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Ben PackhamForeign Affairs and Defence Correspondent

Ben Packham is The Australian’s foreign affairs and defence correspondent. To contact him securely use the Signal App. See his Twitter bio for details.

@bennpackham

Ben Packham

Latest

ExclusiveDefence

US Air Forces B-21 Raider.Picture: Supplied/ Northrop Grumman

US open to deal on new jets

US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross says his country would look favourably on a request to buy new strike aircraft.

Ben Packham

Foreign interferencePolitics

04/10/2019. Former Liberal Prime Minister Tony Abbott pictured at Commonwealth Parliamentary Offices in Sydney. Britta Campion / The Australian

Shake-up for foreign agents scheme

Christian Porter will overhaul the staff and skills of the team administering the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme.

Ben Packham and Janet Albrechtsen

Politics

Solomons told to treat miner fairly

The Solomons Island has sacked an Australian mining company while favouring a Chinese rival.

Ben Packham

Politics

MPs alarmed by call on Abbott

Both sides of parliament are concerned about the targeting of Tony Abbott under the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme.

Ben Packham

Politics

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Australian Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg speak during House of Representatives Question Time at Parliament House in Canberra, Wednesday, October 23, 2019. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch) NO ARCHIVING

Business fund to push more investment

The Morrison government will push ahead with a plan to invest $100m into small businesses through a new “business growth fund”.

Ben Packham

DEFENCE TIESDefence

US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and Australian Defense Minister Linda Reynolds speak to the press at the Pentagon October 31, 2019 in Washington,DC. (Photo by Olivier Douliery / AFP)

US urged to step-up in Indo-Pacific

Defence Minister Linda Reynolds wants the US to ‘really listen’ to the concerns of allied nations in the Indo-Pacific region.

Ben Packham

north koreaPolitics

This picture taken on October 31, 2019 and released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency on November 1, 2019 shows the North Korean Academy of Defence Science making a test-fire of a super-large multiple rocket launcher at an undisclosed location in the North. - It was the latest in a series of launches by the North but the first since October 2, when it fired a sea-launched missile. (Photo by STR / KCNA VIA KNS / AFP) / - South Korea OUT / REPUBLIC OF KOREA OUT ---EDITORS NOTE--- RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT

Tests rattle Foreign Minister

Marise Payne condemns fresh missile tests by North Korea, which it claims will allow it to it ‘totally destroy’ enemy targets in surprise attacks.

Ben Packham

Politics

28/06/2019 Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison meets with President Xi Jinping during the G20 in Osaka, Japan on June 28, 2019. Picture: Adam Taylor Adam Taylor/PMO

APEC axing cuts ScoMo-Xi meeting

Scott Morrison has been denied the opportunity of a face-to-face meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping this month.

Ben Packham

exclusiveMining & Energy

Solomons evicts Aussie miner for Chinese

Axiom Mining has had its foreign investment licence cancelled and told its expatriate workers to leave.

Ben Packham

china tiesPolitics

Senator the Hon Marise Payne, Minister for Foreign Affairs. Minister Payne will deliver a keynote foreign policy address on Australiaâ€™s active role in its region â€“ and beyond â€“ to help foster an international environment that offers security, stability and prosperity. Pictures - Chris Pavlich for The Australian.

Beijing lashes Payne over human rights call

The Foreign Minister has drawn the ire of a Chinese counterpart over her comments about the Uighurs.

Ben Packham

Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/author/ben-packham/page/200