Rethinking Australia’s relations with the USA and China

Sophie Mayo argues that Australia should hedge its bets between China and the USA at a time of increasing international tensions, and look to diversify its economic and strategic ties.

Pulling back the veil

Allegations of atrocities by Australian special forces in Afghanistan have been circulating for years, and the forthcoming report on the issue may raise some uncomfortable issues.

Filling the hollow middle in Australia’s defence industry

A number of issues are holding back Australia’s defence manufacturers from making the leap from SME to major player.

Air force ramps up for ‘grey zone’ missions

The Royal Australian Air Force must be able to operate in an increasingly contested Indo-Pacific ‘grey zone’ of super power confrontation.

Foreign election interference on the rise

Cyber interference in Western elections by states such as Russia, China, Iran and North Korea continues to increase, with the aim of destabilising or delegitimising democratic governments and democracy itself.

Forewarned is forearmed

Army chief Lieutenant General Rick Burr has written to all of Australia’s soldiers to prepare them for the release of a report expected to contain shocking allegations that a small number of troops carried out multiple war crimes in Afghanistan.

Restoring military culture

The Australian Army is rebuilding the cultural and ethical base of its special forces in the light of allegations of war crimes in Afghanistan.

Law, politics and intelligence: a life of Robert Hope

In Law, politics and intelligence: a life of Robert Hope, Peter Edwards delivers a masterclass in the governance, or lack of it, of Australia’s security and intelligence services in the post-war era.

Time to review the Port Darwin lease

China is an important partner for Australia. But who owns our critical infrastructure is not a question about our relationship with China. It’s about our sovereignty.

Optimising Australia’s COVID-19 border policy

COVID-19 has divided Australia in a manner unprecedented since federation, with the closure of once arbitrary state borders becoming geographical and political fault lines. But Australia’s less-debated international border measures also call for greater scrutiny.

Time for a domestic security white paper

Areas such as counterterrorism, foreign interference, transnational organised crime, cybercrime, anti-corruption, money-laundering and financial crimes require strong leadership and effective national coordination.

How Australian industry helped win the Pacific war

The efforts of Australian industry, as well as the heroism of its troops, supported allied efforts to wrest victory over Japan in the Pacific theatre in World War Two.