Policy, Guns and Money: Coronavirus crisis

In this episode, we speak with three experts to help understand the global health crisis caused by the novel coronavirus. You’ll hear from Raina MacIntyre, who’s a professor of global biosecurity at the University of …

The return of the interceptor

Every year, the International Institute for Strategic Studies publishes a thorough assessment of the capabilities and defence economics of militaries around the globe. The 2020 edition of The military balance covers 171 countries and provides …

The Christchurch terrorist attack—one year on

The cancellation of the memorial service marking the first anniversary of the Christchurch terrorist attacks because of the risk posed by the novel coronavirus, Covid-19, demonstrates how immediate threats can overtake the most painful events. …

Protecting democracy in Papua New Guinea

One of the questions frequently asked about Australia’s closest neighbour, Papua New Guinea, is whether a military, or other, coup is possible. Over the 40-plus years of my association with PNG, my view has been …

Defending Australia’s north: proximity does matter

In October 1942, Edward Ward, the minister for labour and national services, accused the Australian government of having planned to abandon the country’s north in the event of a Japanese invasion. While the ‘Brisbane Line’ …

How the coronavirus crisis was made in China

The new coronavirus, Covid-19, has spread to more than 130 countries—bringing social disruption, economic damage, sickness and death—largely because authorities in China, where it emerged, initially suppressed information about it. And yet China is now …