About

Colonel Michael Kelly AM is a former Australian Army officer, lawyer and federal parliamentarian whose career has been defined by distinguished service in both the military and public life. During his 20 years in the Australian Army, he served in Somalia, Bosnia, East Timor and Iraq, rising to the rank of Colonel and Director of Army Legal Services. His leadership in international peacekeeping and military law earned him appointment as a Member of the Order of Australia. After retiring from the Army in 2007, Colonel Kelly served two terms as the Labor Member for the Division of Eden–Monaro, holding several ministerial and parliamentary secretary positions, including Minister for Defence Materiel. A respected authority on defence, international law and peacekeeping, he is also the author of influential works on military and legal policy. In addition,  Kelly provided technology support to Australian security agencies for four years after leaving parliament. A longstanding supporter of Israel and the Australian Jewish community, Colonel Michael Kelly has been a consistent advocate for combating antisemitism and strengthening Australia–Israel relations.

Drawing on his distinguished career as a former Army Colonel, military lawyer and federal Defence Minister, he speaks publicly about the complex legal, strategic and political issues arising from the conflict in the Middle East. While Kelly's talks normally explore the legal standards underpinning allegations of genocide under international law, the strategic implications of the Israel–Iran conflict for Australia's national security and defence policy, and the importance of Australia's relationship with Israel, this discussion will examine what the Bondi atrocity reveals about our national security deficit, the characteristics of contemporary antisemitism and the information warfare that underpins this.

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