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Draft:James Brown (Australian author and veterans' advocate)

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  • Comment: Well done on creating the draft, and it may potentially meet the relevant requirements (including WP:GNG, WP:ANYBIO, WP:AUTHOR) but presently it is not clear that it does.
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    Once you have implemented these suggestions, you may also wish to leave a note for me on my talk page and I would be happy to reassess. As I said, I do think this draft has potential so please do persevere. Cabrils (talk) 22:41, 4 June 2025 (UTC)


James Brown
Personal details
BornNorthern Beaches, New South Wales, Australia
Children2
ResidenceMackerel Beach, New South Wales
Alma mater
Occupation
  • Author
  • Military Officer
  • Industry Executive

James Brown is an Australian author..[1], former Australian Army officer[2], and advocate for veterans’ affairs.[3] He served as president of RSL NSW from 2017 to 2019[4], overseeing governance changes.[5] He is the author of Anzac’s Long Shadow[6]

Early Life and Education

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Brown grew up on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.[7] He attended Pittwater House and Knox Grammar School, subsequently studying economics at the University of Sydney, before joining the Australian Army.[7] Brown later completed a Master’s degree in Strategy and Policy at the University of New South Wales.[8] He has credited his long family ties to the region for his interest in local community issues.[7]

Military Career

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Brown served in the Australian Army for more than a decade, including deployments to Iraq, the Solomon Islands, and Afghanistan.[2][7][1] In Iraq, he commanded a cavalry troop in southern provinces[1], later serving on Australia’s task force headquarters in Baghdad and with coalition special forces in Afghanistan.[2] For his work in operations planning at the Australian Defence Force Headquarters Joint Operations Command, he received a commendation.[7] Brown has stated that a “cult of Anzac” can overshadow the complexities of modern soldiering, an argument he explores in Anzac’s Long Shadow[6][9]. In 2016, he authored Firing Line (Quarterly Essay 62), an analysis of Australia’s decision-making processes for going to war[10], which received critical attention in the Australian Book Review.[11]

Authorship and Public Commentary

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Brown joined the Lowy Institute for International Policy as a research fellow after leaving the Army, focusing on national security and defence.[7] He also held appointments at the United States Studies Centre and the University of Sydney, writing extensively on foreign policy, military affairs, and Asia–Pacific security.[8] His first major book, Anzac’s Long Shadow: The Cost of Our National Obsession, critiques Australia’s approach to military commemoration.[12][13][14] Brown has argued that a disproportionate focus on Anzac traditions can deter public scrutiny of ongoing deployments and overshadow pressing concerns of contemporary veterans.[1]

RSL NSW Presidency (2017–2019)

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In May 2017, Brown was elected president of RSL NSW.[5][2][15] He assumed the role amid allegations of financial misconduct within RSL NSW, prompting government inquiries and organisational reform.[16] Over his tenure, Brown focused on improving governance, restoring trust in the institution, and drawing younger veterans into the league.[3] Media reports described his presidency as part of a generational shift in RSL NSW leadership.[5] He stepped down in 2019 to pursue other leadership opportunities, including greater involvement in veterans’ advocacy.[16]

Veterans’ Advocacy and Invictus Australia

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Brown served as Chairman of the Board of Invictus Australia an organisation that supports veterans through sport and community engagement.[17] Under his leadership, Invictus Australia expanded outreach programs and provided assistance to more than 3,000 veterans nationwide.[17] He was a key proponent of the campaign for a Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, established in July 2021, aimed at addressing the ADF veteran suicide epidemic.[3][18] His advocacy has included mental health support, employment pathways, and social reintegration for returning service members. His work has been referenced in discussions on veterans’ policy.[16]

Space Industry and Public Policy

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Following his RSL service, Brown was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Space Industry Association of Australia (SIAA).[19] He has supported efforts to develop Australia’s sovereign launch capabilities and a national space strategy, stating that government investment plays a key role.[19] Brown has been featured in media discussions on foreign affairs, defence, and veterans’ advocacy.[20]

Politics

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Brown stood as the Australian Liberal Party candidate in the 2025 Australian federal election, but was defeated by the incumbent teal independent MP Dr Sophie Scamps.[21][22]

Personal Life

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Brown was previously married to Daisy Turnbull, the daughter of former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.[2][4][19]

Selected Works

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  • Anzac’s Long Shadow: The Cost of Our National Obsession (2014) – A critical examination of Australia’s Anzac commemoration culture, arguing that it can overshadow the challenges and needs of modern-day soldiers.[6]
  • Firing Line (Quarterly Essay 62) (2016) An analysis of Australia’s decision-making processes for going to war, including the political and strategic factors that shape military engagements.[10]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Dapin, Mark (3 October 2014). "Lunch with James Brown". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2025-02-26.
  2. ^ a b c d e Patrick, Aaron (23 May 2017). "PM's son-in-law, James Brown, elected NSW RSL president". The Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
  3. ^ a b c Rowbotham, Jill (1 August 2019). "How RSL NSW is restoring good governance structures after 2014 fraud scandal". Australian Institute of Company Directors. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
  4. ^ a b Vincent, Michael; Lavoipierre, Angela (24 May 2017). "Malcolm Turnbull's son-in-law James Brown elected president of troubled NSW RSL". ABC News. Retrieved 2025-02-25.
  5. ^ a b c Wroe, David (23 May 2017). "New broom: James Brown elected president of scandal-plagued NSW RSL". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2025-02-26.
  6. ^ a b c Brown, James (2014). Anzac's Long Shadow: The Cost of Our National Obsession. Black Inc Books (published 2014-01-31). ISBN 9781863956390. Retrieved 2025-02-26.
  7. ^ a b c d e f "James Brown". Lowy Institute. Retrieved 2025-02-25.
  8. ^ a b "James Brown - Q+A". Q+A (ABC). Retrieved 2025-02-27.
  9. ^ Brown, James (4 September 2014). "Australia won't 'better mankind' in Iraq if we instinctively reach for our military". The Guardian.
  10. ^ a b Brown, James (10 March 2016). "Firing Line". Quarterly Essay. Retrieved 2025-02-25.
  11. ^ Grainger-Brown, Lucas (25 July 2016). "Lucas Grainger-Brown reviews 'Firing Line: Australia's path to war' (Quarterly Essay 62) by James Brown". Australian Book Review. Retrieved 2025-02-25.
  12. ^ Brett, Judith (April 2014). "James Brown's 'Anzac's Long Shadow'". The Monthly. Retrieved 2025-02-25.
  13. ^ Eldridge, Russell (17 May 2014). "Review :: Anzac's Long Shadow: The cost of our national obsession by James Brown". Traces Magazine. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
  14. ^ Hawkins, Jo (24 February 2014). "The hard sell: has the Anzac industry passed its use-by date?". The Conversation. Retrieved 2025-02-26.
  15. ^ Wroe, David (12 June 2019). "RSL NSW chief charts ups and downs of reforming 'rotten' headquarters". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2025-02-26.
  16. ^ a b c Wroe, David (27 May 2017). "'You got some work ahead of you'. James Brown's fight to repair the RSL". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2025-02-28.
  17. ^ a b "Invictus Australia turns One". Invictus Australia. 2022.
  18. ^ Brown, James (11 June 2019). "ADF Veteran Suicide Epidemic". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
  19. ^ a b c Nally, Jonathan (20 April 2022). "Interview: James Brown, CEO, SIAA". Spatial Source.
  20. ^ Scarr, E (2015). "Changing attitudes to mental illness in the Australian Defence Force: A long way to go..." Parliamentary Library, Australian Parliamentary Fellowship. Submission 404 – Suicide by Veterans and Ex-service Personnel.
  21. ^ Bradley, Julia (10 November 2024). "Liberal Party chooses ex-RSL NSW president James Brown to run against Sophie Scamps in Mackellar in next federal election". Sky News Australia.
  22. ^ Observer, Manly (2025-05-03). "Steggall, Scamps retain seats". Manly Observer. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
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