Standing up to China

Australia needs more cowboy and less kowtow in its current dispute with China. Our foreign, security and trade policies need more principle and less of the ‘pragmatism’ that has brought us to this sorry point of affairs.

Coronavirus threatens both dictatorships and democracies

The economic and social impact of the fast spreading coronavirus could threaten both democratic and dictatorial systems in the months to come.

Defence and disaster management

A greater role for the ADF in disaster response seems inevitable, but it will take significant investment and cross-agency cooperation to create a fit for purpose response force.

Field notes from the new Cold War

The growing pace of strategic change means that every week brings more data points charting the Indo-Pacific’s slide towards a riskier, more dangerous reality.

Mr Morrison goes to Washington

There’s no doubting the friendship and shared history of the USA and Australia, but it’s not immediately obvious that their current leaders have a common vision for peace, security and prosperity.

How not to defend Australia?

Hugh White’s “How to defend Australia” is an elegant book but it’s fundamentally wrong on just about every judgement it contains.

2025 will be like 2019 – only more so

The international scene has been grim for some time, and there’s little prospect of it improving. Indeed recent trends of authoritarian bluster and democratic decline are set to intensify, plunging the world ever closer to crisis.

Australia needs a clear and consistent China policy

Our government should take a leaf out of China’s book by strongly promoting our national interests, speaking plainly in defence of our core values, and explaining our strategic priorities to the domestic public.

“Congestion busting” in the public service

Scott Morrison’s decision to put himself directly in charge of the public service underlines his interest in seeing more innovative policy and better delivery from an institution that’s soft pedaled on both for some time.

Australia’s future in space

After decades of prevarication, the arrival of the Australian Space Agency is a very welcome development. Business is buzzing with the potential for expanding space-related work and Defence has never been better equipped with space-enabled platforms and technology.