The dust has barely settled on the 2025 federal election and the returning government has already reaffirmed its commitment to delivering a national food security strategy. That’s a welcome and long-overdue step forward. But unless …
Articles by: "John Coyne"
Australia and its partners must move towards frameworks that manage, rather than merely lament, the negative side-effects of critical mineral extraction. As the world scrambles to meet the demands of a clean energy transition, it’s …
Amid worsening strategic surprise and security fragility, Australia’s national resilience responses are just as important as its defence capabilities. While the original strategic logic for the Department of Home Affairs—the idea of peace, order and …
Jim Chalmers is enforcing national sovereignty and defying risk of economic intimidation. The treasurer has taken court action to force a China-linked entity to divest from a key rare-earths miner. This is a matter of …
In the words of Billie Eilish, ‘I’m in love with my future… can’t wait to meet her.’ But for Mount Isa and Australia, that future is being quietly dismantled. The closure of Glencore’s copper mine …
The world is entering a new golden age of transnational crime, and Australia is on its path. While the United States sharpens its focus on border control, fentanyl seizures and immigration crises, its long-standing global …
‘Sovereignty’ is one of the most frequently invoked and most poorly understood terms in Australian strategic debate. It dominates arguments against AUKUS, US military presence in Australia, and our deepening alliance with Washington, yet it …
The Indo-Pacific’s economic and security architecture is under strain. Strategic competition, supply chain fragility and the contesting of trade norms demand bold moves—greater efforts in strengthening diplomatic and economic ties and supporting the rules-based order. …
Australia faces a growing dilemma: in attempting to ease genuine climate challenges, it is creating national security vulnerabilities by embedding Chinese smart technologies in critical infrastructure. This includes solar inverters and batteries. Electric vehicles, too, …
If Australia is serious about defending its interests and shaping its region, building out Darwin’s marine industry must be at the forefront of our national agenda. Darwin is where Australia’s northern frontier meets the Indo-Pacific’s …
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s decision to return policy responsibility for the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and the Australian Federal Police to the Department of Home Affairs is more than a machinery-of-government change; it’s a long-term …
To turn northern Australia’s marine potential into performance, the Australian government must stop acting as a passive regulator and start acting as an active customer. Procurement is power, and in thin, undercapitalised markets such as …