Keith Douglas Suter (25 July 1948 – 10 December 2025) was an Australian consultant on strategic planning and a futurist.

Life and career

Suter achieved three doctorates. His first doctorate was about the international law of guerrilla warfare (University of Sydney), the second about the social and economic consequences of the arms race (Deakin University) and the third on scenario planning (Sydney University). He was awarded the Australian Government's Peace Medal in 1986: The International Year of Peace and was Rostrum's "Communicator of the Year" in 1995.

In the 2019 Queen's Birthday Honours, Suter was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for "significant service to international relations, and to the Uniting Church in Australia".

Suter was appointed to many roles throughout his career, including chairperson of the International Humanitarian Law Committee of the Australian Red Cross (NSW), chairperson of the International Commission of Jurists (NSW), director of studies at the International Law Association (Australian branch) and managing director of the Global Directions think tank.

Suter was a life member of the United Nations Association of Australia in recognition of his service.

Positions held

  • President of the Australian Chapter of Club of Rome, the global think tank on economic and environmental matters
  • President of the United Nations Association (NSW) and President of the Society for International Development (Sydney Chapter).
  • Culture and politics guest speaker at the Wesley Institute, Drummoyne, New South Wales, Australia.
  • Member, Australian Foreign Minister’s National Consultative Committee on International Security Issues, Canberra
  • Consultant Conflict Resolution Network, Sydney
  • Director of studies, International Law Association, Australian Branch
  • Chairperson, International Humanitarian Law Committee of Australian Red Cross (NSW)
  • Chairperson, International Commission of Jurists (NSW)
  • Lecturer, Workers' Educational Association, Sydney
  • Visiting lecturer, Department of Politics, Macquarie University
  • Visiting lecturer, Sydney International Programs, Boston University, United States

Published works

  • An International Law of Guerrilla Warfare: The Global Politics of Law-Making, Palgrave Macmillan, London, 1984
  • Is there Life after ANZUS: New Directions for the Peace Movement, Pluto, Sydney, 1987
  • Antarctica: Private Property or Public Heritage?, Zed, London, 1991
  • Global Agenda, Albatross, Sydney, 1994
  • Global Change, Albatross, Sydney, 1996
  • Legal Studies, Macmillan, Melbourne, 2000
  • In Defence of Globalisation, University of NSW Press, Sydney, 2001
  • Global Order and Global Disorder: Globalization and the Nation-State, Praeger, Westport, CONN, 2002
  • Global Notebook, Random House, Sydney, 2005
  • Teach Yourself Globalization, Hodder, London, 2006
  • Local Notebook, Random House, Sydney, 2007
  • All About Terrorism, Random House, Sydney, 2008

References

  • Official website
  • Profile on the Online Opinion website
  • Profile on the Australian Business Foundation website (archived version)