The National Security College at the Australian National University (ANU) will lead a whole-of-nation consultation on Australians’ views on national security and the major challenges we face in the 21st century.

The program was announced at ‘Securing our future’, a National Security Conference held at the ANU National Security College (NSC) this week.

Experts and affiliates from the NSC will “go on the road” as part of the national process of community consultation on security priorities and issues.

“We want to help generate a clearer understanding of what Australians think when they think about national security,” NSC Head Professor Rory Medcalf AM said at the conference.

“And we will synthesise and frame that knowledge to help government and parliament as they consider policy choices into the future.”

Professor Medcalf said the first-of-its-kind program – Community Consultations on Australia’s National Security – will invite submissions from individuals and organisations.

The program will include in-person and virtual meetings and interviews around the county, and use ANUpoll to analyse quantitative surveys of public attitudes on national security issues.

“This won’t just be a perfunctory foray out of the Canberra bubble and into such other bubbles as corporate boardrooms, think tanks, and universities in metropolitan centres,” Professor Medcalf said.

“Our team will hold consultations in a cross-section of locations spanning remote, rural, and suburban Australia, as well as secondary cities.

“We will seek to comprehend the diversity of perspectives in today’s Australia, identifying the risks or realities of fragmentation as well as opportunities for convergence.”

“And at the end, in 2025, we will prepare and publish a report as an independent resource for governments and parliaments alike.

“It will be the sort of resource that would be useful for a nation considering an integrated strategy for its interests and future security in this era of global uncertainty and risk.”