It made me realise how different ASAP was. It also makes you wonder whether ASAP has achieved all that it has because, or in spite of our lack of permanent funding. Certainly, dire financial circumstances have forced us to review what we do and how we do it. We have had to look at ways in which we can generate income from our skills and resources. But while impending joblessness can encourage a certain amount of creativity, you still have to have people with ideas and enthusiasm.
Desperation is no substitute for vision.
Over this three year period the Canberra Office was established, and much of the groundwork was laid for ASAP ADS . The DEET funds gave us the space to turn some of our dreams into reality. I've come this far in describing the ASAP vision with barely a mention of science, history or archives. This is no accident. I think it would be fair to say that, ultimately, it is our commitment to ASAP, to the organisation, to each other, that keeps us going.