AUKUS a win for all, says Albanese
Anthony Albanese has declared the $368bn AUKUS defence pact is central to the security of Australia, the US and Britain ahead of meetings that could be undermined by the unfolding war in the Middle East.
Defence
Albanese’s mission: save the AUKUS pact
Anthony Albanese is preparing a series of major defence funding announcements as his government scrambles to lock in support from Donald Trump on the AUKUS pact.
Israel, defence ‘put us on US radar’
Increasing differences between Washington and Canberra on foreign policies have opened up the ‘opportunity’ for the US to trigger a review of the multibillion-dollar AUKUS deal, former government ministers say.
Advocates not all ‘cowboys’ ripping off defence veterans
Unscrupulous fee-for-service ‘cowboys’ ripping off veterans are giving the industry a bad name but good-faith advocates are still providing a valuable service, key veterans activists say.
Who can blame US for having second thoughts?
The Albanese government has not done enough within AUKUS to be a credible partner. And it has not done enough with our defence to be a credible alliance partner for the US.
AUKUS should survive this Trump review, shaken but not stirred
The Pentagon’s review of AUKUS is more about pressuring Australia to spend more on defence than killing the nuclear submarine deal.
‘Pillar 1 problematic, Pillar 2 great’: Inside Colby’s AUKUS mind
In an interview with The Australian, Elbridge Colby scuttled several positive takes about the pact. The US Under-Secretary of Defence for Policy views it entirely through practical priorities.
Pentagon’s AUKUS review should spark strategic reckoning in Canberra
If the pact falters, the worst outcome wouldn’t be the loss of subs but paralysis in Canberra, which would have to await further decisions from Washington while the region drifts toward crisis.
If nothing else, PM must win Trump’s commitment to AUKUS
Anthony Albanese can’t afford for Donald Trump to waver on the security pact; it would be a humiliation for Australia and a major setback in relations.
AUKUS under threat as Trump launches review
The move by the Pentagon is a major blow to Australia and comes days before Anthony Albanese is expected to have his first in-person meeting with Donald Trump on the G7 sidelines.
Scandalous consequences: Parasite businesses preying on Diggers’ compo payouts
The Albanese government’s half-a-billion dollar investment into slashing waiting times for Diggers who have made compensation claims has unintentionally fuelled a parasitic industry of dodgy advocates who are ripping off veterans.
‘Link between Chinese and Russian visions’: EU envoy
EU ambassador to Australia Gabriele Visentin says China’s military build-up is ‘worrying’, a day after Anthony Albanese refused to describe Beijing as a national security threat.
PM ‘open’ to defence funding boost
Anthony Albanese is opening the door to lifting defence spending ahead of his potential meeting with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 next week.
Spend more on defence: polling
Voters want the Albanese government to fork out on defence, pushing renewed investment ahead of a critical meeting with Donald Trump and after calls for Australia to pull its weight.
Penguins ‘to torpedo AUKUS upgrades’
The collapse of the penguin population at a nearby island has stoked fears about the impact of AUKUS works on Garden Island’s own colony.
Nation aware of rising risk: Marles
Australians are fundamentally aware of the strategic risks the country faces as a result of rapidly changing global circumstances and the need for the government to focus on national security, Richard Marles said.
Defence bases ‘vulnerable’ to drone attack
Australia’s warships and fighters jets would be helpless if an enemy smuggled armed drones into Australia to conduct a Ukraine style drone attack on Australian military bases, experts say.
PNG: ‘When it comes to security, we choose Australia, not China’
Port Moresby’s enthusiasm for a defence treaty with Australia is a strategic win for the federal government that could serve as a prototype for other Pacific Island nations.
ALP ‘open’ to boosting defence budget
Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy has moved to bolster Australia’s defence credentials ahead of Anthony Albanese’s first meeting with Donald Trump at the G7 summit in Canada.
‘Lift spending and send message to Beijing’
US Republican Michael McCaul says Australia would send Xi Jinping and China a powerful message if it increased defence spending.
Albanese leaves door open to increasing defence spend
Anthony Albanese has left the door open to increasing defence spending above the current goal of 2.3 per cent of GDP by 2033, declaring ‘our goal is to give Australia the capability that it needs’.
Albanese defends low defence spending after US calls for lift
Anthony Albanese has been warned by a former army chief that the government risks ‘abrogating its responsibility’ to the public and those in uniform by failing to increase military funding.
Albanese about to get brutal lesson in great power politics
The PM has failed to invest in the US relationship, which is our most important strategic relationship. If that’s his attitude he shouldn’t go to the G7 and avoid contact with Donald Trump.
Beijing warns Australia to not follow US defence call
China has denounced American-led ‘small circles’, including AUKUS and the Quad, as senior security analysts in Beijing warn Australia against ceding to pressure from the Trump administration to ramp up defence spending.
Albanese blinks on defence and is caught out by Trump
After being called out by the Trump administration over its go-slow increase in defence spending, the Albanese government faces a dilemma of its own making about how to respond.
Ukraine offers Australia aid in asymmetric warfare
Ukraine’s stunning military strike on Russia, in which it wiped out 30 per cent of the country’s bomber fleet, shows it has valuable military technology to share with Australia, Kyiv’s envoy says.
Hegseth tells Marles: lift defence spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP
The request made on the sidelines of the Shangri La dialogue in Singapore is a major increase on the current levels of defence spending.
Taiwan war games get real as US warns of invasion
Australia and the US have elevated military exercises to a war footing amid China’s unprecedented armed forces build-up and fears Xi Jinping could imminently invade Taiwan.
Chinese invasion of Taiwan could be ‘imminent’, Pentagon chief warns
Pete Hegseth made the remarks at an annual security forum in Singapore as the Trump administration spars with China on trade, technology and strategic global influence.
Call to arm: US in direct defence spending plea
US Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth has issued a direct call for Australia to lift defence spending in face-to-face talks with Richard Marles.
Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/defence