8 Brigade’s Military Ethics Symposium
Image: Joanna Jarose (PhD Candidate) and Professor Dale Stephens.
On the 8 and 9 July 2025, the Defence and Security Institute collaborated with the Australian Army’s 8 Brigade to host a Military Ethics Symposium.
The Military Ethics Symposium series brings together members of the Defence force, defence industry, legal practitioners, academics and students to discuss poignant legal and ethics issues encountered in the defence domain.
The special focus of the Adelaide symposium was a spotlight on the University of Adelaide’s Research Unit on Military Law and Ethics (RUMLAE). The DSI team worked closely with RUMLAE Director Professor Dale Stephens and Army Chaplain Jessica Grant of the 8th Brigade to produce and deliver a two-day event held at the National Wine Centre.
The event was opened by a warm NAIDOC Week Welcome to Country delivered by Kaurna man Robert Taylor and his daughter. University of Adelaide Provost Professor John Williams introduced the symposium with eloquent opening remarks.
The symposium hosted a diverse range of experts from Defence and academia who spoke on:
- Military law and ethics (RUMLAE, Professor Dale Stephens CSM FAAL and Joanna Jarose)
- Ethical considerations on targeting (WGCDR Janine Fetchik CSC and LTCOL Tennille Marsh)
- Collaborating with Defence in to listen to and learn from Pacific stories (Professor Joanne Wallis and Maima Koro)
- The ethics of military force withdrawal (MAJ Scott Adams)
- The ethics of defence procurement (Dr Colette Langos)
- Article 36 Reviews in Contemporary Conflict (Dr Damian Copeland)
We concluded with a resonating closing session on the ethics and decision making from Commander 8th Brigade BRIG Arran Hassel CSC.
The symposium enabled experts and students to engage in valuable interdisciplinary dialogue that grounded many military law and ethical debates in real world situations faced by those employed by the Australian Defence Force. It highlighted how important these discussions are for the future and safety of ADF personnel and the security of the nation.
Planning is currently underway for the possibility of a future Adelaide Symposium next year.