Hostage diplomacy

It’s time for Beijing to stop assuming it can worry Australia, and start worrying about what Australia might do. We can start by fighting for justice for Yang Hengjun and defend our democratic sovereignty.

Celebrate our values on Australian Day

The very existence of Australia Day is becoming controversial, but we can all unite around a holiday to celebrate the democratic values we all share.

Stability or submission?

The governments of Australia and China both ostensibly want to improve their rocky relationship, but the shape this should take is seen in very different terms in Beijing compared to Canberra.

Terror in our midst

The fact that unrepentant jihadist and convicted terrorist Abdul Nacer Benbrika is being released from jail into the community should concern every Australian.

Peace depends on defeating Hamas

A truce that leaves Hamas in control of Gaza will not be a permanent solution but merely a temporary pause in which Gazans remain controlled by a terrorist group that will abuse civilian infrastructure and resources to rebuild, rearm and return to its stated objective of destroying Israel.

In the house of pooh bear

Tensions appear to be easing between Australia and China, but the Prime Minister must remember that pulling punches on international security in the hope of frictionless diplomacy and short-term economic gain only teaches authoritarian states that aggression and coercion are effective.

The future of cyber-security

China, Russia and international criminal gangs are waging an unrelenting cyber war against the West, and so Australia must place cyber-security at the heart of its national security strategy.

Standing up for the Philippines

The Philippines has become one of Australia’s most important defence partners and Australia should explicitly support its case against ever-increasing naval bullying by China.

Supporting NATO and Ukraine

It is in Australia’s national interest to join NATO counterparts in proclaiming support for Ukraine and the inseparability of the transatlantic and Indo-Pacific partnerships in protecting freedom and democracy.

Once a terrorist…

Countering terrorism while preserving essential freedoms isn’t an easy task, but society has a right to expect the state to protect the public against convicted terrorists.

Standing together

If a country and economy like Australia can remain steady in the face of Beijing’s attempts to weaponise trade, and can stand alongside partners who are doing the same, Beijing will have a shrinking strategic space in which to play its coercive trade games.

Tik-tok and the tyrants

The hope that technology and online information would liberate people from oppressive regimes has been dashed by the weaponisation of the internet and social media by Russia and China to oppress their own populations and poison international debate.