Author: Paul Sigar
Although there weren’t any foreign interference or malicious cyber-activities that affected the integrity of the 2019 Federal elections, this may change in the coming years. Australia can expect disinformation campaigns perpetuated by Chinese state actors, similar to those that target Chinese diaspora in North America, to reach its shores — only more sophisticated and covert.
Continue reading “How can Australia respond to China’s disinformation campaign?“
Author: Ben Johnstone, ANU
The European Union (EU) has recently shown increased interest in the Indo-Pacific. From new bilateral partnerships to a new Indo-Pacific Strategy, the region is finally receiving Brussel’s attention. China’s challenge to the global order through projects like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has caused alarm among European leaders and the recently re-emerged Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) must seize opportunities to work with Europe if it is to maintain the existing rules-based order.
Continue reading “European Union–Quad collaboration towards a ‘Free and Open’ Indo-Pacific“
Author: Anastasia Kalloniati, ANU
Negative perceptions of international security and relations between global powers are steadily rising with mounting tensions between the United States (US) and China. In this fearful climate, we need to look deeper at crises that had the potential to be devastating to better tackle those that may arise in the future. The EP-3 crisis is a fascinating case that fits this description.
Continue reading “Lessons in crisis management: the EP-3 crisis”
Author: Stephan Robin, University of Adelaide
As Australia becomes increasingly dependent on satellite infrastructure, the threat posed by cyberattacks in space must be consciously addressed as a national security priority.
Continue reading “Why Australia must improve its cyber space defence capabilities”
Author: Krystal Ha, University of Melbourne
When COVID-19 swept across the globe many described it as ‘unprecedented.’ It seemed out of the blue, with the idea of widespread lockdowns, extensive hotel quarantine programs and travel bans alien to all Australians. In government, it was the same — still reeling from bushfires across Australia, the state and federal governments scrambled from one extreme crisis to the next. However, the possibility of a pandemic has been glaring in our faces for decades.
Continue reading “The future of ‘unprecedented’ events“
Author: Fiona Ballentine, ANU
Australia has failed to acknowledge that it has an right-wing extremism problem that is being exacerbated by the Internet and COVID-19. The difficulty in combatting the issue has lies in the role of social media as an instrument for radicalisation. In tackling COVID-19, Australia’s crisis response is lacking a crucial component — it has not fully understood the expansion of violent extremism narratives as part of its disaster response.
Continue reading “COVID-19 has worsened Australia’s right-wing extremism problem”
Author: Samuel Ng, Queensland University of Technology
Australia last year called for an independent inquiry into the origins of COVID-19 and objected to Beijing’s imposition of a sweeping security law in Hong Kong. China’s swift retaliation, then, through deployment of strong measures against Australian wine and barley exports was no surprise.
Continue reading “International law with Chinese characteristics”
Author: Tutti Copping, University of Technology Sydney
The Australian Government’s recent failure to list the Great Barrier Reef as ‘in danger’ is another ‘F’ on their climate change report card. In 2020, the Reef underwent its third iteration of coral bleaching, affecting 60 per cent of coral in the reef, and serving as a pertinent reminder of the environmental impact climate change is having in Australia.
Continue reading “Where is Australia on climate action?”
Author: Angus Colovic, University of Adelaide
What constitutes a ‘national security issue’ is a never-ending debate. Some may see the distinction in sector — armament management, regional defence, and sovereignty matters. Unfortunately, in a world rife with insurgencies, tacit influence and coercive diplomacy, some issues tend to get swept under the rug. ‘
Continue reading “Power politics is paralysing the World Trade Organisation”
Author: Aiden Riley, ANU
In West Papua separatist sentiment has failed to disappear after decades. While Australia remains involved with its twin Papua New Guinea, the culturally and ethnically similar West Papua has endured continual neglect, corruption and human rights abuses. Demands for independence are continually repressed by Indonesia. How should Australia as both a key player in the region and with storied history on the island of New Guinea respond?
Continue reading “Australia’s West Papua Dilemma”
