The valiant catastrophe of Australia’s first action in WW2

As the Royal Australian Air Force celebrates its 100th anniversary, we look back to Australia’s first action in World War 2.

Protecting Pacific maritime law

The growth of coastguards and other maritime law enforcement forces has been particularly evident in Southeast Asia, and Australia should play a role in ensuring these support rather than undermine the rules based international order.

The RAAF in the 21st century

New missiles, planes and drones will give Australia’s air force the additional range and power it needs to defend our country in the years ahead.

Beware the bear in the Pacific

While China’s fast-expanding navy forms the main threat in the Pacific, Russia is also increasing its naval strength in the region, potentially threatening allied shipping in the east.

Australia needs a Magnitsky Act

The arrest of accused drug lord Tse Chi Lop and allegations of large-scale money laundering in Australian casinos have exposed to the public the deep economic connections transnational and organised crime syndicates have established here, and the scale of the threat we face.

The end of the old order shakes Australia’s grand strategy

The problem for Australian international policy is that the job we’re focused on is shape-shifting at alarming speed.

Water is a national security priority

It’s time for water management to receive scrutiny and oversight befitting our most pressing national security challenges. We need to catch the moment while the rain is falling, rather than face a hangover when our taps run dry.

Money doesn’t talk, it swears

Australia’s casinos have become a hotspot for global money-laundering operations.

The Australian Navy in the South China Sea

Over the past century, Australia’s activities in the South China Sea have reflected the reality that our security was, is and will continue to be closely associated with the security of maritime Southeast Asia.

The U.S. Navy falls under China’s shadow

The growing strength of the Chinese Navy, and the escalating costs of countering its threat to Taiwan and the Pacific, will force the United States Navy to make some difficult choices in the years ahead.

Head in the clouds

Australia’s peak intelligence agency, the Office of National Intelligence, is beginning an essential, radical and rapid shift into cloud applications and services.

Strong alliances and robust defence will keep the peace with China

There are some positive outcomes from the Chinese Communist Party’s descent into North Korean–style insult and abuse: Australians get to see firsthand the entity we are dealing with, and Beijing’s collection of local useful idiots are tested to see how far they will defend the indefensible behaviour of their patron.