It took a while, but the idea that Australia’s strategic environment has become more uncertain seems to have been accepted by policymakers. Also largely accepted is that this period won’t just pass—in time, historians might …
Articles by: "John Coyne"
The Australian Federal Police’s international collaboration efforts have long been the crown jewel of the nation’s law enforcement engagement. The AFP’s international liaison network is the most visible and operationally successful element of these efforts. It is, …
The signing of the security pact between China and Solomons Islands represents one of the gravest Australian diplomatic and intelligence failures in more than half a decade. This failure didn’t just happen, nor is it the result …
If you’re confused about what’s happening with the Port of Darwin after last week’s federal budget and the media coverage that followed, you’re not the only one. It’s always a challenge to penetrate the veil …
During World War II, hushed voices in Nazi-occupied Europe shared the words, ‘The Americans are coming!’ At the time, it was a message of hope among many Europeans who felt utterly helpless. February marked the …
After two very long years, there’s a sense of optimism emerging in Australia that the worst of Covid-19 might be behind us. It’s tempting to assume that if we see the beginning of the end …
In 2000, it appeared that international borders were becoming less and less important. Between then and 2020, most Australians seemed comfortably unaware that international travel was only more accessible for those with the ‘right’ passports. …
There are both far-reaching opportunities and new challenges for the Department of Defence, industry and local governments when it comes to maritime sustainment in Australia’s north. Traditional Defence and industry models used in Australia’s southern …
It seems we’ll be waiting until at least sometime in the first quarter of 2022 for the government to decide on the future of the Port of Darwin lease. In the meantime, the lost opportunities …
The development of evidence-based strategies for dealing with illicit drugs has always been challenging for governments. One of the most complicating factors is that a health issue, addiction, has been criminalised to combat those seeking …
At the time of the review of Australia’s intelligence agencies in 2017, extremism, state and non-state actors, climate change and technological change were all parts of the operating environment, along with rising competition between states. …
In 2017, the Australian Institute of Criminology estimated that the cost of serious and organised crime to Australia in 2016–17 was around $47.4 billion. A more recent estimate isn’t available, but all things being equal, …