This Month
Hanwha says it has the green light to buy all of Austal, if it wants
But the ASX-listed shipbuilder said the approval from US foreign investment officials claimed by the Korean conglomerate was “different to that claimed”.
Taylor widens divide on defence, as Albanese rebuffs $40b US demand
The Coalition has recommitted to boosting defence spending to 3 per cent of GDP, even as the PM pushes back on the Trump administration’s demands of a big boost.
May
Pilots’ disorientation behind fatal army helicopter crash
Defence investigators said mechanical failure did not cause the crash that prompted a decision to dispose of and scrap Taipan helicopters.
Australian defence start-ups target Europe as it rearms
Military technology firms are profiting from geopolitical instability, with Canberra-based Penten among those hoping to win contracts in the European market.
April
This Anzac Day, we owe our soldiers more than speeches and silence
The Aussie Diggers have been let down too many times by a system that failed to bring the tools and technology they needed to win. Now is the time to act.
‘Not fit to fight’: The blind spots in Australia’s defence capability
The government is spending on big and expensive equipment such as submarines, but critics say vital conflict weapons such as drones and missiles need priority.
Election campaign leaves defence questions unanswered
The real leadership test for both sides of politics this Anzac Day is whether they can match remembrance for our military past with readiness for what’s coming.
March
Blackouts, flooding begin in cyclone disaster zone
Destruction has already begun from Cyclone Alfred, though the full force is not expected until Saturday.
Cyclone stops flights; PM mulls non-budget election options
Millions of residents across south-east Queensland and northern NSW are in a holding pattern as the destructive arrival of the tropical cyclone is pushed back.
Bill could top $2b as Cyclone Alfred fears shut down Brisbane
Residents in a region spanning 500 kilometres along the east coast are bracing for destruction from the most powerful storm in 50 years.
Ben Roberts-Smith gets another (positive) chapter written
Former AFR correspondent and new Nightly writer Aaron Patrick is behind the latest move to rebuild BRS’ reputation.
February
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.
China tests Australia’s, Trump’s resolve on Taiwan
The shifting geopolitical landscape has opened new opportunities for Xi Jinping in his plans to wrest back control of Taiwan. Australia is increasingly exposed.
Australia locks out China from PNG ports as military tensions flare
Australia’s $4 billion taxpayer-funded Pacific bank has signed a deal to upgrade one of Papua New Guinea’s major ports and keep Beijing out.
Chinese fighter targets RAAF plane with flares in South China Sea
Beijing’s warships have also been spotted off Australia’s north-east coast.
January
Robot surgeon start-up scores $5m deal from US investors
An orthopaedic doctor turned tech entrepreneur has developed a robot to help perform common knee and shoulder operations, and it’s gaining international attention.
December 2024
Marles orders probe of ‘toxic’ culture in $368b submarine agency
A former top bureaucrat will look at the Australian Submarine Agency amid growing concerns over its structure and staff turnover.
Sex offenders to be booted from military
A major overhaul of how Defence deals with sexual misconduct and justice will be embraced to tackle suicide rates among current and former personnel.
November 2024
Defence considers recruiting from PNG to see off China’s influence
In the jockeying for influence, the South Pacific’s largest nation has emerged as a key target given its proximity to Australia and rich natural resources.
October 2024
Meet the Australian ally who could hand Trump the election
Republican Don Bacon, who served with Australians in the Iraq war, is locked in a tight battle in a state that could tip the balance in a dead-heat election.