Defence
Explainer
Roberts-Smith case
110 days, 41 witnesses and 15 key questions to answer: Why the Ben Roberts-Smith case matters
Australia’s most decorated living soldier, Victoria Cross and Medal of Gallantry winner Ben Roberts-Smith, has lost a landmark defamation case.
- by Michael Bachelard
Latest
Military co-operation at risk over human rights breaches, US told Australia
Defence Force Chief Angus Campbell was warned the Brereton report could trigger a law that prevents the US military working with units linked to “gross violations of human rights”.
- by Matthew Knott
Inside South Korea’s race to become one of the world’s biggest arms dealers
As Western countries scrambled to arm Ukraine, South Korea’s arms sales jumped to more than $US17 billion in 2022 from $US7.25 billion the year prior.
- by Joyce Lee and Josh Smith
Exclusive
Political donations
Big four consultancies win $1.4 billion a year in taxpayer-funded contracts
The Centre for Public Integrity claims consulting giants are wielding undue influence as a new study finds PwC is now the biggest political donor of the big four.
- by David Crowe and Matthew Knott
Exclusive
Asia-Pacific
Secret China ‘war-gaming’ exercises expose Australia’s defence weaknesses
The classified version of the defence strategic review examined what would happen if Beijing had a permanent military foothold in a neighbouring Pacific nation.
- by Matthew Knott
Exclusive
ADF
The radical proposal to recruit foreigners to fight for Australia
Pacific Islanders should be allowed to serve in the ADF to boost numbers, military experts say, while Andrew Hastie backed it as a pathway to citizenship.
- by Matthew Knott
‘Army are on the nose’: Australia warned over slashing of tanks
The Albanese government has decided to cut the number of new infantry fighting vehicles it was planning to purchase to from 450 to 129, which means Australia will only have enough for one mechanised battalion.
- by Anthony Galloway
Australia pays former US defence chiefs $7000 a day for advice
The federal government is paying retired senior American military officials up to $7500 a day for advice on major defence projects.
- by Matthew Knott
Navy vessel destroyed: Philippines, allies rehearse war in South China Sea
The decommissioned navy corvette was sacrificed during war games that involved 17,600 troops, including more than 100 Australians.
- by Chris Barrett
Exclusive
Cyber warfare
Home Affairs chief says cyberattacks threaten ‘everything, everywhere all at once’
Michael Pezzullo says the tactics and techniques used by cybercriminals and increasingly by authoritarian states in warfare are changing almost daily.
- by Rob Harris
Major Defence role in managing emergencies ‘unsustainable’, says minister
More Australians may need to be paid to assist with flood and bushfire recovery, after the emergency management minister calls for a reduction in the military’s role.
- by Matthew Knott