Independence ain’t dependence

Australia relies heavily on imported fuel and has limited domestic refining capacity, so when the current crisis is over, more long term preparation for future disruptions must begin.

Friend and foe

Australia needs to reject the false binary between economic engagement and strategic competition with China. It’s possible – and necessary – to do both.

Bridging the great divides

Maintaining social cohesion is a crucial factor in preserving Australia’s security but policy makers shouldn’t make it a national-security issue.

Beware of quick fixes

If Bondi becomes just another episode of blame followed by forgetfulness, we’ll have failed ourselves. If instead it becomes a catalyst for serious, evidence-based reform, Australia may yet emerge stronger and more resilient.

When the ref becomes a player

We shouldn’t be surprised when the political slant of AI chatbots and summaries become an active participant in an already-fragile contest over reality.

Don’t blame the people who strive to keep us safe

While the police and security services must review their cooperation and renew their vigilance in the wake of the Bondi massacre, the culpability for this atrocious act lies squarely with the two hate filled murderers who perpetrated it.

Business excellence can improve the public service

Ministers and secretaries should champion both excellence dividends and efficiency dividends, with returns measured not in dollars saved but in citizen satisfaction, policy coherence and cross-agency collaboration.

Building industrial resilience

If the Government’s “Future Made in Australia” is to succeed, it must evolve beyond a brand into a disciplined investment framework.

Economic coercion requires a unified response

Economic coercion by both the USA and China weaponises trade so middle powers such as Australia should call out coercion wherever it originates, reinforce the rules and invest in resilience so we can prosper.

Rethinking human security

What if the greatest threats to national security weren’t missiles or cyberattacks, but loneliness, misinformation and eroding trust?

Expelling the ambassador

Australia’s expulsion of Iran’s ambassador underlines the point that democracies must be able to act on intelligence-driven probabilities to defend sovereignty while still upholding the highest burden of proof in the courts.

Australia adrift

If Australia continues to manage our relative decline rather than confront it, we risk drifting into strategic irrelevance – as economically dependent, militarily constrained and diplomatically marginal as Latin American countries like Argentina.