agenda
CAS 2025 will
be held across three historic locations in Canberra over 26-27 August. View the incredible line-up of speakers and panellists below. Please note, topics for the sessions are provisional, and subject for change.
Australian Parliament House
0900 - 1230, Tuesday 26 August
| Time | Topic | Speaker |
| 0900-0910 | CAS 2025 Opening | Master of Ceremonies: Brigadier Michelle Campbell, AM Director General Workforce Integration, Australian Army |
| 0910-0920 | Welcome to Country | |
| 0920-0950 | Opening Address: Army in Society | Lieutenant General Simon Stuart, AO, DSC Chief of the Australian Army |
| 0950-1020 | Keogh Chair Address | Professor Risa Brooks Keogh Chair and Allis Chalmers Associate Professor of Political Science at Marquette University |
| 1030-1100 | Keynote Address | Professor Peter Dean General Sir Francis Hassett Chair of Military Studies, Australian Defence College |
| 1100-1130 | Morning tea break | |
| 1130-1230 | Panel Session: The Modern Army in Society | Moderated by Professor Peter Dean General Sir Francis Hassett Chair of Military Studies, Australian Defence College Lieutenant General Simon Stuart, AO, DSC Chief of the Australian Army Professor Risa Brooks Keogh Chair and Allis Chalmers Associate Professor of Political Science at Marquette University Dr Evan Laksmana Shangri-La Dialogue Senior Fellow and Editor of the Asia-Pacific Regional Security Assessment at the International Institute for Strategic Studies |
Australian War Memorial
1330- 1630, Tuesday 26 August
| Time | Topic | Speaker |
| 1300-1400 | Lunch break | |
| 1400-1445 | The Indo-Pacific Perspective | A Conversation with: Dr Evan Laksmana Shangri-La Dialogue Senior Fellow and Editor of the Asia-Pacific Regional Security Assessment at the International Institute for Strategic Studies Dr Natalie Sambhi Senior Policy Fellow, Asia Society Australia |
| 1445-1530 | The Army, Trust and National Resilience | A Conversation with: LTGEN Peter Leahy, AC (Retd) Director of the National Security Institute, University of Canberra and former Chief of the Australian Army Tony Jones Journalist, Radio & Television Presenter and Writer |
| 1530-1615 | The Army, Society and National Memory | A Conversation with: Matt Anderson, PSM Director of the Australian War Memorial Tony Jones Journalist, Radio & Television Presenter and Writer |
| 1630-1700 | Last Post Ceremony (in-person only) Join us for the Last Post Ceremony held in the Commemorative Courtyard at the Australian War Memorial. The ceremony shares the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour. | |
Online Panel
Tuesday 26 August
| Time | Topic | Speaker |
| 1900-2000 | The Future of Societal / Military Relations | Moderated by Lieutenant General Simon Stuart, AO, DSC Chief of the Australian Army Professor Sir Lawrence Freedman, KCMG Emeritus Professor of War Studies, King’s College London Professor Sir Hew Strachan CVO Professor of International Relations, University of St Andrews |
0900 - 1415, Wednesday 27 August
| Time | Topic | Speaker |
| 0900-0950 | National Resilience in a Time of Crisis | A Conversation with: General Sir Peter Cosgrove, AK, AC, CVO, MC (Retd) Former Governor General of Australia Major General Ana Duncan, AM, CSC Commander of the Australian Army’s Forces Command |
| 0950-1040 | The Army and National Industry | A Conversation with: Matthew Wilson Executive Co-Chair of PentenAmio Dr Carolyn Bull Director of RAND Australia Major General Richard Vagg, DSC Head Land Capability, Australian Army |
| 1040-1110 | Morning tea break | |
| 1110-1200 | The Army, Community and National Defence: Envisaging the Future | A Conversation with Professor Duncan Lewis AO, DSC, CSC Chair of the European Australian Business Council and Chair of the Defence Company Thales Australia Professor Rory Medcalf, AM Head of National Security College, Australian National University |
| 1200-1300 | Lunch break | |
| 1300-1400 | Panel Session: Generations Past, Present and Future | Moderated by Brigadier David McCammon DSM and Bar Ms Alison Frame Secretary of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs Dr Justin Garrick Head of Canberra Grammar School Lieutenant General Simon Stuart, AO, DSC Chief of the Australian Army |
| 1400-1415 | Closing Remarks | Lieutenant General Simon Stuart, AO, DSC Chief of the Australian Army |