s Policy Planning Staff from 2015-2017. In that role, he advised Secretary of State John Kerry on political and security issues in the Asia-Pacific region. He is the co-author of The Lessons of Tragedy: Statecraft and World Order (2019) and author of Nation Builder: John Quincy Adams and the Grand Strategy of the Republic (2014).

Dr John Lee is an adjunct professor and non-resident senior fellow at the United States Studies Centre. He is also a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute in Washington DC. From 2016-2018, he was senior adviser to the Australian Foreign Minister, the lead ministerial adviser for the 2017 Foreign Policy White Paper, and her principal adviser on Indo-Pacific strategic affairs in the lead-up to the reinstitution of the Quad in 2017. 

Professor Simon Jackman commenced as Chief Executive Officer of the United States Studies Centre in April 2016. Jackman’s research has appeared in the leading journals of political science, in a publishing career spanning thirty years. Between 1996 and 2016, he was a Professor of Political Science and Statistics at Stanford University. Jackman served as one of the Principal Investigators of the American National Election Studies, the world’s longest running and most authoritative survey of political behaviour and attitudes, directing this project over both the 2012 and 2016 presidential election cycles. 

Alex Lynch manages Government Affairs and Public Policy for Google in Australia, where he is responsible for helping Australia successfully adapt as the world economy digitises, increasingly sophisticated digital tools are developed and operationalised, and the nature of work changes. Alex has a decade of experience in strategic reputation and crisis management, and prior to joining the private sector worked for the New Zealand government on matters of national security.

Sarah Pearson is the Innovation Lead and Deputy Director-General Innovation of the Department of State Development, Tourism and Innovation in Queensland. Sarah is a leader with global experience and skills in building innovation ecosystems. Prior to taking the lead position in Queensland’s innovation, her roles include Chief Scientist and Chief Innovation Officer at the Commonwealth Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Founding CEO of the CBR Innovation Network, PVC Innovation at the University of Newcastle, CEO of ANU Enterprise, management consulting with McKinsey & Co in Sydney, tenured Physics academic at UNE, and global head of Open Innovation at Cadbury plc in Reading UK. Her strategic, research, and innovation skills have also been applied to board positions spanning government, venture capital, tech companies and social impact entities. She holds a Doctorate in Philosophy and is the author on eight international patents, for cancer diagnosis and novel confectionary.

Jared Mondschein is a Senior Advisor at the US Studies Centre. He works across all three United States Studies Centre research programs: Foreign Policy and Defence, Trade and Investment, and Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Jared's analysis has appeared in outlets including ABC, BBC, CNN, Foreign Policy, MSNBC, and Sky News as well as across major Australian mastheads. Previously, Jared was a Research Analyst at Bloomberg BNA in Washington, DC, where he focused on cross-border tax issues. Prior to joining Bloomberg BNA, Jared was a Research Associate in the Asia Studies program of the Council on Foreign Relations, an editorial assistant at Foreign Policy magazine, and an assistant editor at a policy journal in Beijing.

Dr John Lee is an adjunct professor and non-resident senior fellow at the United States Studies Centre. He is also a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute in Washington DC. From 2016-2018, he was senior adviser to the Australian Foreign Minister, the lead ministerial adviser for the 2017 Foreign Policy White Paper, and her principal adviser on Indo-Pacific strategic affairs in the lead-up to the reinstitution of the Quad in 2017. 

Professor Simon Jackman commenced as CEO of the US Studies Centre in April 2016. Between 1996 and 2016, he was a Professor of Political Science and Statistics at Stanford University. Jackman's teaching and research centres on public opinion, election campaigns, political participation, and electoral systems with special emphasis on American and Australian politics.

Dr Charles Edel is Senior Fellow at the US Studies Centre. Previously, he was Associate Professor of Strategy and Policy at the US Naval War College, and served on the US Secretary of State’s Policy Planning Staff from 2015-2017. In that role, he advised Secretary of State John Kerry on political and security issues in the Asia-Pacific region. He is the co-author of The Lessons of Tragedy: Statecraft and World Order (2019) and author of Nation Builder: John Quincy Adams and the Grand Strategy of the Republic (2014).

Dr John Lee is an adjunct professor and non-resident senior fellow at the US Studies Centre. He is also a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute in Washington DC. From 2016-2018, he was senior adviser to the Australian Foreign Minister, the lead ministerial adviser for the 2017 Foreign Policy White Paper, and her principal adviser on Indo-Pacific strategic affairs in the lead-up to the reinstitution of the Quad in 2017. 

• The Hon. John Howard OM AC – Prime Minister of Australia 1996 - 2007
• The Hon. Arthur Sinodinos AO – current Australian Ambassador to the United States
• The Hon. Joe Hockey –  President and Founding Partner of Bondi Partners; former Australian Ambassador to the United States; former Federal Treasurer
• Robert Zoellick – Senior Counselor at Brunswick Group; former US Trade Representative; former US Deputy Secretary of State; former President of the World Bank 
• Wendy Cutler – Vice President and Managing Director of the Asia Society Policy Institute; former US Deputy Trade Representative 
• Michael Thawley AO –  Vice Chairman, Capital Group International; former Australian Ambassador to the United States; former Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and senior public servant 

The event also featured special video messages from Prime Minister Scott Morrison and US Ambassador to Australia A.B. Culvahouse Jr.

Brendan Thomas-Noone is a Research Fellow in the Foreign Policy and Defence Program at the United States Studies Centre where he works on national security and technology issues, US defence and foreign policy and Indo-Pacific security. A frequent media contributor, Brendan’s research has appeared in national and international newspapers including The Economist, the Australian Financial Review and The Washington Post. 

Matilda Steward is Research Associate in the Foreign Policy and Defence Program and tutor in US and Australian politics at the United States Studies Centre. Previously, Matilda was a Research Assistant in Sydney University’s Department of Government and International Relations, where she worked on a longitudinal study tracking foreign perceptions of the United States. She completed a semester-long exchange at Georgetown University in Washington DC during her final year of undergraduate study.

Jeffrey Wilson is the Research Director at the Perth USAsia Centre. He provides leadership and strategic direction in developing the Centre’s research program across its publications, policy and dialogue activities. Dr Wilson specialises in the regional economic integration of the Indo-Pacific. He has particular expertise in the politics of trade agreements, regional economic institutions, and Australia’s economic ties with Asia. He has been featured in local and international media outlets, contributed to a range of track two dialogues between Australia and key regional partners, and supported policy development through consultancy, publication and advisory work.

Ashley Townshend is Director of Foreign Policy and Defence at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney, where he works on strategic affairs with a focus on the Indo-Pacific region. Ashley is also founding convenor and co-chair of the US-Australia Indo-Pacific Deterrence Dialogue and a lecturer in the Centre’s postgraduate program. A frequent contributor to the Australian and international media, Ashley’s analysis has appeared in outlets such as the Financial Times, CNN, the Australian Financial Review, Bloomberg, ABC, and Sky News.

Dr Lynn Kuok is Shangri-La Dialogue Senior Fellow for Asia-Pacific Security at the International Institute for Strategic Studies with a focus on international relations, security and law of the Indo-Pacific, particularly the South China Sea dispute. Dr Kuok is also Senior Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge. She is a former Brookings expert and has held multiple fellowships including at Yale Law School, Harvard Law School, the Harvard Kennedy School and the Center for Strategic and International Studies. She sits on the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Geopolitics.

Dr Lavina Lee is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Modern History, Politics and International Relations at Macquarie University, Sydney. She is the author of the book US Hegemony and International Legitimacy: Norms Power and Followership in the Wars on Iraq (Routledge, 2010), and has published numerous articles, book chapters and commentary on Indian foreign and security policy, nuclear proliferation, US foreign policy, and security relations in the Indo-Pacific. She is also the author of the recently published report, Assessing the Quad: Prospects and Limitations of Quadrilateral Cooperation for Advancing Australia’s Interests.

Kim Hoggard is a Non-Resident Fellow at the United States Studies Centre. She worked for two US presidents on policies related to domestic, economic and international affairs, serving as White House Assistant Press Secretary for President Ronald Reagan, as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Treasury for Public Affairs during the second term of the Reagan administration, and as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs for President George HW Bush. 

Professor Simon Jackman commenced as Chief Executive Officer of the United States Studies Centre in April 2016. Jackman’s research has appeared in the leading journals of political science, in a publishing career spanning thirty years. Between 1996 and 2016, he was a Professor of Political Science and Statistics at Stanford University. Jackman served as one of the Principal Investigators of the American National Election Studies, the world’s longest-running and most authoritative survey of political behaviour and attitudes, directing this project over both the 2012 and 2016 presidential election cycles. 

Zoe Daniel was the ABC’s US bureau chief in Washington from December 2015 until December 2019. She was the ABC's South East Asia correspondent from 2009 - 2013 and Africa correspondent from 2005 until 2007. Zoe co-hosted the international news program The World on News 24 and Australia Plus. Zoe is the author of Storyteller, which provides a personal insight into her life as a foreign correspondent, as well as juggling a family.

Ashley Townshend is Director of Foreign Policy and Defence at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney, where he works on strategic affairs with a focus on the Indo-Pacific region. Ashley is also founding convenor and co-chair of the US-Australia Indo-Pacific Deterrence Dialogue and a lecturer in the Centre’s postgraduate program. A frequent contributor to the Australian and international media, Ashley’s analysis has appeared in outlets such as the Financial Times, CNN, the Australian Financial Review, Bloomberg, ABC, and Sky News.

Lesley Seebeck is a Professor of Practice in Cyber Security and CEO of the Cyber Institute, Australian National University. She started as the CEO of the Institute in July 2018. Most recently, she was Chief Investment and Advisory Officer at the Digital Transformation Agency, arriving there from the Bureau of Meteorology where she served as Chief Information Officer from mid 2014 to late 2017.  She was recognised as Federal Government CIO of the Year in 2017 and in February 2019 she was appointed to the Naval Shipbuilding Advisory Board.

Brendan Thomas-Noone is a Research Fellow in the Foreign Policy and Defence Program at the United States Studies Centre where he works on national security and technology issues, US defence and foreign policy and Indo-Pacific security. A frequent media contributor, Brendan’s research has appeared in national and international newspapers including The Economist, the Australian Financial Review and The Washington Post. 

Dr John Lee is an adjunct professor and non-resident senior fellow at the US Studies Centre. He is also a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute in Washington DC. From 2016-2018, he was senior adviser to the Australian Foreign Minister, the lead ministerial adviser for the 2017 Foreign Policy White Paper, and her principal adviser on Indo-Pacific strategic affairs in the lead-up to the reinstitution of the Quad in 2017. 

Dr Lavina Lee is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Modern History, Politics and International Relations at Macquarie University, Sydney. She is the author of the book US Hegemony and International Legitimacy: Norms Power and Followership in the Wars on Iraq(Routledge, 2010), and has published numerous articles, book chapters and commentary on Indian foreign and security policy, nuclear proliferation, US foreign policy, and security relations in the Indo-Pacific.

Dr Charles Edel is Senior Fellow at the US Studies Centre. Previously, he was Associate Professor of Strategy and Policy at the US Naval War College, and served on the US Secretary of State’s Policy Planning Staff from 2015-2017. In that role, he advised Secretary of State John Kerry on political and security issues in the Asia-Pacific region. He is the co-author of The Lessons of Tragedy: Statecraft and World Order (2019) and author of Nation Builder: John Quincy Adams and the Grand Strategy of the Republic (2014).

Philip Campbell is a Cognitive Scientist and CEO of enigmaFIT as well as an AmCham Governor. Phillip has 25 years of corporate experience in developing and optimising executives’ Brain Efficiency using the brain’s inherent neuroplasticity. This significantly enhances their Adaptability, Leadership Agility, Strategic Thinking, Innovative Thinking and more - crucial attributes for leading in the COVID-19 era.

Alex Young is the co-founder and CEO of “awe”, a self-service platform that creates augmented and virtual reality with no app downloads.  She has over 12 years of augmented reality research and development experience and speaks regularly on AR, VR and crafting compelling user experiences in these mediums and both the challenges & opportunities these and other emerging technologies present. She is a passionate advocate of using technology for good in education and training and exploring new ways of engaging learners in these mediums.

Stephen Kirchner is Program Director Trade and Investment, United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney. He is also a senior fellow at the Fraser Institute in Canada. Previously, he was an economist with the Australian Financial Markets Association, where he worked on public policy issues relating to the efficient and effective functioning of Australian financial markets and Australia’s position as a regional and international financial centre.

Peter Harrell is an Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Center for a New American Security, where he focuses on the intersection of economics and national security. From 2012-2014, Mr Harrell served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Counter Threat Finance and Sanctions in the State Department’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs. In that role, Harrell was instrumental in developing the international sanctions against Iran, Russia and Syria and in the easing of sanctions against Myanmar.

Ashley Feng is a Research Associate for the Energy, Economics and Security Program at the Center for a New American Security. Her research focus includes US-China trade relations, China’s economic policies and China’s global economic footprint. Her work and commentary have appeared in NPR, CNBC, Foreign Policy, Fortune, Scientific American and The National Interest.

Dr John Lee is a Senior Fellow (non-resident) at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney. He is also a Senior Fellow (non-resident) at the Hudson Institute in Washington DC. From 2016-2018, he was senior adviser to Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.

Dr Charles Edel is a Senior Fellow and Visiting Scholar at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney. Prior to this appointment, he was Associate Professor of Strategy and Policy at the US Naval War College, and served on the US Secretary of State’s Policy Planning Staff from 2015-2017. He is the co-author of The Lessons of Tragedy: Statecraft and World Order (2019).

Dr Gorana Grgic is a jointly appointed Lecturer at the Department of Government and International Relations and the United States Studies Centre. Her research interests include transatlantic relations, US alliances, conflict resolution and democratisation. She is the author of Ethnic Conflict in Asymmetric Federations (Routledge 2017).

Adam Kamradt-Scott is an associate professor in global health security and international relations at the University of Sydney. His research and teaching explores how governments and multilateral organisations cooperate and interact when adverse health events such as disease outbreaks, epidemics and pandemics occur, as well as how they respond to emerging health and security challenges.

Charges of racism have dogged Donald Trump's presidency. Republican members of Congress have also been accused of cowardice in not supporting these criticisms of the president, of abandoning the best traditions of the Grand Old Party in favour of populism, nativism and racism.  

To discuss these recent developments in American politics — and how they will figure in the 2020 campaign — the United States Studies Centre hosted Mia Love, the first black Republican woman to be elected to the US Congress. She was joined in conversation by the ABC’s US politics analyst and presenter of Planet America John Barron and United States Studies Centre CEO Professor Simon Jackman for a discussion on attitudes to race and immigration in the United States and Australia, and the future of the Republican Party.