Bob Bowker’s recent article in The Strategist was a sobering read as we approach one month since Hamas’s attack against Israel on 7 October plunged the region into another bout of violence and brinkmanship. Bowker, a retired Australian diplomat …
Articles by: "Alex Bristow"
In an ASPI report released today, we argue that geopolitical challenges, notably Beijing’s growing power and coercive behaviour, justify a greater effort to elevate and sustain the important relationship between Australia and South Korea. Changes …
Hamas’s surprise attack on Israel on 7 October marks a decisive moment in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and will be a crucial test of Australian statecraft. As a respected regional power with significant interests in the …
Last week, the government reaffirmed that the executive decides when Australia goes to war. The government also outlined plans to strengthen oversight mechanisms, including through a new joint statutory committee on defence (JSCD) and a …
The Australia–US Ministerial Meeting (AUSMIN), an annual 2+2 meeting between foreign and defence ministers held nearly without fail since 1985, is referred to officially as ‘the primary forum at which Australia and the United States …
We tend to look for winners and losers in any Australian government announcement, and the defence strategic review (DSR) is no exception. Reading the headlines about the two-thirds reduction in infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) and …
Our dangerous times are driving an unprecedented tempo of strategy writing in Canberra. Having barely caught its breath since the AUKUS pathway announcement in March and the release of the defence strategic review (DSR) in …
When the incoming Albanese government tasked former defence minister Stephen Smith and former chief of the Australian Defence Force Angus Houston with writing the defence strategic review, they spelled out the clear need for prioritisation …
The formal unveiling of the AUKUS plan is still a few days away, but we are already seeing strong signs that it will constitute a genuine trilateral partnership. If the blizzard of news reports detailing the plan is …
On 24 February, marking one year since Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine began, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs published China’s position on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis. In theory, its 12 points form the basis …
This week, Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles will travel to Europe for separate ‘2+2’ meetings with their French and British counterparts. Wong will also head to Brussels to meet the EU’s …
Tomorrow afternoon, the Australian Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade will hold a public hearing for its inquiry into international armed conflict decision-making. In our submission (number 86) to the committee, …