This Month
Shelved airbase gambit fails to clarify Russia’s long-term ambitions
The fallout over Moscow’s bid for an airbase Indonesia has prompted a rare admission from Peter Dutton, and sparked fresh Russian criticism of AUKUS.
Marles won’t say if US pressure led to Port of Darwin U-turn
Defence Minister Richard Marles declined on four occasions to say what had occurred since late 2023 to change the policy on the port’s Chinese ownership.
March
Ghost soldiers: 5000 ADF personnel disappear
Funding for thousands of troops has been wiped out to offset years of failures to meet recruitment targets, just as pressure rises to boost Australia’s defence capability.
Labor’s $1b fast-tracked defence spending falls short of target
Analysts and defence firms have questioned whether $1 billion in funding will make a difference to Australia’s military build-up.
The former MPs cashing in on Australia’s defence spending boom
Former defence ministers have ties to dozens of military companies, lobbying outfits, strategic advisory firms and think tanks.
Labor breaks cover to fast-track $50b defence spending
The government and opposition are trading barbs over who can best deliver an increase in defence spending.
Canada picks Australian radar in record defence export deal
Canada has chosen an Australian partnership for the over-the-horizon technology system to detect incoming missiles fired over the Arctic.
Russia slams Albanese’s ‘irresponsible adventurism’ over peacekeepers
The Russian embassy has warned of grave consequences if Australia backs a European-led mission to protect Ukraine.
Donald Trump is the political equivalent of a natural disaster
Trump’s tariffs on Australian aluminium will have a modest economic impact, but his assault on US allies is changing Australia’s place in the world.
Albanese rebuffs Trump over call to lift to defence spending
While Labor comes under fire over military readiness, figures show defence spending as a share of the federal budget is at highest in almost a decade.
February
Defence failure on Chinese warships ‘risked passenger safety’
Anthony Albanese stumbles again, saying Defence answered questions in Senate estimates about not providing details on the coordinates, which is not the case.
Albanese hit hard by live fire from all sides
From Chinese warships, to Trump’s tariffs, to Australia’s sense of itself, Anthony Albanese is struggling to show he has convincing answers.
What does that mean? Trump asks reporter what AUKUS is
Donald Trump seemed to be unaware of Australia’s military pact with the United States and Britain during a White House meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Gaps emerge in coast surveillance as PM cops flak over Chinese drills
Defence officials did not know for 40 minutes that Chinese warships had started a live-firing exercise that disrupted commercial airlines.
Albanese accused of soft-pedalling on Chinese navy drills
Australian air traffic controllers only learnt of Chinese navy live-firing exercise thanks to a Virgin Australia pilot flying over the Tasman Sea.
Rudd, Chalmers, Farrell lock in US talks in race for tariff carve-out
The Albanese government is mounting a full court press in Washington to spare Australian exports from tariffs before the election is called.
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.
Chinese flotilla exposes navy in ‘chronic decline’
The navy has retired a third of its warships since Labor came to power three years ago, underlining its lack of capacity to respond the Chinese flotilla in the Tasman Sea.
China slams Australia for ‘hyping up’ live-fire drills in Tasman Sea
The defence ministry has hit back at Australia’s response to its naval exercises off the east coast, labelling Canberra’s protests as “unreasonable”.
NZ ‘monitoring’ live-fire drills by China in international waters
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said it was unclear where the Chinese naval vessels were headed in international waters and for what purpose.