Andrew Shearer was Tony Abbott’s national security adviser. In an article published in mid-January co-authored with US analyst Michael Green, he said that ‘senior US officials and military officers are in no doubt both as …
In 2016 we live in a comparatively peaceful world. No great power is at war with another. Even middle-power conflict is absent: no Iran–Iraq war with chemical weapons being tossed about, for example. Wars can …
The failure of the ‘one country, two systems’ principle that governs relations between China and Hong Kong should concern states in the Asia–Pacific. The erosion of Hong Kong’s autonomy undermines pro-unification forces in Taiwan and …
Australian government agencies are seeking to improve cooperation with the private sector to tackle financial crime. Still, much more needs to be done, and simply enhancing existing areas of cooperation is a good place to …
The first rule of alliance management is to understand the ally. For a junior ally, that’s core stuff. Read the great and powerful friend. Find the meanings. Relate domestic trends within the ally to international …
Monday’s Iowa caucuses meant no shortage of analysis for US politics wonks this week. For some choicer pieces, check out Stephen Walt’s unforgiving look at the top five presidential candidates: HRC, The Donald, Cruz, Bernie and …
Beijing’s recent announcement that its new ice breaker, the Haibing 722 海冰 (Sea Ice), had undertaken its maiden voyage patrolling the Bohai Sea is a signal of China’s growing prowess in the polar regions. Haibing 722 …
In an author’s response to a critique of one’s work, perhaps it might seem unusual to start by agreeing with the criticiser! In his review of my monograph Forging Australian Land Power: A Primer, Dr …
The future submarine project is heating up, with the government due to choose from the three competing bidders in a few months’ time. All of the current press attention seems to be focused on the …
The Canberra ministerial adviser—the Minder—was born on 5 December 1972, when Gough Whitlam became Prime Minister. Like much that Whitlam did, the birth was attended by high purpose, low politics and scrambling. The short, tumultuous …
The Beat Predictive policing Interested in how big data can help law enforcement? A new article from City Journal, ‘Big data on the beat’, discusses how technology and big data can anticipate and prevent crime. …
In analysing Japan’s updated space policy, Andrew Davies and Rod Lyon suggest the prospect of Australia joining Japan in greater cooperation on the high frontier. Noting that the broader defence and security relationship with Japan …
Australians will notice an interesting parallel between oil giant Woodside and its impasse with the Timor Leste government and an internal conflict within the Joko Widodo administration over how to develop what will be Indonesia’s …
As the Asia–Pacific becomes increasingly contested, Southeast Asian nations find themselves courted by a range of Asian powers interested in their strategic locations and burgeoning economies. Both China and India seek to expand their influence …
The decision by the United States last month to withdraw from the 30-year tuna treaty with Pacific Island countries will take effect in January next year. The treaty is one of the most important aid …
Overnight the US and the EU Commission reached an agreement on transatlantic data flows, 3 months after the European Court of Justice ruled the old ‘Safe Harbour’ framework was invalid. The EU Commission stated that …
Those of us who have enjoyed a long association with Indonesia would recall, with some affection at least, the former Australian Embassy in Jalan Thamrin. With the Selamat Datang (Welcome) monument opposite and the Hotel …
One of the questions I’m sometimes asked is ‘why do we call 6,000 ton warships frigates’? The implicit assumption behind the question is that the frigates of the past were vessels of modest size, and …
Sea State The US Department of Defense has confirmed that the USS Curtis Wilbur conducted a freedom of navigation operation in the South China Sea on 30 January, sailing within 12 nautical miles of Triton …
Most experts agree that the consensus achieved at COP21 in Paris, like most global agreements, produced a sub-optimal outcome, and by itself, is unlikely to limit global average temperature rise to two degrees centigrade (much …