Publications

This paper contends that while Australia’s strategic geography is being revolutionized by 1) China and India’s rising maritime power and 2) the growing connectivity of the Eurasia region, it is a mistake to link the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions together...chevron_right

This report examines the state of transnational organized crime in Sri Lanka. More specifically, it traces how geopolitical changes, particularly the end of the country’s civil war in 2009 and the destruction of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), have impacted the...chevron_right

This paper contends that Australia and Israel haven’t paid enough attention to how each contributes to the other’s national interests. Given this seeming problem, the text’s authors lay out the shared interests Canberra and Jerusalem have with...chevron_right

This brief discusses the arrest in October 2016 of two 16-year olds in Sydney, Australia, who were preparing to commit a terrorist act. More specifically, the text’s authors outline the circumstances of the arrests and what they illustrate about...chevron_right

This paper examines Australia’s three air warfare destroyers (AWDs), including their scheduled completion dates, the combat systems they will employ, and how Canberra then plans to turn right around and upgrade the ships over the next decade. Unsurprisingly, the paper’s...chevron_right

This paper examines four terrorist-related bombing incidents that occurred in the Northeast United States in September 2016. More specifically, it 1) reviews the events surrounding the attacks and who was involved; 2) explains what the incidents say about...chevron_right

As Rod Lyon sees it, the rapid spread of nuclear modernization programs in Asia is redefining the region’s geopolitics, but that doesn’t mean that nuclear weapons will necessarily become more prominent in the strategic calculus of the area’s powers. As part of his analysis, Lyon additionally looks at 1) the complexities of the South Asian nuclear dynamic; 2) how the “balanced deterrence” that exists between the US and China could shape Asia’s future nuclear order; and 3) the wildcard role North Korea’s nuclear program continues to play in the region.chevron_right

This report assesses the approaches of 23 countries in the Asia-Pacific Region towards the challenges and opportunities represented by cyberspace. More specifically, the text reviews topics such as 1) government cyber policies and legislative approaches; 2) the appropriate...chevron_right

This paper briefly examines a knife attack which took place on 10 September 2016 in Sydney, Australia, and what it demonstrates about 1) the threat posed by Daesh and other Islamist extremist groups; 2) the response, strategic messaging and intelligence capabilities of...chevron_right

This text features 13 articles on the July 2016 South China Sea arbitration ruling which favored the Philippines over China. Some of the specific topics covered include 1) Beijing’s responses to the arbitration decision; 2) the potential impact of the ruling on other Chinese and non-Chinese maritime claims...chevron_right

This paper examines the past and current status of Australian-Indian relations. The text’s author contends that although the strategic relationship was often strained in the past, greater strategic convergence has recently occurred, primarily in the cases of...chevron_right

This paper briefly overviews the 14 July 2016 terrorist attack in Nice, France; the domestic security context in which the attack took place; and what counterterrorism lessons Australia can learn from the attack. In the latter case, Canberra should...chevron_right

This report examines the roles unmanned maritime vehicles (UMVs) might play in 1) enhancing Australia’s ability to monitor its vast territorial waters, and 2) making the risk strategies of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and the Australian Border Force (ABF) more effective. The text’s authors also...chevron_right

This paper explores how traditional deterrence frameworks might be applied to cyberspace, which is a thornier problem than one might think. For example, punishment-based deterrence is unlikely to work in the cyber realm and will most like lead to a “credibility-stability paradox.” To help address domain-specific problems such as this, here are Liam Nevill and Zoe Hawkins’ recommendations.chevron_right

This report argues that Australia’s existing methods for gathering and disseminating criminal intelligence overseas are suboptimal. To resolve the problem, Canberra needs to...chevron_right