Northern Australia comprises half of the nation’s landmass, is rich in natural resources and offers a gateway to the Indo-Pacific—yet it is grossly underappreciated in federal decision-making, with the result that its potential is largely …
The Strategist on: "North of 26° south"
Inflation is ganging up with long-standing problems in our contracting and procurement systems to stifle construction, innovation and ultimately our economic future. While the Reserve Bank fights inflation, the government must lead reform in procurement …
Australia’s National Defence Strategy presents a central challenge to the ADF: deterring adversaries from projecting power through our northern approaches. To do this effectively, the ADF must maximise use of civilian infrastructure, particularly in northern …
There is a glaring disconnect between policy and practical action in the Northern Territory. Focusing the Australian Defence Force on Northern Australia is a straightforward decision. The Defence Strategic Review, National Defence Strategy and Integrated …
As sophisticated Australian Army equipment becomes concentrated at Townsville, it’s time for the Department of Defence to shift management offices for those systems to the city. In doing so, it would be simply applying the …
Australia needs a policy for delivering the minimum manufacturing capacity that would ensure national resilience, security and economic prosperity. Unfortunately, Australia’s domestic manufacturing capacity is generally declining, except in the defence industry and, in time, …
Fourteen countries this week took what they intended to be a big step in countering China’s dominance of critical minerals supply. But it’s unclear whether the initiative will restore competitiveness of Australian production and investment …
According to current Australian political discourse, a 10-year-old is too young for social media, yet old enough to be imprisoned. This inconsistency should be a sign to policymakers that significant changes must be made to …
Over the last three decades, the Australian Defence Force (ADF), enjoying an era of peace and strategic stability, shifted from prioritising sovereign fuel resilience to investing heavily in outsourcing. With strategic warning times shrinking and …
Last week, the Industry Capability Network in Australia (ICN) released the second edition of its Northern Territory’s Construction Industry Mapping Report. As the Australian Department of Defence prepares to unleash a wave of construction projects …
A missed opportunity? The Aviation White Paper and northern Australia’s regional aviation challenges
The Australian government’s Aviation White Paper—Towards 2050 outlines a vision for the future of civil aviation. While the White Paper represents a significant step forward, particularly in terms of decarbonising the aviation sector and enhancing …
In the Northern Territory, the expansion of defence capabilities is intricately linked to the region’s construction industry. To provide the Australian Department of Defence the infrastructure it needs and wants, it must provide projects to …