The Council for the National Interest (CNI) was formed by a number of quite eminent Australians in the mid 1980s with an initial focus on defence and foreign policy issues. In the early 1990s, CNI broadened its focus to encompass the whole range of economic, social and political issues vital to the national interest.

Today the CNI is established in all mainland Capital Cities. In Western Australia the structure is an executive committee and members, conveniently called branch members. The long term objective is to designate these members as assigned to a branch in each Federal electorate in Western Australia. In the interim a number of members meet in regular discussion groups formulating policy discussion papers and developing lobbying campaigns for consideration by the executive committee.

It is important to note that CNI is non-party political and has no affiliation with any political party. CNI is equally comfortable lobbying the Government of the day (both State and Federal), the Opposition, Minor Parties and Independents.

The Objective is pursued through public education and political and media lobbying. In recent times in Western Australia, CNI has mounted major public meetings on “Who Governs Australia?”, “Australia 2000 and Beyond” and seminar/workshops on GST, Law and Order, Defence, Indonesia, Coastwatch, Immigration etc. Major submissions to Government and or the Parliament have included “Re-building Australia – a Start”, “Towards Full Employment”, “Whither Australia? or Wither Australia”, “The Treaty Making Process”, “National Competition Policy”, “Law and Order”, “Drug Policy”, “The International Criminal Court”, “The Family Does Matter” and “The Crisis Facing Australia”.

July 31, 2002