About Us BACKGROUND
The AAMA was founded in 1979 since it was recognised at the time that although Australia is uniquely an island continent with an economy heavily dependent on overseas trade Australians, as a nation, lacked a cohesive maritime outlook.
For most of its history its national maritime requirements, such as sea transport, have been serviced by others. Thus Australia has never developed a true perspective of itself as a maritime nation nor has a maritime psyche ever etched itself on the Australian people.
This is turn has led to inadequate development of national marine policies, unsatisfactory coordination of marine research and technology and poorly coordinated development of maritime resources, both human and material.
OUR ROLE
The role of the AAMA is essentially to generate greater public awareness of maritime affairs. It is not oriented to single industries or interests but provides a focal point for all those with an interest in maritime affairs, especially those people in business, tertiary institutions, the marine professions and the public service who are concerned with any aspect of Australia's maritime affairs.
BOARD
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Chairman
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Richard Griffiths
National Secretary of the Defence Force Welfare Association and a retired naval officer and journalist
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Vice Chairman &
Editor, Australian Maritime Digest
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Ernie Davitt
Communications Consultant
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Treasurer
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R.E. (Ted) Lesh
Internal Audit Consultant
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Members
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Sam Bateman AM RANR
Professor, Centre for Maritime Policy
University of Wollongong
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John Chapman
Marine Engineer/Ship Surveyor, retired
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Dr Richard Kenchington
Consultant
RAC Marine Pty Ltd
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Professor Peter Rimmer
Professor of Human Geography
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Captain Gordon Andrew RAN
Director, Sea Power Centre - Australia
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Philip Burgess
Manager, Government & International Coordination, Maritime Standards Division
Australian Maritime Safety Authority
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Dr Gina Newton
Immediate Past President
Australian Marine Sciences Association
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Michael Julian
Executive Director, Australian Marine Environment Protection Association (AUSMEPA)
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Gregory A. Bondar
Executive Director, ANZSPAC Division
Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology
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Professor Neville Exon
Program Scientist
Australian IODP Office
Research School of Earth Sciences
ANU College of Physical Sciences
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Other positions
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(not Board members)
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Managing Editor
Australian Journal of
Maritime & Ocean Affairs
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Andrew Forbes
Visiting Senior Fellow, ANCORS, University of Wollongong
Research Fellow, CFPS, Dalhousie University
Associate, Corbett Centre for Maritime Policy
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Business Manager
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Jean Davitt
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ADMIN
The AAMA is administered by a Board of Management elected annually from among the membership. It is funded from membership fees and subscriptions to its publications and from specific-purpose grants for activities such as publishing or conferences. A diversified financial base is maintained to ensure the Association's independence.
The Association receives no direct government funding.
The Constitution of the Australian Association for Maritime Affairs may be found here.
DEVELOPMENT
The AAMA takes care to avoid duplication with industry associations or with existing research programs. As well as the roles outlined on other AAMA web pages, the AAMA exists to facilitate existing work and to provide a bridging function between disparate activities in the realm of maritime resources and interests.
AAMA has now become an important forum for, and contributor to, the national debate on maritime issues; it has gained a significant reputation for its work. It continues to move steadily towards achieving a status comparable with leading private research institutions in Britain, the United States and elsewhere overseas.
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