This Month
Deal overshadowed by the chaos of war
The EU-Australia agreement allowed Anthony Albanese to argue that free trade is not dead in the Trump era. But the turmoil in the Middle East is overwhelming.
EU warns Australia: Distance won’t save you in ‘harsh’ world
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says Australia’s and Europe’s security are intertwined, and Australians are no longer protected by their isolation.
How Trump’s war on Iran will affect China’s Taiwan calculations
Regardless of what happens in the Middle East, Xi Jinping will be more uncomfortable with the state of the world – and this is good for deterrence.
Households in dark about ‘worst energy crisis’ says IEA
The head of the International Energy Agency has criticised governments’ failure to inform households about the effects of the worst energy crisis since the 1970s.
Australia open to joining allies’ Hormuz push
Foreign policy analysts have urged the Albanese government to join key allies in backing a new move to secure shipping through the key waterway.
Australia-EU defence pact opens door to joint naval operations
Anthony Albanese and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are expected to sign the agreement next week when they finalise a long-awaited free trade deal.
Australia’s top crude supplier warns of fuel export risk
Malaysia has warned shipments to Australia could be disrupted if the conflict in the Middle East drags on, saying it may need to prioritise its own needs.
Petrol panic flashes red light on Australia’s short supply of navy ships
The Middle East conflict has sharpened concerns about fuel supplies. Increasing stockpiles is necessary, but does not address the lack of coherent maritime strategy.
Russian oil relief could prolong Iran conflict: Ukraine envoy
Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia has warned easing sanctions on Russian crude would fuel Moscow’s drone production and help re-arm the Iranian regime.
Australia and European Union poised to sign trade deal
Momentum to finalise an agreement has gathered steam as US President Donald Trump waged a trade war and imposed swingeing tariffs globally.
Don’t sell ‘iconic’ Defence land: Howard
Former prime minister John Howard has joined opposition to the Albanese government’s planned sale of historic military sites to raise billions of dollars.
Hormuz crisis exposes Australia’s shrinking warship fleet
Experts warn Australia’s warship fleet will shrink before new ships arrive, leaving the navy stretched as tensions rise in the Middle East and Indo-Pacific.
Australia should be able to help keep oil flowing – but probably can’t
It’s one thing to be hesitant of Australia’s navy joining the US in Iran, it’s another when it lacks the military capacity to protect strategic and economic interests.
Anthony Albanese on Iran is no John Howard on Iraq
The comparison with the Iraq war in 2003 is stark. While the result was disastrous, no voter could be in any doubt that John Howard believed in what he was doing.
Drone strike on Amazon data centres shows war is now fought in the cloud
For Australia, this presents a once-in-a-generation strategic opportunity. Our country offers stability and security that is increasingly rare in an uncertain world.
Iranian war is becoming Trump’s global economic crisis
Australia is being increasingly drawn into the Middle East conflict as its fuel supplies become ever more vulnerable.
Unveiled: Defence’s new fleet of armed, solar-powered spy boats
The $126 million acquisition of 40 autonomous vessels will help the navy carry out more intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
Iranian asylum seeker to return home after changing her mind
The decision forced Home Affairs to relocate the remaining six asylum seekers because the woman who changed her mind disclosed their address to the Iranian embassy.
Gulf deployment ‘exposes Australia’s vulnerability’ in the drone era
Australia would struggle to defend itself against the drone and missile attacks now defining modern warfare, according to military analysts.
Albanese deploys Gulf missiles, Trump says war ‘pretty well complete’
The PM billed the assistance as a defensive measure to support Australians stuck in the region, as Donald Trump promised the Iran “excursion” would be over soon.
Iran war’s only guaranteed outcome is that Trump will declare victory
The US president has tried to reassure markets that the war in Iran will be over soon and be successful. But the shocks, including to the oil market, will keep coming.
Starmer’s foreign policy is about politics – and a warning for Australia
When establishment parties are genuinely destabilised by their flanks in Australia, the economic consequences will be felt well beyond the ballot box.
Australia is right to support the US in Iran - but can only offer limited help
Qualified defensive participation is the right approach. Not because we should back everything the US does, but because it advances our own security interests.
Are the Iranian strikes really illegal? The Greens’ claims are risible
Claims that international lawyers are unanimous in their views are never true. Groupthink within ivory tower staff rooms doesn’t change that.
Defence taps industry for jet fuel as oil crisis deepens
Defence has held talks with major resources companies about securing more jet fuel and diesel, as panic buying spreads across Australia and oil prices surge.
