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Michael Shoebridge

January

Donald Trump is likely to sense he has enormous leverage over Australia because it’s leaders feel compelled to keep AUKUS on the rails.

Expect Trump to cut defence spending deal on AUKUS

The incoming president is likely to be tempted to prove he can get a better deal than Joe Biden negotiated with Australia on the nuclear submarines.

Argentina’s October 2023 presidential election was the canary in the coalmine for politics across the democratic world.

Heed the election lesson of America and Argentina

This is shaping to be the year of licence and experimentation in politics, where the unthinkable can not just be thought, it can be said and done.

September 2023

An AUKUS announcement in San Diego in March 2023.

AUKUS is still a toddler with a long way to go

The unfortunate fact is since the announcement of the nuclear-powered submarine agreement two years ago, no partner has had to do anything hard to make it a reality.

July 2023

Anthony Albanese meets German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the chancellery in Berlin.

PM should focus on helping Ukraine, not self-obsessed defence deals

It’s right that both Australia and Germany rearm to counter the Beijing-Moscow partnership. But how can we not focus the same energy on helping Ukraine?

March 2022

A Royal Australian Navy submarine berthed at HMAS Stirling in Garden Island.

East coast subs base choice is no beauty pageant

Beyond the politics, a public debate about the merits of Brisbane, Newcastle and Port Kembla makes sense. The last thing any government should do is rush this critical defence decision,

November 2019

Wang Liqiang's account tallies with what we know of China's espionage operations.

Political parties must take foreign interference seriously

The damage from foreign espionage can take years or even decades to appear. That's why a calm and orderly response is so important now.

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/by/michael-shoebridge-p4yvnh