In the Media | February 2023

"...the announcement was a positive sign about the strength of the bilateral defence relationship, which stood in contrast to Indonesia’s concerns that AUKUS will undermine the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Indonesia’s military was far less worried about AUKUS than the country’s Foreign Ministry, “and I think that privately and quietly they recognise why Australia feels it needs to go down this path”.
- Asia Society Australia executive director for policy Richard Maude on the Australia-Indonesia legally binding defence treaty in The Australian.

"improving our economic presence in Southeast Asia is not just about ensuring Australia does not miss economic opportunities, but “goes to our weight in the region”. Other countries are many, many times more visible commercially on the ground and many times more important to Southeast Asian countries than Australia is."
- Asia Society Australia executive director for policy Richard Maude on the mission of Southeast Asia Special Envoy, Nicholas Moore, in The Australian.

“Richard’s life was rich and long. His contribution to Australian government and public life, in particular his life-long work to build Australia’s relations with Asia, was remarkable. Richard was distinctively Australian, and wanted Australia to be distinctive and independent in its own engagement of Asia. As we remember Richard, we look forward to continuing the nationally-important work he started — to help prepare Australia for deeper and sustainable engagement with a more complex Asia.”
- Asia Society Australia Board Chairman Stuart Fuller and Acting CEO Thomas Soem on the passing of Richard Woolcott AC, in The Mandarin.