This Month
Australia should take a leaf out of China playbook to handle Trump
Instead of dealing with Washington alone, the new administration should be dealt with as a collective challenge together with our partners and allies.
February
Live-fire drills have blown up Labor’s ‘stabilisation’ with China
The Chinese are telling everyone the naval manoeuvres are not illegal, but it’s odd to hear Australia’s prime minister and defence minister parroting their words.
The Trump-Putin deal could leave US allies in the dust
Donald Trump is willing – even eager – to have bilateral discussions on core issues of security with the America’s adversaries, while excluding alliance partners.
Trump’s tariffs obviously demand higher defence spending in Australia
We should be embarrassed that it’s taking almost gangster like pressure for us to spend the minimum sensible to provide for our security in the world we live in now.
January
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.
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
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
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
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
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.