This is the third and final paper in a series commissioned for a project that ASPI has been jointly running with Canada’s Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI). The project explores the rationale for and possible mechanisms of closer Australia–Canada defence and security cooperation in the Asia–Pacific. The paper is authored by John Blaxland. This...

Two years after the start of the Arab uprisings, the Middle East remains as tumultuous as ever. Despite the uncertainty and flux, a number of emerging trends will influence the region in the post-revolutionary period and well into the future.The first trend is a marked uptick in sectarianism and sectarian violence. The second trend is...

The next government has a primary requirement to be well briefed on the challenges inherent in Australia’s strategic circumstances and the policy options available to it. ASPI is publishing this report to layout our strategic choices and to provide recommendations. Contributors are Peter Jennings on strategic policy, Mark Thomson and Andrew Davies on defence, Anthony...

ASPI hosted a conference on Maritime Confidence Building Measures (MCBMs) in the South China Sea, 12-13 August 2013 in Sydney. The objective of the conference was to develop proposals for prospective MCBMs for the South China Sea. This report includes speeches by Senator Bob Carr, then Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Professor Dr Hasjim Djalal...

Thirteen years on from the release of the 2000 Defence white paper (D2000), we're still waiting for some of the major ADF capabilities it announced to be realised. This paper reviews the 31 major capability announcements made back then.