If the army’s emerging littoral force is to become effective, the government must create an integrated northern logistics system from military and civilian capabilities. The Australian Army Contribution to the National Defence Strategy 2026 sets …
The Strategist on: "North of 26° south"
The Australian Army doesn’t own many of the systems that its future combat power depends on. Ports, fuel supplies, freight networks, telecommunications, electricity, cloud computing, satellite services and skilled workforces sit largely beyond the Department …
As much as the federal budget needs fixing, shifting more disaster risk onto Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia would be the wrong way to do it. These jurisdictions already carry some of the …
Australia and Canada are separated by half a world, but a new defence partnership is exposing an unexpected similarity. Canada is buying Australian surveillance technology developed to monitor the vast approaches to Australia’s north. The …
Last week in Darwin, I saw an example of what Australia needs more of: industry investing in sovereign capability before Defence has written the requirement or issued a tender. I watched Leidos’s Australian-built uncrewed surface …
National Cabinet spent last Wednesday discussing how Australia’s data centres will be powered. The harder question – where they should be built – was left off the table. The meeting was meant to lock in …
Australia should pay attention to emerging drone technology in countries to its north and the opportunities they offer for lessons and collaboration. The Northern Territory can serve as a hub for that cooperation through testing, …
For decades, northern Australia has been discussed as a frontier for economic development. More recently, it has become central to Australia’s defence strategy. Yet we continue to approach the region much as we always have: …
Australia’s housing debate is too often framed as a contest between investors and first home buyers. For northern Australia, the stakes are much higher. Housing shortages are increasingly constraining workforce development, critical infrastructure delivery, defence …
The Australian Army and the Northern Territory government are aligned on defence strategy. The next step is implementation. The 2026 National Defence Strategy (NDS), released on 16 April, established Australia’s strategic direction for an era …
Australia should build more of its AI data centres in the north. The physical infrastructure that powers AI has become a strategic national security issue, not simply a collection of commercial assets but a critical …
The proposed US Marine Corps war reserve stockpile at Bandiana should trigger a sharper Australian debate than the one now unfolding. Can Australia and its allies can turn those stocks into operational effect at the …