American Australian Assoc.

More than a century of mateship. One night to honour it. We hosted our second annual Spirit of the Alliance Dinner at the Australian War Memorial on Wednesday, celebrating the courage and sacrifice that binds Australia and the US, and funding the next generation of veteran scholars.

On Wednesday, we hosted the second annual Spirit of the Alliance Dinner at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra coinciding with the 84th anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea.   In an unlikely selfie emblematic of the convening power of the evening: Admiral Samuel Paparo, Commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command; the Hon Steven Marshall AO, our Association’s President; and Kazuhiro SUZUKI, Japan’s Ambassador to Australia. @embassyofjapaninaustralia 

We were privileged to be joined by our Patron of Australian Veterans, Air Marshal Stephen Chappell DSC CSC OAM, Chief of Air Force, @ausairforce and our Patron of American Veterans, Erika Olson, Chargé d’Affaires at @usembassyaustralia Their presence and leadership made the evening all the more meaningful.   The evening was also shaped by the voices of our veteran scholars, Megan Brown & Joe West, whose stories reminded every person in the room exactly why this work matters.   The night was brought to life by the extraordinary John Schumann AM and the Vagabond Crew, one of Australia’s most beloved songwriters and a tireless champion of the veteran community. @john.schumann.90   None of it would have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors. Thank you to our Reception Sponsor @santos_ltd and our Presenting Sponsors @lendlease and @boeing whose commitment to this Alliance and to our veterans is unwavering.   Funds raised on the night go towards our Veterans’ Fund, which has awarded AU $4.5 million to 79 American and Australian veterans pursuing postgraduate study in each other’s countries since 2017. It is one of the most tangible expressions of what this Alliance stands for.

Love the American🇺🇸 Australian 🇦🇺 Association offices in NYC 🍎 and so appreciative of their support pouring Hugh Hamilton Wines🍷 #hughhamiltonwines #_aaausa

Victoria’s global stage is getting bigger, and the NFL is now part of the story. With the first-ever NFL regular season game in Australia set for the MCG this September, leaders from across sport, business, and investment gathered at The Murdoch Center to explore what this moment means for Victoria and the broader Australia–U.S. relationship. The conversation featured Brett Stevens, Victoria’s Commissioner to the Americas, and NFL legend @tiki.barber , in discussion with The Hon. @steven_marshallmp , examining how the game will showcase Victoria on a global stage, not only as a sporting destination, but as a hub for innovation, investment, and industry. Thank you to Commissioner Stevens for his opening remarks and leadership in bringing this initiative forward, and to Tiki Barber for sharing his perspective as both an athlete and commentator on the global reach of the game.

Last Friday, we co-hosted the ANZAC Day Commemorative Service @trinitychurchnyc & Veterans’ Lunch @ciprianievents with the @ausconsulateny . Ahead of the day itself, the programming served as an opportunity to pause, remember, and reflect on the courage and sacrifice of Australian, New Zealand, and American servicemen and women. Our Arts Scholar, @jade.park_sydney (Class of 2025) studying at @juilliardschool opened the proceedings followed by welcome remarks from The @steven_marshallmp and Consul-General Heather Ridout AO. The 2026 Veteran Scholar Remarks were delivered by Captain Adam Leslie (Class of 2021). Leslie, now CEO at Levenhall, combined his military service with his extensive strategic policy background to drive home the necessity of the American Australian Association. For our 2026 Keynote Address, Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AO RAN, Chief of Navy, Royal Australian Navy reflected on the ANZAC both historically and the alliance between the United States and Australia. Thank you to all our sponsors who made the day possible. A special thank you is given to Our Guardians of Anzac Day: Fox Corporation, @newscorpaus , @qantas , Bain Capital, Glenfarne Group, LFG Lowy Family, Stonepeak. We are extremely grateful to our Diggers of Lone Pine: @cslbiotechnology , @goldmansachs , Kayne Anderson, Kyndryl, Samantha Schoen, @alaskaair @hawaiianairlines , Sullivan & Cromwell. Our deepest appreciation is extended to our Patrons: Moelis, Sarah and Peter Beshar, @westpac , @blackstone , @inside_bhp , @commbank , @dow_official Thank you to @trinitychurchnyc for delivering a beautiful service and @Cipriani for the incredible space we were able to use for this monumental occasion. To all attended and commemorated, lest we forget

Last night, we enjoyed a wonderful discussion with 2025 Beverley Art Writers Travel Grant recipient Annabel Keenan (@annabelfkeenan ). She shared insights from her recent trip to Australia, where she researched how artists, curators, and arts organizations implement environmentally sustainable operations in their practices. Huge thanks to Aruna D’Souza (@invisible.flaneuse ) for leading the conversation and sharing her own expertise as a former grant recipient. Thank you to the American Australian Association (@_aaausa ) for hosting and continuing to foster this essential cultural exchange. The Beverley Grant continues to bridge the gap between our creative communities, one story at a time.

ANZAC Day Commemorative Service 2026 🌺 This morning, we gathered to honour the courage, mateship, and resilience shown by the ANZACs at Gallipoli and, as we heard from HE Mr James Larsen, Australia's Ambassador to the UN (@australiaun ), to reflect on the enduring legacy of their sacrifice. Thank you to all service personnel and the Australian community for joining us. We were pleased to be joined by Chief of the Royal Australian Navy Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AO RAN, former Prime Minister and most recent Ambassador to the US the Hon Dr Kevin Rudd AC (@mrkrudd ), former Prime Minister the Hon Malcolm Turnbull AC (@turnbullmalcolm ), and former Lord Mayor of Sydney Mrs Lucy Turnbull AO. We were also pleased to welcome our international friends and partners including New Zealand Consul-General and Trade Commissioner Sarah Mason-Banks and former U.S. Ambassador to Australia, Caroline Kennedy. Thank you to our co-host @_aaausa , the wonderful team at @trinitychurchnyc and to the Cadets of the U.S. Military Academy West Point (@westpoint_usma ) for helping us deliver such a beautiful service. And to the performers Richard Tognetti and Satu Vänskä of the @australianchamberorchestra and the felt poppies by @cj_hendry for making it even more special ❤️

From the service at Trinity Church through to the afternoon commemoration, today was a moment to pause, reflect, and honor the ANZACs. Thank you to our co-hosts @ausconsulateny & thank you to everyone who attended and stood with us in remembrance and unity. Lest we forget.

There are few people who have shaped modern creativity quite like David Droga — and last night, we had the privilege of hearing from him firsthand at our third Leaders' Circle at the Murdoch Centre. The most-awarded creative in Cannes Lions history and youngest-ever recipient of the Lion of St. Mark, David joined Steven Marshall AO for a candid conversation on building @droga5 from the ground up, leading Accenture Song into a new era, and what creativity really means in an AI-driven world. As generous as he was captivating — thank you to David, Steven, and everyone who joined us for a truly special evening.

Congratulations and thank you to The Honourable Dr Kevin Rudd AC @mrkrudd on his outstanding service as Australia’s Ambassador to the United States. As he concludes his term today, we want to recognise the significant contribution he has made over the past three years. A former Prime Minister of Australia, Kevin has brought enormous intellect, energy and discipline to the role. He has been a highly effective, hardworking and widely respected Ambassador during a period of global complexity, helping to further strengthen the Australia–United States relationship at a critical time. At the American Australian Association, we have thoroughly valued our partnership with the Australian Embassy throughout his tenure. Together, we have collaborated on a wide range of events and initiatives across his term — all underpinned by a shared commitment to deepening ties between our two countries. It has been a genuine pleasure to work with Kevin and his team. We wish him every success in his next chapter as he takes on a leadership role with Asia Society here in New York. We look forward to continuing to engage with him in this new capacity.

Fun fact - the sun always shines when @auroraeducationfoundation visits! We had the honour of welcoming the Aurora Education Foundation US Study Tour to the American Australian Association — hosting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander scholars for a session on our postgraduate scholarships and pathways to universities across the United States. Thank you to @steven_marshallmp for leading such an energizing conversation about the opportunities and ties between our two countries. The Graduate Education Indigenous Scholarships supports Indigenous scholars undertaking full-time graduate study — and we're proud to be part of that journey. A big thank you to all the scholars who attended. We've been proud partners with the Aurora Education Foundation since 2018 and can't wait to see what's ahead.

Join us on Thursday, April 30th from 6:00-9:00pm for 'The Science Behind Saving Koalas'! We're thrilled to be hosting Dr. Michael Pyne OAM, Senior Veterinarian at Currumbin Wildlife Hospital, to share insights on the critical work being done to protect Australia's iconic koalas. Ticket proceeds will support their life-saving efforts. Get your tickets now for $20 and be part of making a difference!