Name Jim Wallace Role Australia | Service/branch Australian Army Rank Brigadier | |
Birth name James John Arundel Wallace Commands held Special Air Service Regiment Education Royal Military College, Duntroon | ||
James John Arundel Wallace, AM is a retired Australian Army officer and a current lobbyist on social issues. Wallace was the managing director of the Australian Christian Lobby from 2000 to 2013. He is now the Chairman of that organisation.
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Early life and military career
Wallace studied at the Royal Military College, Duntroon and the British Army Staff College. He served in the Australian Army for 32 years, reaching the rank of brigadier. His service included command of the Special Air Service Regiment, for which he was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1984.
Activism and criticism
Wallace has publicly expressed opposition to women in combat and changing the Marriage Act of Australia. Several of his public comments, particularly those about homosexuality, have attracted criticism.
Writing in the Herald Sun, journalist Miranda Devine has said that Wallace "has copped more than his fair share of abuse when it comes to defending traditional marriage".
Wallace has raised concerns about violent video games. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Wallace "suggested a homosexual lifestyle was more hazardous to health than smoking." In response Julia Gillard, the Prime Minister of Australia at the time, called Wallace's comments "heartless", "wrong" and "totally unacceptable". On 4 May 2012, Wallace appeared before the Australian Senate, Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee during their consideration of the Marriage Equality Amendment Bill 2010 where he presented to the Committee his arguments, "in support of the definition of marriage".
Following a return visit to Syria, in 2013, to assess the situation for the minorities in the Syrian conflict, Wallace said that the vulnerable Christians there will face even worse persecution than that experienced by Egypt’s Coptic Christians. Saying that the West's policy for the Middle East "courts a disaster", he urged the West to take decisive action to protect Syria's Christians.
Wallace also commentates on defence and security issues, having lived in the Middle East where he served with the United Nations in Lebanon and Syria. He is currently a ministerial appointee to the Council of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.