If everything the Government says about the rise of China is true, the question is not whether we can afford this White Paper, but whether it goes far enough, argues John Birmingham.
Defence
Henderson: Australia should not kowtow to China on defence
Australia should project power as far as possible; our defence policy should not be determined by China’s wishes, writes Gerard Henderson.
White Paper budget increase high enough to induce nose bleeds
Rudd’s Defence White Paper will rely on the rise of China to fund our defence against the, erm, rise of China.
Why are we fighting in Afghanistan?
So we are going to send another 450 young Australians to fight in Afghanistan. We’d better be very sure it is worth putting our people in harm’s way, writes Brian Walters.
Defence blueprint could fuel arms race
Analysts are warning that Rudd’s new defence white-paper could encourage other countries in the region to stockpile weapons.
Defence spending boosted to 20-year high
Despite the economic downturn, the Australian armed forces’ budget is expected to rise to almost $24 billion this year, the highest level in 20 years.
Defence is simply too big for Nick Warner
Of course Nick Warner is the wrong man for the job of Secretary of the Defence Department. That’s because the job is beyond any single individual, and certainly beyond any single Minister, writes Bernard Keane.
Fitzgibbon affair points to bureaucrats out of control
There are a number of issues in play in the revelation that Defence has been spying on its own minister. All bear teasing out, writes Bernard Keane.
DMO to be cut loose from Defence Department?
Alarm bells rang across Canberra’s defence establishment this morning over the official report calling for the Defence Material Organisation to be cut loose from the Defence Department, writes Alex Mitchell.
Five-hour delay for wounded Australians
The wounding of two ADF personnel has again raised the question of the support Australian forces are providing for personnel conducting operations around Tarin Kowt, writes Bernard Keane.
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Meaty snippets from the home of government plus the daily reality check and the pick of other people’s political coverage. Richard Farmer writes.
Davies: Defence department crashes back to earth
While the first Rudd government budget has delivered Defence a real increase as promised, that’s where the good news stops, writes Andrew Davies, program director at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute
Memo to Joel Fitzgibbon: Why not wait for the White Paper?
Ordering new fighter planes before the Defence White Paper is finished is a tad premature, argues former Office of national Assessments strategist Sam Roggeveen.
