About Us

ASPI is an independent, non-partisan think tank that produces expert and timely advice for Australian and global leaders. ASPI generates new ideas for policy makers, allowing them to make better-informed decisions. ASPI is one of the most authoritative and widely quoted contributors to public discussion of strategic policy issues in the Indo-Pacific region and a recognised and authoritative Australian voice in international discussion on strategic, national security, cyber, technology and foreign interference issues.

ASPI was established by the Australian Government in 2001 and is partially funded by the Department of Defence with other sources of revenue including sponsorship, commissioned tasks and event registration fees. Details of our funding sources are available here.

ASPI FundingAnnual ReportCorporate PlanASPI AND FITSSocial Media

The Australian Strategic Policy Institute is a wholly-owned Commonwealth Company formed in 2001 as an independent, non-partisan think tank. ASPI receives funding from Australian and overseas Governments, industry and civil society groups for sponsorship, research and project support.

ASPI remains independent in the content of our research and in all editorial judgements and employs a rigorous internal and external peer review process.

ASPI by the numbers

A detailed breakdown of the sources of ASPI funding.

ASPI Funding: 2023 ~ 2024

ASPI Funding: 2022 ~ 2023

ASPI Funding: 2021 ~ 2022

ASPI Funding: 2020 ~ 2021

ASPI Funding: 2019 ~ 2020

ASPI Defence Funding Agreement

2018 ~ 2023

Letter of Variation for Grant (establishment of US Office – 2021)

Deed of Variation for Grant (extension 2023 – 2024)

Annual Report

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Older versions

ASPI’s annual reports include details of operations, coporate governance and financials.

2022-2023 Annual Report

2021-2022 Annual Report

2020-2021 Annual Report

2019-2020 Annual Report

2018-2019 Annual Report

2017-2018 Annual Report

2016-2017 Annual Report

2015–2016 Annual Report

2014–2015 Annual Report

2013–2014 Annual Report

2012–2013 Annual Report

2011–2012 Annual Report

2010–2011 Annual Report

2009–2010 Annual Report

2008–2009 Annual Report

2007–2008 Annual Report

2006–2007 Annual Report

2005–2006 Annual Report

2004–2005 Annual Report

2003–2004 Annual Report

2002–2003 Annual Report

2001–2002 Annual Report

Corporate Plan

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Older versions

ASPI Corporate plan. 2023-2027

ASPI Corporate plan. 2022-2026

ASPI Corporate plan. 2021-2025

ASPI Corporate Plan 2020~2024

ASPI Corporate Plan 2019~2023

ASPI Corporate Plan 2018~2022

ASPI Corporate Plan 2016~2020

ASPI Corporate Plan 2017~2021

Charter

ASPI Establishing Charter letter

ASPI Audit Committee PGPA Charter

Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme

The Australian Government has introduced the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme to provide the public and government decision-makers with visibility of the nature, level and extent of foreign influence on Australia’s government and political process.

The scheme introduces registration obligations for persons and entities who have arrangements with, and undertake certain activities on behalf of, foreign principals. Whether a person or entity is required to register will depend on who the foreign principal is, the nature of the activities undertaken, the purpose for which the activities are undertaken, and in some cases, whether the person has held a senior public position in Australia.

ASPI and the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme

  • ASPI will register projects under the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme as necessary.
  • The scheme is a valuable way for organisations and individuals to provide public information about their work sponsored by foreign principals as set out in the Act.
  • ASPI provides high levels of transparency about its funding sources and relationships in its Annual Reports, which are tabled annually in the Australian Parliament and meet the reporting requirements of the Commonwealth’s Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act, which also governs Commonwealth departments and agencies.
  • The Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme complements ASPI’s existing disclosure and reporting methods.
  • As with all of ASPI’s work, ASPI retains independent control over the content and direction of all foreign funded or sponsored work. This is made clear in the agreements with each principal.
  • This is essential both to comply with ASPI’s Charter, which requires ASPI to provide independent analysis and advice, and to protect ASPI’s reputation for independence in its research and comment.

For more information, please see the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme site.

Social Media Policy

A High Court decision handed down on 8 September 2021 relevant to defamation by third party-publishers, has confirmed that publishers are responsible for defamatory third-party comments posted on their social media accounts.  The High Court’s decision effectively widens the scope of what satisfies the requirement of ‘publication’ under defamation, and specifically who is liable as a ‘publisher’.

The key takeaway being the decision places responsibility on users and organisations who operate social media platforms to monitor public comments or switch comments off. While the laws are under review and may change, ASPI will monitor and moderate comments on our Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn accounts, and disable them when it is not possible to appropriately moderate.