Intelligence and security
Australia all in with the Joint Strike Fighter
'Together with the Super Hornet and Growler electronic warfare aircraft, the F-35 aircraft will ensure Australia maintains a regional air combat edge', Prime Minister Abbott said…
Debating Snowden, WikiLeaks and the future of espionage
It was a treat for me to host yesterday's panel discussion on Snowden, WikiLeaks and the Future of Espionage. It was a lively panel which engaged in sometimes passionate…
Australia-Japan defence agreement: Normal, not extraordinary
If, as expected, Australia and Japan sign a defence equipment agreement today, this should be seen as a normal and welcome development in the bilateral relationship (as ASPI's…
Abbott goes to Asia: The security dimension
Prime Minister Abbott poses with the leaders of the Chinese, Japanese and South Korean military efforts searching for MH370 at RAAF Base Pearce.
Tony Abbott is about to depart…
Did Australia really 'scuttle' New Zealand's nuclear-weapons diplomacy?
The nuclear-free antennae worn by many New Zealanders have been bristling at news of a counter-campaign by Australian diplomats at the UN.
At issue is a statement on the…
General Hurley previews the Defence White Paper
Twenty months ago the Chief of the Defence Force delivered a speech at the Lowy Institute outlining how he thought the 2013 White Paper would be developed. Today at the…
Spying row: Why Indonesia is tougher on Canberra than on Washington
Australia has copped the ire and sarcasm of Indonesian foreign minister Marty Natalegawa over fresh spying allegations reported in the New York Times last weekend. Meanwhile, the…
East China Sea: Is Australia hitting the 'pause' button on the Japan relationship?
Maybe Robert E Kelly is right that there has been too much gnashing of teeth and tearing of clothes over the very short change given to Asia in Barack Obama’s 2014 State of the…
Snowden leaks now hurting US exports, so is spying worth it?
Yesterday Peter McCawley noted that revelations of Australian spying on Indonesia are threatening to damage bilateral trade talks.
Today, more evidence that the Snowden leaks are…