Centre News and Announcements

The Hon Kim Beazley AC steps down as Chair, and Stephen Smith announced as incoming Chair

March 2025

As the Hon Kim Beazley AC steps down as Chair of the Perth USAsia Centre Board, we extend our sincere thanks for his exceptional leadership and service. 

Throughout his tenure, Kim brought deep strategic insight, integrity, and a lifelong commitment to strengthening Australia’s engagement with the Indo-Pacific. His guidance has been instrumental in shaping the Centre’s direction and impact.  He will be greatly missed. 

His distinguished public service —encompassing Federal politics, diplomacy and academia, including roles as Deputy Prime Minister, Leader of the Australian Labor Party, Australia’s Ambassador to the United States, and the 33rd Governor of Western Australia—demonstrates his enduring contribution to Australia’s engagement on the global stage. We are deeply grateful for the insight and perspective he has shared. 

We are pleased to welcome Stephen Smith as the incoming Chair of the Perth USAsia Centre. He brings more than two decades of Parliamentary experience, having served as Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister for Trade and Minister for Defence over the period 2007-2013.  Most recently he was Co-Lead of the Australian Government’s Defence Strategic Review, and served as Australia’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from January 2023 to December 2025. 

He was a Professor of Public International Law at the University of Western Australia and a member of the Board of the Perth USAsia Centre 2014-2022. 

We look forward to again working with Stephen as we continue to deepen understanding of Australia’s role in the Indo-Pacific. 

Thank you, Kim, and a warm welcome to Stephen.