Worry about the sharemarket when cabbies offer hot buying tips. Quit the market when brokers claim: ‘this boom is different!’ The claim history has been defeated—‘This time it’s different!’—is ever an alarm. With that …
With a new Prime Minister, it’s an appropriate time to reconsider Tony Abbott’s ‘dob in an ice dealer’ hotline before things get a whole lot more difficult for Australia’s top cops. Prior to the initiative, …
The red carpet was rolled out in Washington DC this week as some A-list visitors hit the town. On Thursday, Pope Francis became the first pontiff to address US Congress—full text and video here. In …
Since 2013, when rumours first began to circulate in the US mainstream media that Russia might have violated the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, analysts have been trying to clarify the nature of the breach …
Indonesia hosted the Pacific Chiefs of Armies meeting in Bali in mid-September as part of broader US and regional efforts to enhance mutual understanding among countries, and to nudge China to pursue its aspirations within …
I am a senior warrant officer who has been fortunate to serve in an Australian Special Forces unit for over 25 years, including more than 13 years in combat roles, and, most recently, as head …
It’s often said that in terms of range, what Australia is looking for in replacing the Collins-class is a nuclear submarine, but with conventional propulsion. If this assessment were taken too literally it would favor …
The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) anti-corruption drive is of staggering scale, reach and audacity. From the powerful ‘tigers’ to the low-ranking ‘flies’, the anti-corruption policy of Xi Jinping’s leadership has targeted and frightened multiple segments …
The Beat Inside the Yakuza We recently discussed how divisions within the Yamaguchi-gumi criminal group sparked fears of gang violence in Japan. After months of negotiation, Belgian photographer Anton Kusters gained a rare insight into …
Beyond the occasional doom-laden and shouting headline about the coming ‘cyber apocalypse’, few column inches are devoted to the cyber policy and international security space. This is a shame, because if you were to look …
My previous post highlighted the growing challenge of advanced anti-ship missiles to naval surface combatants where I noted that the effectiveness of these counter-intervention systems depends on the adversary achieving early success in information warfare. …
Command and control were key naval unknowns in August 1914. What hadn’t been properly appreciated in set-piece, largely visually conducted exercises before the war were the problems with radio. The full conceptual and practical difficulties …
China and the US have stolen the show this week with their negotiations of what may become the world’s first major arms control agreement for cyberspace. Bilateral discussions focus on establishing a no first use …
Increasing strategic weight in Asia is making its effects felt in new ways. Australians are already familiar with Japan’s more open stance on military exports, with a possible submarine collaboration garnering plenty of local press. …
When I was surveying the communications capability of the ADF back in 2010, I made the following observation: ‘Australian users now have access to the US-built Wideband Global Satellite (WGS) system. This ‘off-the-shelf’ purchase provides …
Two weeks ago, the Parliamentary Joint Committee of Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) delivered its much anticipated report on the controversial proposal to strip Australian citizenship from dual nationals involved in terrorism. The PJCIS has done …
Sea State Chinese state media reported on Thursday that China had begun its first joint naval drills with Malaysia in the Strait of Malacca. According to Xinhua News, Chinese ships taking part in the six-day …
Forty years ago Australia decided to engage China. We should now embark on a similar path of engagement with Africa. Africa is on a growth trajectory that’s enabled it to become the world’s fastest-growing continent. …
The Leaders’ Declaration on Climate Change Action, which emerged from the Pacific Islands Forum in Port Moresby on 10 September, doesn’t provide the basis for a cohesive diplomatic strategy for Pacific Island states as they …
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will be the most technically advanced fighter jet in the world—and one of the most expensive. If we want to be sure we’re getting our money’s worth, it’s important to …