Scientists have long predicted that climate change will increase the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, like tropical cyclones, in the Asia–Pacific region. Now, with four decades of observable data, it’s clear that the …
The Strategist on: "North of 26° south"
‘Good fences make good neighbours.’ This line from Robert Frost’s famous poem ‘Mending Wall’ is often misunderstood. Some take it to mean that having hard barriers in place will keep neighbours apart and therefore prevent …
In 2018, the Australia–Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership recognised a ‘proximity advantage’ between eastern Indonesia and northern Australia offering ripe opportunities for development, growth and cooperation. Yet, despite the Australian government’s reported enthusiasm over decades to …
Maritime law enforcement (MLE) vessels are non-naval vessels employed on maritime law enforcement duties, primarily coastguard vessels, but also vessels of other MLE agencies, such as marine police and fisheries protection services. The growth of …
The past year has seen major progress in increasing the Northern Territory’s fuel storage capacity and fuel stockholdings—and there’s more to come. The expansion is spread across airfields and ports and comprises different fuel types, …
The Quad is back in action. Australia, India, Japan and the US formed the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue in 2007 in the aftermath of the Indian Ocean tsunami, but it foundered in 2008 due to lack …
The Northern Territory government has set ambitious plans for economic and social prosperity. Its catchily named ‘Terabit Territory’ initiative, which aims to position the NT to become a leader in telecommunications across Southeast Asia, is …
In January 2019, ASPI established its ‘North and Australia’s Security’ program to provide a sustained research focus on the security of northern Australia and its critical role in broader security—and for a good reason, as …
US President Joe Biden has just signed an executive order launching a comprehensive review of America’s critical supply chains for strategically significant products and resources. Among those are rare-earth elements, supplies of which the Biden …
Now that the government has made the decision to purchase 29 of Boeing’s AH-64E Apache helicopters by 2025 to replace the Australian Army’s 22 Airbus Tigers, where does it leave us? Surprisingly, it’s with a …
The world has changed rapidly over the past 18 months and the way Australia’s defence organisation trains its people needs to change with it, or skills and readiness will surely decline. A combination of the …
The impact of Covid-19 and Australia’s rapidly evolving strategic environment have highlighted the requirement to invest in a sovereign defence industry. The Australian government clearly articulated its ambition for a strong and sustainable capability in …