Russell Trood

Dr Russell Trood (born 5 December 1948) is a Liberal Party Senator for the state of Queensland, Australia. His surprise election as the third Liberal from Queensland in the 2004 Federal Election, along with 38 other Coalition Senators gave the federal government of John Howard a majority in the Senate and thus control of both houses of Parliament.

He was previously Associate Professor of International Relations in the Department of International Business and Asian Studies at Griffith University. He worked alongside the respected academic Colin Mackerras.

Dr Trood trained in law (the LLB) at the University of Sydney, has a Masters degree in strategic studies from the University of Wales and a PhD in international relations from Dalhousie University, Canada.

Senator Trood is Deputy Chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, a member of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs and co-chair of the Joint Standing Committee for the Library.

Dr Trood has been a member of the Foreign Affairs Council, the Board of the Australian Indonesia Institute and the Australian Committee of Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (AUSPECC).

He was the Director of the Centre for the Study of Australia-Asia relations (CSAAR) at Griffith University from 1991 to 2003. He is currently a member of the Australian Committee of the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific (CSCAP) and the Queensland Council of the Australian Institute of International Affairs.

He is the author of numerous articles and chapters in journals and books on security and foreign policy issues and a frequent media commentator on these matters. His publications include: "The Emerging Global Order: Australian Foreign Policy in the 21st Century" (2008); "Power Shift: Challenges for Australia in Northeast Asia" (2004); "Strategic Culture in the Asia-Pacific" (2000); "Bilateralism in a Multilateral Era" (1997); "The Asia-Australia Survey 1996-97" (1996); "The Future Pacific Economic Order: Australia's Role" (1993) and "The Indian Ocean: Perspectives on a Strategic Arena" (1985).