News
In 2026, a lot of Taiwan's military equipment is just deadweight
4+ hour, 53+ min ago (592+ words) Late in April, a batch of American-made M1 A2 Abrams tanks arrived by sea in the Port of Taipei. The 28 M1 A2s are the last of 108 Abrams tanks that Taiwan bought from the United States for US$1. 3 billion (A$1. 8 billion) back in 2019. Among the…...
Digitally watched without consent: spyware as a tool of coercive control
9+ hour, 15+ min ago (179+ words) Spyware, once primarily used by intelligence agencies and nation-states, has become a tool of intimate partner abuse, quietly deployed against people " mostly women " who have no idea they are being watched. Spyware is malicious software that covertly monitors a device's…...
NDS 2026 " Focus on high-intensity conflict neglects peacekeeping and HADR
14+ hour, 23+ min ago (153+ words) Australian defence policy focuses too much on the risk of high-intensity, mostly conventional conflict at large cost to capabilities for peacekeeping and humanitarian support, its most likely military operations. The Australian Defence Force's persistent personnel retention and recruitment problems worsen…...
Not just commercial litigation: China is trying to keep Darwin Port
3+ day, 4+ hour ago (542+ words) Litigation by the Chinese lessee of Darwin Port is an attempt at stymying the Australian government's stated aim of returning the facility to Australian control. The case started at the World Bank is no mere attempt at protecting a commercial…...
After Mythos, Australia should prepare to battle for access to frontier AI
3+ day, 8+ hour ago (376+ words) The lesson of Anthropic's new Claude Mythos AI model, with potent hacking capabilities, is becoming clear: in the era of increasingly powerful AI, national security priorities will prevail. Countries like Australia can't assume they'll always have access to these models…...
To prepare for supply-chain shocks, focus on systems of disruption
3+ day, 12+ hour ago (667+ words) Supply chains built for efficiency are colliding with a world defined by disruption. In this context, Australia now faces a structural challenge in securing critical inputs such as fuel and fertiliser. Government, industry and consumers need to reset expectations, share…...
Bookshelf: the CIA in the 21st century
4+ day, 4+ hour ago (323+ words) The mission of the US Central Intelligence Agency is extremely hazardous, writes Tim Weiner in his July 2025 book, The Mission: the CIA in the 21st century. Collecting intelligence runs many risks and can test limits of legality. At the same time,…...
Mr Trump goes to Beijing " Views from ASPI analysts
4+ day, 9+ hour ago (537+ words) Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping are meeting in Beijing on May 14 and 15 for the first time in more than six months. It's Trump's first visit to China since 2017. The two leaders are expected to discuss trade, rare-earths controls, nuclear…...
For Indo-Pacific states, the Arctic's security importance is rising
4+ day, 13+ hour ago (184+ words) The Arctic is no longer a distant sideshow. It is becoming a contested strategic arena, and Indo-Pacific states should start treating it that way. What happens in the High North will increasingly affect global trade, allied defence planning and the…...
No solidarity: Southeast Asian countries split as each seeks Iranian oil
5+ day, 4+ hour ago (213+ words) Collective action would have served the region better, but tighter supplies, delayed shipments and rising prices have pushed governments towards individual deals with Iran. The result is a weaker regional response and a shift away from access as a right…...