The ADA has long been Australia's only truly independent, genuinely non-partisan and community-based public-interest watchdog organisation concerning strategic security, defence and wider national security issues. We are able to do this because of the support we receive from Australians prepared to back-up their intellectual interest in such matters with actual action as responsible Australian citizens. If you meet that bill, please complete the membership application below.
As a community-based organisation, membership is open to all Australians interested in Australia being strategically and domestically secure — and in furthering informed and effective public debate on national security issues generally.
ADA membership requires only your interest and intellectual commitment.
You do not need prior or current service in our defence force, an intelligence or security agency, the diplomatic service or a law enforcement agency or police service.
The general benefits of ADA membership include:
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keeping abreast of contemporary, informed and long-term focused public debate on strategic security, defence and wider national security issues;
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contributing to the integrity and vibrancy of such debate nationally; and
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actively furthering the long-term public interest by helping us hold to account those in government responsible for Australia's national security.
Your membership is greatly enhanced if you can access the ADA website at www.ada.asn.au and also helped on a day-to-day basis if you follow @austdef on twitter.
Commonly asked questions about the ADA are answered in considerable detail on our frequently-asked-questions pages.
Categories of membership
- ADA Fellow
- An ADA Fellowship is the usual form of membership.
- Your active and committed support enables the ADA to undertake its core research, public education, and public-interest advocacy and oversight services effectively.
- You are able to contribute to the development and review of policy, participate in corporate governance and volunteer for expert panels steering particular activities and public-interest advocacy.
- You can keep abreast of defence and wider national security issues (and contribute to our research and advocacy) through our:
- comprehensive members-only section on the ADA website, including our daily news feed, current affairs summaries, protected discussion forum, other information pages and advocacy style guides;
- specialist study and discussion papers; and
- our respected general publications (principally our electronic bulletin, Defence Brief).
- Your Fellowship subscription is $A100.00 annually from 01 July to 30 June of the following year. Plus, as explained below, an initial pro-rata $A8.50 per extra month until 01 July if joining between 01 January and 30 June.
- ADA Benefactor
- As an ADA Fellow whose generous additional donations earn benefactor status, your support is fundamental to the ADA being able to undertake its full range of activities as an independent and non-partisan think-tank and guardian of the public interest.
- In addition to your Fellowship benefits (above), you can choose to also receive special reports, have priority and complimentary access to ADA advice and consultancy services, and you qualify for discounted advertising rates in our publications.
- Your Benefactor subscription is $A1000.00 upwards per year at your discretion.
- Associate Member
- Associate membership is open to full-time students, social-security and DVA pensioners, and others whose income is quite limited.
- Your support helps us to meet the costs of our public-interest watchdog activities and is much appreciated.
- As per our Constitution you are not eligible to hold office or vote on policy or other matters in referenda or at general meetings.
- You do not normally have access to the members-only discussion and information section of the ADA website.
- You can choose to receive our publications but will receive our electronic bulletin Defence Brief only when other general publications are not available.
- Bonafide enrolled students aged up to 25 who initially join as an Associate Member can also choose to receive Defence Brief, and apply to participate in members-only discussions, while so enrolled.
- Your Associate Membership subscription is $A50.00 annually from 01 July to 30 June of the following year, or $A65.00 if residing outside Australia or New Zealand. Plus, as explained below, an initial pro-rata $A4.00 per extra month until 01 July if joining between 01 January and 30 June.
Membership subscription period
- As a membership-based and not-for-profit public organisation our operations are principally enabled and sustained by the subscriptions and voluntary support of our members across Australia.
- Your annual ADA membership period is for the standard financial year from 01 July to 30 June of the following year.
- If you join us in the last six months of a financial year (between 01 January and 30 June) your initial membership period is up to 18 months so it runs through to 30 June in the year following. This ensures you do not have to pay two full year's worth of subscriptions close together.
- As noted above, if joining after 01 January you need to add pro-rata increments to your initial subscription payment for each month up to 30 June.
Renewal policy
- Your membership renewal invoice for the new financial year will be emailed or posted to you near the end of each financial year or early in the new one.
- As the ADA is a community-based and not-for-profit public interest group entirely dependent on the resources committed by its membership, you are assumed to be renewing your membership unless you formally resign that membership in writing on receipt of your initial renewal notice each year.
- If you resign from the ADA at a later time you incur a pro rata charge for the period elapsed until the written notice of your resignation is received and confirmed by the ADA.
- Lodgement of your membership application registers your acceptance of, and agreement to, these obligations.
Privacy policy
As per our privacy policy your membership details are held in the strictest confidence and will not be passed to a third party without your prior express permission.
Membership enquiries
If you have questions about your membership please ring the ADA national office in Canberra on (02) 6231-4444 or contact subscriptions.