This year's Military Ethics Symposium was held at the University of New South Wales' Kensington Campus. Co-hosted by both the University of New South Wales and the Australian Army's 8th Brigade, the symposium explored the contemporary ethical challenges in warfare, including autonomous weapons systems, international humanitarian law, military training and force mobilisation.

You can view all the presentations and panel discussions from this year's symposium below.

Welcome Remarks

Professor Attila Brungs
Vice Chancellor - University of New South Wales

Keynote Address - Military Ethics in Application

Brigadier (Retd) Professor Ian Langford

Short Paper: Ethics for wargaming and wargaming for ethics

Ms Jenna Allen

Panel: The ethics of emerging technologies

Ass. Prof. Srinjoy Bose, PhD
Dr Neil Renic, PhD
Dr Sue Keay, PhD

Panel: Ethical considerations in the training environment

COL Tracy Allison CSC
COL Gerard Kearns CSC
CMDR Peter Chapman CSM
LTCOL Conrad Walsh
WO1 Virginia Morris OAM

Closing address

BRIG Arran Hassell CSC

Further Reading 

The following resources are intended to enhance engagement with the subjects discussed in the Symposium series:

Video:
The Chief of Army on the State of the Army Profession:
https://www.army.gov.au/news-and-events/speeches-and-transcripts/2024-09-12/chief-army-symposium-keynote-speech-human-face-battle-state-army-profession 

Publication:
Australian Defence Force Philosophical Doctrine: Military Ethics:
https://theforge.defence.gov.au/sites/default/files/2021-12/ADF-P-0%20Military%20Ethics%20Ed%201_0.pdf 

Blog:
MAJGEN (Ret'd) Mick Ryan AM on the future of war:
https://mickryan.substack.com/s/the-future-of-war 

Podcast:
Professor Peter Roberts interviewing Professor Beatrice Heuser 'Just War Theory and Not Just War':
https://rusi.org/podcasts/western-way-of-war/episode-41-just-war-theory-and-not-just-war 

Article:
Prof. Cian O'Driscoll, 'No substitute for victory? Why just war theory can't win':
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1354066119864706 

Article:
AIRCDRE Jo Brick on Remote Operations:
https://cove.army.gov.au/article/kill-enemy-and-dont-forget-buy-milk-way-home-preparing-ethical-challenges-remote-operations-forever-wars 

Podcast/Post:
Dr Lauren Sanders CSC and COL Damian Copeland on Autonomous Weapons Reviews:
https://internationalweaponsreview.com/legal-reviews-of-weapons/ 

Podcast:
Dr Zena Assaad and COL Damian Copeland 'Ethical and legal considerations of emerging military technology' (episode 10):
https://cove.army.gov.au/article/adapting-army-cove-podcast-series 

Article:
Dr S. Kate Devitt, Jason Schulz, Timo Schless, Larry Lewis, 'Developing a trusted human-AI network for humanitarian benefit'
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1057/s42984-023-00063-y

Podcast:
COL Jake Penley CSM on Long Range Fires:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3hMwWhxls9yhAVbuRL4bgl?si=ecb2517ca8b54c5e 

Press Release:
Meeting Coverage of the UN General Assembly 'Outer Space Should Never Be an Arena for Militarization'
https://press.un.org/en/2024/ga12597.doc.htm