This Month
Millions paid to business run by spy chief’s husband under scrutiny
Contracts awarded to a company where the Australian Signals Directorate director-general’s spouse was a senior manager have been under external investigation.
After climate change and immigration, Ley shifts to defence
Coalition leader Sussan Ley is promising a huge boost in defence spending as she attempts to stay on the front foot after a shaky fortnight.
DroneShield struggles to keep up with evolving battlefield
Changing tactics and technology are posing a challenge for the under-fire defence contractor’s signature product, military experts say.
Pharmacy services innovator works first-mover advantage
Michael Bonner’s Choice Chemists has captured 42 per cent of the market for onsite pharmacists in aged care and is challenging the traditional dispensary model.
Hedge fund says DroneShield had 17 red flags
The multibillion-dollar hedge fund is short the drone platform stock, which has slumped after its chief executive offloaded all his shares with no explanation.
Port of Darwin swings into $10m profit ahead of forced sale
Labor and the Coalition went to the federal election promising to end Chinese ownership of the port.
‘Our greatest vulnerabilities’: Navy chief warns on sea lanes
A disruption to global shipping lanes could result in shortages of fuel and household goods within weeks, Australia’s navy chief has warned.
October
UK defence company chiefs sound warnings on AUKUS delays
Babcock, BAE and Rolls-Royce expressed alarm, in surprisingly frank terms for a public setting, that the slow pace of decision-making could hinder the project.
September
Anxious government ‘floods the zone’ with defence dollars for Trump
The government is anxious to impress that Australia is doing more on defence than spending 2 per cent of GDP, ahead of a possible meeting with the US president.
Labor to spend $1.7b on Ghost Shark drones as US visit looms
Plans for a fleet of underwater stealth drones have been announced ahead of the prime minister’s trip to the US and continuing tension over Australia’s defence budget.
August
Five challenges for AUKUS ahead of Marles, Hegseth encounter
The future of AUKUS will be front and centre this week as Defence Minister Richard Marles meets his US counterpart, Pete Hegseth, in Washington.
‘Join the club’: US congressman backs Australia in tensions with Trump
One of the US Congress’ biggest AUKUS supporters says there is no justification for the Trump administration to cancel sales of submarines to Australia.
NDIS funding cliff threatens to undermine scheme overhaul
Labor has forecast almost $20 billion in NDIS savings over four years to June 30, 2028, but 1000 jobs key to the transition are only budgeted to June 30, 2026.
Federal budget faces billions of dollars of ‘funding cliffs’
Incoming briefs to ministers show the effect of looming shortfalls within 18 months, when at least 100 programs and likely dozens more will see funding expire.
Mateship trumps practicality in Australia’s Japan frigate deal
The purchase strengthens regional defence ties and sends a message to Beijing.
Rare metal needed for defence at core of $135m smelter bailout
The funding package from the federal, SA and Tasmanian governments is linked to adapting loss-making smelters so they can produce critical minerals.
Cheap homes, bonuses and TikTok: how Defence is turning around its recruitment crisis
Defence recruitment is at a 15-year high, helped by hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer-funded bonuses and perks for personnel.
July
AUKUS ‘as well, not instead’: Morrison lashes Labor on defence
Following testimony to Congress, former PM Scott Morrison said scrimping on defence had angered the Pentagon and diminished Australia’s ability to deter China.
Rudd ‘confident’ on AUKUS review, rejects defence spending claims
Australia’s ambassador to the US rejects suggestions Canberra is not spending enough on defence and says issues raised about AUKUS will be resolved.
Europe to stockpile critical minerals due to risk of war
General Carsten Breuer, the German chief of defence, warned last month that Russia could attack an EU member state within the next four years.