Who is ASPI?

• ASPI is an independent, non-partisan policy institute. It has been set up by the government to provide fresh ideas on Australia's defence and strategic policy choices.
• ASPI is charged with the task of informing the public on strategic and defence issues, generating new ideas for government, and fostering strategic expertise in Australia
• It aims to help Australians understand the critical strategic choices which our country will face over the coming years, and will help government make better-informed decisions.

History of ASPI

• The Howard Government was keen to promote contestability in policy advice. While it already existed in many sectors, Ministers were concerned that alternative policy advice was less easily found for defence and security issues.
• The Government agreed to establish a small government owned but independent and non-partisan organisation to make independent inputs into defence policy development.
• In 2000 Ministers agreed that ASPI would be established as:

• A company limited by guarantee under the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997 (CAC Act), wholly owned by the Commonwealth;
• It would be funded for between $2.1 and $3.0 million for the first seven years of operation from within the budget of the Department of Defence;
• It would be governed by a board of distinguished Australians; 
• It would be non-partisan with two of the board members being the personal nominees of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition;
• The Secretaries of the Departments of Defence and Foreign Affairs and Trade would serve on the board ex-officio.

• In mid 2001 Ministers appointed the first ASPI board (the Council). 
• The Prime Minister also advised that the remuneration for Directors and the CEO would be determined by the Remuneration Tribunal. 
• These steps were completed and ASPI was incorporated as a company on 22 August 2001.
• The Council met for the first time on 29 August 2001.  They considered a number of issues relating to the establishment of the Institute, how it would operate and, based on an earlier executive search, agreed to appoint Hugh White as CEO (the Director).
• In considering how the Institute might operate, Ministers envisaged that:

• The Institute would maintain a very small permanent staff, and would rely primarily on short-term contracts, secondments and similar arrangements for research work;
• The CEO (Director) would be responsible for much of the day to day running of the Institute, and would need to be a figure of significant standing;
• The Institute would not publish views in its own name, but provide a forum for the publication of the views of the authors of its publications;
• That in addition to a program of research and publication, and the provision of specific work commissioned by Government, the Institute would sponsor and organise a range of activities including lectures, seminars discussions and other events to encourage public discussion and the development of strategic policy perspectives; and
• The Institute would build a program of visits by prominent international strategic thinkers.

• While the Commonwealth provides the majority of our funding, since 2004 the Institute has endeavoured to develop new funding streams to enable ASPI to sustain and develop its program of work. Sources of additional funding include:

• Income earned for commissioned research projects;
• sponsorship of major events;
• and by accepting limited advertising in the Australian Defence Almanac;
• attendance fees at public events; and
• a membership scheme.